What Is the Difference Between Bipolar & Dementia?

Though both classified as mental disorders, bipolar and dementia exhibit a wide variety of differences in type, cause, symptoms and treatment, as well as in the progression of the disease. Bipolar disorder affects between 0.5 to 1.5 percent of the population, while dementia has a prevalence rate of almost 3 percent among adults. These disorders rarely occur among children and adolescents.

Type

• Bipolar and dementia are two different types of mental disorders. Bipolar is a mood disorder, with the predominant feature being a disturbance in mood.

  Dementia, in contrast, is a cognitive disorder, with the predominant feature being a clinically-significant deficiency in cognition.

Cause

• While the causes remain indeterminate, bipolar disorder seems to have some genetic influence, with biological relatives having a higher chance of developing the illness.

  Dementia, however, is frequently caused by Alzheimer's disease or neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's or frontal-temporal degeneration.

Symptoms

• Bipolar disorder is primarily distinguished by manic and depressive periods of intense energy and extreme emotion.

  In contrast, dementia is characterized by symptoms that include impairment of memory, deterioration of language function and disturbances in social, mental and occupational functioning.

Progression

• With an average onset at the age of 20 years, bipolar is a recurrent disorder, with the interval between manic and depressive episodes typically decreasing with age.

  Dementia usually develops late in life and may be static, progressive or remitting.

Treatment

• Bipolar disorder is usually treated with mood-stabilizing medications, but psychotherapies can also help to reduce symptoms.

  With dementia, some medications can provide modest protection against the disorder's progression, while psychotherapy can support patients as they deal with the disease.