Alzheimers Disease Is A Form Of Dementia
Dementia is an umbrella term it is not a single disease but a diverse collection of symptoms. It refers to a decline in mental ability that is serious enough to impair and interfere with a persons daily life. Alzheimers disease, on the other hand, is one of the causes of dementia and is considered the most common form of dementia.1
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Common Early Symptoms Of Dementia
Different types of dementia can affect people differently, and everyone will experience symptoms in their own way.
However, there are some common early symptoms that may appear some time before a diagnosis of dementia. These include:
- memory loss
- difficulty concentrating
- finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping
- struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
- being confused about time and place
- mood changes
These symptoms are often mild and may get worse only very gradually. It’s often termed “mild cognitive impairment” as the symptoms are not severe enough to be diagnosed as dementia.
You might not notice these symptoms if you have them, and family and friends may not notice or take them seriously for some time. In some people, these symptoms will remain the same and not worsen. But some people with MCI will go on to develop dementia.
Dementia is not a natural part of ageing. This is why it’s important to talk to a GP sooner rather than later if you’re worried about memory problems or other symptoms.
Myth No : Gingko Biloba Can Prevent Memory Loss
For a while, researchers were looking at the herbal supplement gingko biloba as a way to slow or prevent memory loss but studies have shown no effect on memory. Gingko was a nice idea, but it didnt work at all, says Rosenberg.
These are just some of the myths that surround the subject of dementia. But remember, its always advisable to get dementia information from reliable sources, such as your doctor, instead of relying on rumors about causes or ways to prevent dementia.
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Symptoms Specific To Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is the second most common cause of dementia, after Alzheimer’s. Some people have both vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, often called “mixed dementia”.
Symptoms of vascular dementia are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, although memory loss may not be as obvious in the early stages.
Symptoms can sometimes develop suddenly and quickly get worse, but they can also develop gradually over many months or years.
Specific symptoms can include:
- stroke-like symptoms: including muscle weakness or temporary paralysis on one side of the body
- movement problems difficulty walking or a change in the way a person walks
- thinking problems having difficulty with attention, planning and reasoning
- mood changes depression and a tendency to become more emotional
Read more about vascular dementia.
Whats The Difference Between Dementia And Alzheimers Disease
Dr. Larry Lawhorne discusses the difference between dementia and Alzheimers disease. Click play to watch the video or read the transcript.
A very common cause of dementia is Alzheimers disease, accounting for 40 to 60 percent of all cases of dementia. But there many causes of dementia, such as vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus and frontotemporal dementia. The most common after Alzheimers disease is vascular dementia. Vascular dementia occurs in a setting of high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and other cardiovascular diseases. While Alzheimers patients lose function slowly, people with vascular dementia lose their ability to remember and think in a step-wise progression.
Making a diagnosis can be complicated because now we think there is mixed dementia. Someone may be on his way to developing Alzheimers disease but may also have enough vascular risk factors to have vascular dementia, too. Lewy body dementia is an interesting and distinctive disorder. People with Lewy body dementia often first experience visual hallucinations. They may also have some movement disorder. They may have a little bit of tremor. They may have problems walking. People with Lewy body dementia are also very sensitive to antipsychotic medicines, which tend to make them much more unsteady.
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Categorized under Health | Difference Between Alzheimers and Senile Dementia
ALZHEIMERS VS. SENILE DEMENTIA
Summary:
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Causes Of Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimers disease is the most common type of dementia.
Alzheimers disease is thought to be caused by the abnormal build-up of 2 proteins called amyloid and tau.
Deposits of amyloid, called plaques, build up around brain cells. Deposits of tau form tangles within brain cells.
Researchers do not fully understand how amyloid and tau are involved in the loss of brain cells, but research into this is continuing.
As brain cells become affected in Alzheimers, theres also a decrease in chemical messengers involved in sending messages, or signals, between brain cells.
Levels of 1 neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, are particularly low in the brains of people with Alzheimers disease.
Medicines like donepezil increase levels of acetylcholine, and improve brain function and symptoms.
These treatments are not a cure for Alzheimers disease, but they do help improve symptoms.
Read more about treatments for dementia.
The symptoms that people develop depend on the areas of the brain that have been damaged by the disease.
The hippocampus is often affected early on in Alzheimers disease. This area of the brain is responsible for laying down new memories. Thats why memory problems are one of the earliest symptoms in Alzheimers.
Unusual forms of Alzheimers disease can start with problems with vision or with language.
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Types And Locations Of Lesions
With Alzheimers disease, brain lesions appear on the inner face of the temporal lobe, especially in the hippocampus. From there, they spread to the rest of the temporal, parietal, and frontal lobes. As the name suggests, in the case of frontotemporal dementia, lesions appear on the temporal and frontal lobes.
Alzheimers involves a loss of neurons and synapses. In the brains of patients with Alzheimers, scientists have also identified the presence of tau proteins and amyloid proteins .
Frontotemporal dementia patients also experience a loss of neurons and synapses and an increase in the tau protein. However, some elements that arent part of Alzheimers disease, which are Pick cells and occasionally Pick bodies. Lastly, the amyloid proteins and neuritic plaque typical of Alzheimers disease are absent in frontotemporal dementia.
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Memory Care Programs At Park Senior Villas
At Park Senior Villas, we have dedicated homes for our residents with Alzheimers, other types of dementia or other forms of memory loss. Our memory care program focuses on getting to know our residents and their histories as well as the details of their lives so we can help create the most pleasant environment possible for them as individuals. Our clinical team is dedicated to maintaining the dignity and individuality of every resident who has chosen to call Park Senior Villas home.
If you are looking for senior living care for you or your loved one, we are here to help. Reach out to us today to see what options are available.
Dementia Vs Alzheimers They Are Not The Same
Many people are confused by these terms. Dementia and Alzheimers disease arent the same. Dementia is an overall term used to describe symptoms that impact memory, the performance of daily activities, and communication abilities. Alzheimers disease is the most common type of dementia. Alzheimers disease gets worse with time and affects memory, language, and thought.
While younger people can develop dementia or Alzheimers disease, your risk increases as you age. Still, neither is considered a normal part of aging.
Although symptoms of the two conditions may overlap, distinguishing them is important for management and treatment.
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Is There Treatment Available
At present there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. However, one group of drugs called cholinergeric drugs appears to be providing some temporary improvement in cognitive functioning for some people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Drugs can also be prescribed for secondary symptoms such as restlessness or depression or to help the person with dementia sleep better.
Community support is available for the person with Alzheimer’s disease, their families and carers. This support can make a positive difference to managing dementia. Dementia Australia provides support, information and counselling for people affected by dementia. Dementia Australia also aims to provide up-to-date information about drug treatments.
Further help
For more information contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.
For a range of books and videos contact our Library.
For advice, common sense approaches and practical strategies on the issues most commonly raised about dementia, read our Help Sheets.
What Is Dementia Symptoms Types And Diagnosis
Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning thinking, remembering, and reasoning to such an extent that it interferes with a persons daily life and activities. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions, and their personalities may change. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a persons functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of living.
Dementia is more common as people grow older but it is not a normal part of aging. Many people live into their 90s and beyond without any signs of dementia.
There are several different forms of dementia, including Alzheimers disease. A persons symptoms can vary depending on the type.
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Treatment Alternatives For Frontal Lobe Dementia
Frontal lobe dementia is treated for the symptoms, just like Alzheimers disease. Antidepressant drugs as well as antipsychotic drugs can be taken to deal with the symptoms of hallucinations.Medical researchers are always at work to search for a possible cure. However, there is no cure for frontal lobe dementia. However, the average sufferer can live with the illness for up to 20 years or more with proper diagnosis and treatments.
Are Dementia And Alzheimers The Same Thing
You may use the terms Alzheimers and dementia as if they mean the same thing, but theyre really two different terms. Heres the difference.
Dementia is a syndrome linked to problems with remembering, learning new things, focusing and making decisions that affect everyday life. Its an umbrella term that includes thinking problems that interfere with someones normal day-to-day functioning.
Dementia can affect behavior, decision-making, memory, language, visual or spatial perception, and attention, among other areas of daily living. More than one of these areas is usually affected, but one area may be more affected than another.
There are four main types of dementia:
- Alzheimers disease
- Lewy body dementia
- Frontotemporal degeneration
In other words, Alzheimers disease is a form or cause of dementia. Dementia, on the other hand, isnt a specific disease. Dementia is a syndrome. Dementia is also an overall term sometimes referred to as an umbrella term that describes a range of symptoms.
Each form of dementia has different characteristics and causes specific symptoms. Because dementia describes a range of symptoms and many disorders, its possible to have symptoms of more than one disorder at the same time.
Alzheimers disease is one cause of dementia, but its not the only one.
Learn more about Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia in Mayo Clinic on Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, recently published by Mayo Clinic Press.
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Stage : Moderate Dementia
Patients in stage 5 need some assistance in order to carry out their daily lives. The main sign for stage 5 dementia is the inability to remember major details such as the name of a close family member or a home address. Patients may become disoriented about the time and place, have trouble making decisions, and forget basic information about themselves, such as a telephone number or address.
While moderate dementia can interfere with basic functioning, patients at this stage do not need assistance with basic functions such as using the bathroom or eating. Patients also still have the ability to remember their own names and generally the names of spouses and children.
Outlook For People With Dementia
The outlook for patients suffering from dementia depends completely on the direct cause of dementia. The available treatments are used to make the symptoms of dementia manageable, but there is no sure-fire way of stopping the deterioration of the mind due to this disease.
Although vascular dementia can be slowed down in some cases, it can still shorten a patients lifespan. Some dementia variants are reversible, but most of them are irreversible and can cause physical and mental impairments, over time.
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How Does Alzheimers Disease Progress
The rate of progression of the disease varies from person to person.
However, the disease does lead eventually to complete dependence and finally death, usually from another illness such as pneumonia. A person may live from three to twenty years with Alzheimers disease, with the average being seven to ten years.
Language And Motor Function
Another difference between these two diseases is language. Alzheimers patients suffer from anomia, circumlocution, and aphasias. Frontotemporal dementia patients, on the other hand, experience stereotypical language, echolalias, and mutism. As you can see, these two diseases vary markedly in this area.
Both diseases affect motor function. Alzheimers patients suffer from apraxias , while patients with frontotemporal dementia retain this function.
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Treatment For Both Can Be Challenging
In both dementia and Alzheimers disease, almost every patient reacts differently to each medicine. This is why diagnosis and treatment can be so challenging.
Effective treatment requires monitoring of symptoms, functional impairment, and safety, and the use of multiple treatment modes including medication, behavioral management, psychotherapies, psychosocial treatments, and support and education for families.
Early diagnosis is very important in both dementia and Alzheimers as it allows the possibility of treating with agents that can slow the cognitive decline at a point where there is still minimal impairment.
Since the natural course of behavioral disturbance changes as the illness progresses, patients require repeated regular reassessment of treatment and changes as appropriate.23
Both dementia and Alzheimers disease can be frustrating not just for the patient but for the caregiver and family members. Long-term care provided by family members and caregivers becomes the most important factor for the patient. This is why educating and supporting those who deal with the patient on a daily basis is such an integral part of treatment.
References
Categorized under Health | Difference Between Alzheimers and Senile Dementia
ALZHEIMERS VS. SENILE DEMENTIA
Summary:
- Alzheimers disease
- Dementia due to alcohol and other substance abuse
Dementia Vs Alzheimers Are They The Same Thing
As a person ages, their chances of being diagnosed with certain diseases grows with them. For example, the elderly are more susceptible to diseases such as Dementia and Alzheimers than their younger counterparts. These two diseases commonly strike older patients and both are often used interchangeably when describing memory loss. What many people are unaware of is significant difference between Dementia vs. Alzheimers both diseases are different and affect patients in a different manner. Learning the differences in Dementia vs. Alzheimers is imperative for anyone facing either of these conditions themselves or as caregivers to others.
Alzheimers is a specific medical disorder that affects the memory portion of a persons brain. Dementia is not a specific disorder, but rather a culmination of several different symptoms. The leading cause of Dementia is actually Alzheimers disease it is attributed to at least 65% of Dementia diagnosis in patients older than 60. Unfortunately, neither Alzheimers nor Dementia is curable, which means patients diagnosed with either will only be able to slow the process, not reverse it. While at first glance the conditions seem similar, lets have a look at how theyre different by more closely defining each:
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Difference Between Alzheimers And Senile Dementia
Categorized under Health | Difference Between Alzheimers and Senile Dementia
ALZHEIMERS VS. SENILE DEMENTIA
Old age and the loss of mental faculties are an unfortunate but harsh reality. Alzheimers disease is, perhaps, the most common and debilitating of this type of affliction. However, most people are unaware that Alzheimers disease is only one disease under the larger umbrella that is Senile Dementia. Alzheimers maybe the most infamous, but there are many other forms of this condition.
Senile Dementia can be considered as an all-encompassing term utilized to indicate the deterioration and eventual loss of intellectual acuity related to advanced aging, and is caused by degeneration of ones brain cells. Alzheimers disease is often confused as either the same or alternatively it is often considered to be something entirely different from it. Yes and no yes, Alzheimers disease is a condition that qualifies as Senile Dementia, but Alzheimers is actually one of the forms of it. Other forms of Senile Dementia include Fronto-temporal Dementia, Lewy Body disease, Parkinsons disease, and Vascular Dementia. Alzheimers, meanwhile, is the most common of these. It should also not be confused with normal senility.
Summary:
Alzheimer’s Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
Alzheimers is a progressive brain disease that is caused due to complex brain changes following cells to waste away, damage, and die. It slowly affects the brain causing impairment in cognitive abilities and memory. Alzheimers disease is progressive in nature and worsens over time.
The cause of this is unknown. In Alzheimers disease, there is a formation of abnormal structures in the brain, which blocks communication between the brain cells leading to the death of brain cells. It is not possible to diagnose someone with this disease with complete accuracy, but the patient is diagnosed as probable Alzheimers disease.
The symptoms of dementia and Alzheimers may overlap, but there are some differences. Similar symptoms include reduced ability to think, impairment in communication, and memory.
Symptoms of Alzheimers mostly include –
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