Dementia can be a frightening illness, first for the unsuspecting individual, and then for the often helpless family. But there are practical things we can do to mitigate against the course of dementia. This audio CD explains just what dementia is, its causes and how to avoid it. Dr Michael J Valenzuela is a Research Fellow at the School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales. His background is in psychology, medicine and clinical neuroscience, with a particular interest in dementia.