Difference between Dementia and Alzheimer's
Dementia and Alzheimer's are two terms often used interchangeably for mental health conditions linked with memory loss and lack of concentration. In reality, the two have contrasting meanings.
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe myriad symptoms that can impact a person's ability to perform everyday activities independently. Several mental conditions are categorised as dementia, and Alzheimer’s is one of them.
Understanding dementia
Dementia is not a specific disease as it is mistaken to be. It leads to a set of symptoms that affects a person's cognitive functioning like memory, thinking and focus, problem-solving abilities, language use and visual perception.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia with about 70 per cent of total cases, but depending on their cause and symptoms dementia can be categorised as:
Lewy body dementia
Frontotemporal dementia
Vascular dementia
Parkinson's disease dementia
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Huntington's disease
Mixed dementia
Causes and symptoms of dementia
It is unclear what exactly causes dementia. Studies suggest that several things may contribute. It mostly affects people in the older age. Those above 85 years have one or more types of dementia. It does not mean dementia and old age are related. Younger adults may too have dementia, but cases are comparatively low.
The symptom of dementia may range from mild to severe depending on the area of the brain affected. The most common symptoms of dementia include:
Anxiety and distress
Feeling low
Detachment and disinterest
Repeating the same questions
Psychosis
Sleep disturbances
Walking around for no reason
Inappropriate behaviours
Understanding Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is indeed a form of dementia, but not everyone with dementia has Alzheimer's. Studies suggest that this type of dementia is caused due to buildup of unusual proteins in the brain. The protein molecules form plaques and tangles in the brain, affecting their ability to communicate. Slowly they begin to damage the cells until they no longer can function properly.
Read more: Performing these 5 household chores can reduce the risk of dementia
Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease
The symptoms of the disease appear long after the brain begins to damage. It is only diagnosed later when the symptoms become more prominent. Even then it is not possible to diagnose Alzheimer’s with complete accuracy while a person is alive.
Early signs and symptoms of this condition include:
Disorientation
Mood and behavioural changes
Confusion about times, places, and events
Difficulty using and understanding words
Difficulty swallowing and walking
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease treatment
At present, there is no cure to dementia nor to reverse the symptoms of this condition. Only if the condition is caused due to some specific health conditions then things can go back to normal when the primary condition is treated. Treatment can only help to live with the condition.
Treatments for Alzheimer’s disease also includes providing relief from the symptoms. Depending on the severity of the condition, the doctor may opt for one or two treatment options
Medications
Exposure to sunlight
Cognitive training
Lifestyle changes