Dementia surge: How environmental hazards, lifestyle risks threaten memory

Veni EN

Oct 03, 2025

Health

Health

India is confronting a silent but fast-approaching epidemic: dementia. 

Health

Dementia, which includes conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s-related cognitive decline, and other neurodegenerative disorders, is now rising in alarming numbers.

Health

The estimated prevalence of dementia among adults aged 60 and older in India is 7.4 percent, equating to approximately 8.8 million individuals currently living with dementia.

Health

At the same time, in cities like Bengaluru, studies have already detected dangerous levels of heavy metals like manganese and nickel in the air; the environmental risks compound the crisis.

Health

India is entering what experts are calling an “age of dementia,” as cases of memory loss and neurodegenerative disorders rise at a pace the healthcare system is unprepared for.