The Difference Between Alzheimer's Disease And Dementia

Alzheimer's disease and dementia are often confused. Alzheimer's is a disease that causes deterioration of brain tissue, leading to a decline in cognitive and social abilities. Dementia is a group of symptoms that also may cause memory loss and other mental impairments. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 percent to 70 percent of all cases.

Alzheimer's Disease

• Alzheimer's disease causes brain degeneration and the loss of the abilities necessary to function in daily life. It usually occurs in people ages 65 or older, though some hereditary forms of Alzheimer's can manifest as early as in a patient's 30s. The exact cause or causes of Alzheimer's is unknown, but it's thought by scientists to have biological, lifestyle and genetic causation factors.

Dementia

• Dementia is a grouping of symptoms that affect the brain and lead to problems performing basic daily functions. Though Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, there are several other types, and dementia symptoms often depend on their underlying cause. A good rule of thumb regarding dementia is that it indicates a problem with more than one brain function. Non-Alzheimer's causes of dementia include but are not limited to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Huntington's disease and HIV.

Symptoms

• Because Alzheimer's is a cause of dementia, both conditions share many symptoms. These shared symptoms include memory loss, personality changes, hallucinations, agitation and difficulty with planning, communication and motor functions. People with Alzheimer's may also exhibit mood swings, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression and aggressiveness. A qualified physician will be able to diagnose whether a patient is suffering from Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Diagnosis

• People experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease or dementia should contact a physician immediately. Doctors can use several methods, such as blood tests, neuropsychological tests, mental status tests and brain scans to diagnose dementia 90 percent of the time. Though there is no known cure for Alzheimer's, treatment is available for Alzheimer's symptoms. And if dementia without Alzheimer's is diagnosed, it's often possible to treat or even reverse its negative effects.

Treatment

• Dementia is not always permanent and, depending on the underlying cause, can sometimes be prevented or treated. Some dementia, like that caused by vitamin deficiency or a brain tumor, can be treated by treating the underlying problem. As for Alzheimer's, there is no known treatment with the ability to slow the progress of the disease after onset, but several FDA-approved drugs are available to combat symptoms.