It is usual for anyone sometimes to forget their keys at home, need help remembering minor details, or do basic things. These are part of the daily realities of living that become increasingly common as a person ages. When such realities become so significant as to affect our ability to survive on our own, it is often a sign of something worse… like dementia, for instance.Dementia is a progressive condition that affects a person's ability to think, reason, and remember. It is a leading cause of disability and dependency among older adults, and the number of people affected is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.More than 50 million people are estimated to have dementia worldwide in 2019. The number is set to almost triple by 2030. Although dementia is seen as a disease of people in Western countries, 60% of people with dementia are in poor countries in Africa and Asia.Despite the youthful African population, more elderly people are expected to develop dementia, with Nigeria being one of the most affected countries on the continent. Knowing about the disease can encourage you to tackle the common risk factors of the disease.<h2>Modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors of dementia</h2>Your risk of having dementia depends on the factors you can control and the ones you cannot control. Some factors, like old age and the genes you inherit, are beyond your control, so they are ‘non-modifiable.’On the other hand, there are factors you can control as an individual or with government policies that can help reduce your risk of developing dementia. These factors are ‘modifiable,’ and a 2024 global <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/abstract">report</a> shows that controlling these factors can prevent 45% of dementia cases.The modifiable risk factors include:<ol><li>Social isolation</li><li>Poor education</li><li>Air pollution</li><li>Unresolved hearing loss</li><li>Depression</li><li>Brain injury</li><li>Hypertension</li><li>Diabetes</li><li>Obesity</li><li>Low level of physical activity</li><li>Excessive alcohol intake</li><li>Smoking</li><li>Uncontrolled vision loss</li><li>High serum cholesterol</li></ol>Controlling these factors requires personal effort combined with government policies and intervention.<h2>Reversible and irreversible causes of dementia</h2>Dementia is often a consequence of advanced age. However, it may also be caused by some reversible and irreversible factors.Reversible causes of dementia produce short-lived impairment in memory and thinking, which resolve as soon as the cause is treated or removed. Such reversible causes include:<ul><li>Severe head injury</li><li>Multiple strokes</li><li>HIV</li><li>Neurosyphilis</li><li>Meningitis</li><li>Alcohol</li><li>Heavy metal poisoning</li><li>Brain tumors</li><li>Multiple sclerosis</li><li>Liver and kidney failure</li><li>Low or high thyroid function</li></ul>Irreversible causes of dementia are neurodegenerative disorders or diseases that occur as the brain loses its neurons. They include:<ul><li>Alzheimer’s disease</li><li>Parkinson’s disease</li><li>Prion’s disease</li></ul>

Dementia affects memory and thinking, changing the lives of those diagnosed and their families. Learning the early signs can help you preserve your memories.

Dementia is rising in Africa. Here’s how you can protect your brain

Health News and Research

Chronic Illnesses

Have you ever been asked “What’s your genotype?” It’s a common question for partners seeking to get married, children seeking to enroll into a school, or individuals looking for a job. Doctors too may ask about your genotype when you go for a checkup or treatment. So what’s genotype and how does it work?<h2>What’s a genotype?</h2>Genotype refers to an individual’s genetic makeup. It is an entire library of genes that determines height, eye color, blood group, susceptibility to some diseases, and even the ability to roll one's tongue.These traits are contained in units called genes. The traits exist in multiple forms or alleles. The alleles may be identical (homozygous) or different (heterozygous). The genes and alleles are packed tightly into larger units known as chromosomes. We inherit our genes from our parents, one copy from dad and one copy from mum, and they combine to create our unique genotypes.<h2>What's blood genotype?</h2>Blood genotype refers to the genetic makeup of our blood components. It is used interchangeably with haemoglobin genotype (Hb genotype), which refers to the genes that code for haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues.An average adult has the HbA genotype, which produces HbA with two normal globins. A change or mutation in the normal Hb genotype produces abnormal haemoglobins, such as HbS and HbC, which may affect red cell functions.There are several different genotypes:<ul><li>AA: normal haemoglobin genotype</li><li>AS: sickle cell trait</li><li>AC: haemoglobin disease</li><li>SS: sickle cell anaemia</li><li>SC: sickle cell disease</li></ul><h2>How is the blood genotype inherited?</h2>Like all genotypes, the Hb genotype is inherited from both parents. The two copies of the Hb genes from your parents combine to determine the type of haemoglobin your red cells produce.Haemoglobin has two components: the haem component and the globin component. You can guess this from the name: haem + globin = haemoglobin. The Hb genotype codes for the globin component, which may be an alpha globin or a beta globin.<h2>Why is the blood genotype important?</h2>Blood genotypes play a significant role in determining the risk of developing certain diseases. For instance, an individual with the HbAA genotype is more likely to have malaria, while someone with the HbSS genotype is more vulnerable to infections.Here is why. Malaria parasites survive better in red blood cells with normal haemoglobin than in sickled red cells. Individuals with sickle cell anaemia are likely to have infections because their immune system is weakened by damages caused by sickled red cells.Other importance of blood genotype include:<ol><li>Improved family planning</li></ol>Testing for blood genotype can help you plan your family and ensure that your children are born healthy and without avoidable genetic disorders.<ol><li>Inherited diseases</li></ol>With a genotype test, you can know your risk for certain inherited diseases and know how to manage them proactively.<ol><li>Personalised medicine</li></ol>Knowing your genotype can also help develop personalised medicine. This type of medicine is tailored to the individual and considers their unique genetic makeup.<blockquote>To check your blood genotype, visit a certified medical laboratory or hospital where a blood sample will be collected and analyzed through a hemoglobin electrophoresis test.</blockquote><blockquote>This test determines your genotype (e.g., AA, AS, SS, or AC) by identifying the types of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. It is important to confirm your genotype at least twice, preferably from reputable labs, as errors can occur.</blockquote>

Knowing your genotype matters for marriage, your health, and future generations. It helps you determine the risk of developing certain diseases. 

What is Genotype and How Does it Work?

Reproductive Health

Human blood belongs to one of four main blood groups: A, AB, B, and O. Each of these groups can also be positive or negative for the Rhesus factor, which means you can have an A positive or an A negative blood, just as you can have for AB, &nbsp;B, and O blood groups. But what does this grouping mean to you, and why should you care?<h2>Blood antigens and antibodies</h2>Blood grouping is based on the presence or absence of antigens and antibodies in your blood. Antigens are proteins found on the red cell surface, while antibodies are natural proteins in plasma.An antigen triggers your immune system to generate antibodies. The antibodies alert your body to destroy the antigens they recognise as foreign.Red blood cells have different types of antigens used to group them. The most commonly recognised blood groups are:<ul><li>The ABO blood grouping system</li><li>The Rhesus (Rh) blood grouping system</li></ul><h3>ABO system</h3>In the ABO system, the blood group is based on the presence or absence of the A and B antigens. There are four blood groups in this grouping system.<ul><li>Group A - has A antigen and anti-B antibody</li><li>Group B - has B antigen and anti-A antibody</li><li>Group AB - has both A and B antigens but no antibodies</li><li>Group O - has no antigens but has both anti-A and anti-B antibodies</li></ul>Group O blood is the most common blood group in Nigeria. More than half of Nigerians (53%) have group O blood. Very few (less than 4%) have group AB blood.According to the ABO grouping system, your body tolerates the antigens in your blood and produces antibodies against the antigens you do not have.<h3>ABO blood compatibility</h3>The ABO blood grouping determines who you can donate blood to or receive blood from. This is known as blood compatibility or the capacity of blood from two individuals to combine without destroying each other.Blood transfusion can safely be done only between two compatible blood groups. This means you must only receive blood your body will not react to.For example, if you have blood group A, your safest option is to receive blood group A. If you receive blood from an incompatible blood group, say group B, your anti-B antibodies will attack the B antigens on the donor red cells, which could be life-threatening.A safer option will be to receive group O blood. Because the group O blood has no antigen, it can safely be given to people with any other blood group.The ABO blood grouping compatibility is summarised as follows:<ul><li>Group A: individuals with this blood group can donate to individuals with group A or AB blood but can receive blood only from individuals with group A or O blood.</li><li>Group B: individuals with this blood group can donate to individuals with group B or AB blood but can receive blood only from individuals with group B or group O blood.</li><li>Group AB: individuals with this blood group can donate only to individuals with group AB blood but can receive blood from any other blood group.</li><li>Group O: individuals with this blood group can donate to individuals with any blood group but can receive blood only from individuals with group O blood..</li></ul><h3>Rh system</h3>In the Rh blood grouping system, the blood group is classified depending on the presence of the Rhesus (Rh) factor. The Rh factor is coded for by the D antigen. So if your blood has the Rhesus factor, you are Rhesus-D positive (RhD-positive). If it does not, you are Rhesus-D negative (RhD-negative).The ABO and Rhesus grouping systems are often taken together to give your blood type. That means your blood group can be one of the following:<ul><li>O-negative (O-)</li><li>O-positive (O+)</li><li>A-negative (A-)</li><li>A-positive (A+)</li><li>B-negative (B-)</li><li>B-positive (B+)</li><li>AB-positive (AB+)</li><li>AB-negative (AB-)</li></ul>Individuals with AB-positive blood are considered universal recipients because they can receive blood from any other blood group, while a person with type O-negative blood is considered a universal donor because their blood can be safely given to anyone.<h3>Rhesus compatibility</h3>Rhesus compatibility is not often considered in blood group grouping and crossmatching for blood transfusion, but the compatibility between a pregnant woman and the foetus is is very important.A child can inherit the Rhesus-D antigen from either the mother or father. If the mother is RhD-negative but the child is RhD-positive due to inheritance of Rhesus-D antigen from the father, there will be Rhesus incompatibility between the mother and child.The mother may produce anti-D antibodies that react with the child’s RhD antigens, causing severe complications for the child. This is preventable. Speak with your obstetrician or gynaecologist to discuss the preventions if you are a RhD-negative mother.<h3>How to check your blood group</h3><img src="https://codahosted.io/docs/RFnoaIhszt/blobs/bl-KPoc-F91zM/99da81c8e83d1e78c80740560405f0e9439d66968b6b95d5c19a384a542758c9854337ff45b581f79256b7e73496d0062c3fa94dc84cc3fc6fbdaf5a07979cc0fb71433bd49d7e92dae47f8f9f655bb20dac12a9d1ec8386349bea2dcd7153740a6cdff9" alt="image.webp"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ics-codablock-blood-bag_sample.jpg">ICSident at German Wikipedia</a>, <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia CommonsYou can check your blood group by visiting a registered laboratory. A laboratory scientist will collect your blood and test it for the blood group antigens that we've outlined.The scientist will tie a tourniquet around your wrist or arm and insert a syringe into a vein to collect your blood into a sample bottle or syringe.Your red blood cells will then be mixed with reagents containing antibodies against the common red cell antigens. That is, anti-A and anti-B antibodies—a third reagent containing anti-D antibody test0s for Rhesus-D (RhD) antigen.The nature of the reaction between your red blood cells and the reagents determines your blood group. Remember, blood group antigens will react with their corresponding antibodies.Therefore, if you have A antigens on your red blood cells, they will react with anti-A antibody reagents and clump together. The reaction will appear like pellets. If the antigens on your red blood cell are different from the antibodies in the reagent, they will not react; your blood will remain fluid.If your blood reacts to anti-A and anti-B antibody reagents, it means you have blood group AB. Individuals with blood group O do not have antigens on their red blood cells, so their blood does not react with anti-A and anti-B antibodies.<h2>Conclusion</h2>Knowing your blood group is important for safe blood transfusion and pregnancy. It helps you to avoid or prevent severe complications that may affect individuals receiving blood transfusion or newborns. It is also important during emergencies as it will ensure timely treatment. Your knowledge could help you determine your susceptibility to certain diseases and your ancestry. Check your blood group today.

Your blood type isn’t just for transfusions—it can also influence your health risks and pregnancy outcomes.

#Men

Dementia is rising in Africa. Here’s how you can protect your brain

What is Genotype and How Does it Work?

Does Your Blood Group Really Matter?