The brain and dementia

Knowing more about the brain may help someone caring for a person with dementia to understand the condition and support them better. 

There’s been a lot of research into how the brain works. However, not all the details are clear and more research is needed.

These pages explain which areas of the brain are thought to be responsible for which skills and abilities. We explain how changes in the brain of someone with dementia relate to the changes that they – and those around them – may notice as the condition progresses.

This information is helpful for anyone who wants to find out more about how the brain is affected in dementia.

The dementia brain tour

The brain is incredibly complex and this section of our site contains a lot of information about how the brain is thought to function. For more about how the brain works and the effects of dementia, see our set of videos below.

Remembering the person

Researchers have discovered so much about how the brain works that it can be tempting to think of the person just in terms of their brain, and that changes in a person’s behaviour are caused wholly by damage to their brain. This is a mistake.

Our behaviour does reflect changes in our brain. But it also depends on our attitude, life experiences and environment as well as how others relate to us – whether we have dementia or not. It is important to focus on what a person with dementia can still do or feel, not just on what they might have lost. This will help support them to live well with the condition.