Dr. Noa Bergman explains what causes Alzheimer's, is there a way to prevent the disease, and how do you treat someone who has already had the disease?
Dementia cases worldwide have been increasing among adults in recent years, and at the same time the number of cases of the disease at young ages is also increasing.
One such case is that of a 22-year-old man with early dementia from the UK who is considered the youngest man with the disease in the kingdom.
Andre Yreham's troubling symptoms first appeared in November 2022. He began moving and speaking more slowly than usual and, according to his family, "seemed to have a blank look on his face."
After an MRI in October, doctors discovered he had young-onset dementia (YOD), which hundreds of thousands are diagnosed with.
His mother, Sam, said her son's diagnosis was "devastating".
In addition to dementia, Andre was also diagnosed with autism, which his mother already suspected since he scored high on an autism test in the past.
Her "chatty boy" is now a shell of who he once was.
Andre used to be a die-hard wrestling fan and played rugby and football at school.
Andre Yreham - 22 year old dementia patient from UK/Official site, gofundme
"He scored high on the autism test but the waiting list was five to seven years," she said.
"While all this was happening, I just knew something was still wrong. He said less and less, and moved more slowly as if he was trying to process what was being asked of him," she added.
The young man's care must be around the clock Fairburn gave up her career as a driver to care for her son full time.
"I pick out Andre's clothes, I help him bathe because he can't remember what to do in the shower and prepare his food and drink," said Fairburn.
"Normally he would go to the store in the morning to buy himself a monster, but now if he went, he would forget why he was there," she added.
Andre's family - which includes his mother, her husband Alastair, 60, and their other son Tyler, 21 - hope the genome test will help them determine the cause of the dementia so he can join a clinical trial.
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"Even if there is no cure - there is no cure for dementia - any trial we can take on it will help," said Fairburn.
"While they may not work for Andre, any research they do may help someone else in the future and we'll take it," she added.
Fairburn said doctors told her her son's chances of recovery were "slim" and that his life expectancy would likely be shortened.
"What is that life expectancy, they didn't say so we want to make the most of it," she said.
Andre's family has created a GoFundMe to make his dreams come true, which include a Harry Potter studio tour and Shrek's London adventure.
Currently, the recruitment site has twice the amount the family requested.
More on the same topic:
dementia
Alzheimer's
autism