Dementia & Alzheimer’s Disease: Personalised Cellular Therapy

Alzheimer’s Disease

The most common form of dementia, characterised by progressive memory loss, synaptic degeneration and accumulation of amyloid-beta plaques and tau tangles in brain tissue. Onset is typically gradual, beginning with short-term memory difficulties and progressing to affect language, spatial orientation and daily functioning. Alzheimer’s accounts for 60–70% of all dementia diagnoses.

Vascular Dementia

The second most common form, caused by reduced blood flow to the brain — often following stroke or chronic small vessel disease. Cognitive decline may be stepwise (following vascular events) or gradual. Symptoms often include impaired judgment, difficulty planning and slowed thinking, alongside the memory loss seen in other dementias.

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)

Characterised by abnormal protein deposits (Lewy bodies) in brain cells. LBD causes fluctuating cognition, visual hallucinations, parkinsonism and sleep disturbances. It shares features with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, making diagnosis and management particularly complex.

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

Affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to changes in personality, behaviour and language. FTD typically presents earlier than Alzheimer’s (often between 40 and 65) and may initially be misdiagnosed as a psychiatric condition. Memory is often relatively preserved in early stages.

Mixed-Type Dementia

Combines features of multiple dementia subtypes — most commonly Alzheimer’s with vascular dementia. Mixed-type is increasingly recognised as common, particularly in patients over 80. The combination of pathologies often produces a more complex clinical picture and faster rate of decline.