KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 4 -- When most people think of dementia, they picture a frail elderly person in their late 60s, struggling to recall a simple detail.

But here's the lesser-known side of dementia: it can strike young adults in their prime - and even school-going children.

Unfortunately, young adults tend to brush off the early symptoms of dementia, often dismissing them as stress or depression - leading to the condition being underdiagnosed.

There are no official statistics available on the number of young-onset dementia cases in Malaysia.

However, Associate Professor Dr Liyana Najwa Inche Mat said that around 10 to 15 per cent of dementia cases occur in younger adults, citing international studies.

And since Malaysia currently ha...