What is the Difference Between Dementia and Alzheimer’s Eugene-Springfield, Oregon

Dementia

Every time I realize I forgot to do something, I say: “I think I am getting dementia.” If I am forgetful at times, does it mean that I have dementia? And what is dementia anyway?

Dementia is an umbrella name for many conditions involving memory loss. The newest term used by professionals is Neurocognitive Disorder (NCD).

It is important to understand the differences between each type of dementia as, in addition to the memory loss, they are different in their causes, symptoms, and prognosis. As a result, each type will respond to disease-modifying agents, pharmacological intervention, and behavior approaches differently. Despite the differences, one can have multiple types of dementia.

When a person shows early signs of memory loss before the full symptoms of dementia, he or she may be diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which may or may not progress to a diagnosis of dementia.

How is dementia diagnosed?

Regardless of the type of dementia one may have, to diagnose dementia, one must show a significant cognitive decline in two or more neurocognitive domains with associated functional decline in the following:

Attention (able to maintain focus on tasks), language (word finding), executive function (follow a daily schedule and instruction sequences) learning and memory, social cognition (appropriate social interaction), perceptual-motor coordination (fine motor skills).

What needs to be ruled out?

Several conditions can affect memory or increase confusion and need to be ruled out as part of the process of diagnosing dementia:

• Constipation
• Decreased level of oxygen in the blood
• Poor nutrition
• Low fluid intake (dehydration)
• Urinary retention
• Bladder infection
• Sleep deprivation
• Infection
• Medications (opioids)
• Delirium
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress

While there are many types of dementia, I would like to outline the most common ones:

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)

Dr. Alois Alzheimer was the first to discover the microscopic changes of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain of his patient who suffered a significant memory loss and psychological. If to use a simple scientific language, we know that one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the accumulation of amyloid plaques between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain.

Amyloid is a general term for protein fragments that the body normally produces. Beta-amyloid is a fragment of a protein snipped from another protein called amyloid precursor protein (APP). In a healthy brain, these protein fragments would break down and be eliminated. In Alzheimer’s disease, the fragments accumulate to form hard, insoluble plaques.

Neurofibrillary tangles are insoluble twisted fibers found inside the brain’s nerve cells. They primarily consist of a protein called tau.

60% of all people with dementia have Alzheimer’s Disease

Typical symptoms of Alzheimer’s include:

• Very active and busy: move around and burn a lot of energy (the “energizing bunny”)
• Poor short-term memory: will ask again and again the same question or forgot they already ate.
• Visually triggered: they see a door; they’ll walk through it (and therefore we think of them as “exit seeking”).
• Early loss of verbal skills, attention, and concentration: word-finding, don’t stay on task.
• Social awkwardness and personality change.
• In late-stage: incontinent and loss of mobility

Vascular Dementia

Vascular Dementia is associated with stroke (not every stroke causes dementia), mini-strokes, or heart disease. Vascular dementia can also result from other conditions that damage blood vessels and reduce circulation, depriving the brain of vital oxygen and nutrients such as diabetes.

Typical symptoms of Vascular Dementia include:

• Decreased mobility: becoming a ‘couch potato’ obesity.
• Depressed and less engaged
• Poor executive function

Memory is easily prompted: when reminded, memories can easily retrieved
In the early-stage loss of the ability of personal care: incontinent, dressing, shower.
Maintain verbal skills through late-stage: the ability to converse intact.

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD)

This dementia is associated with Parkinson’s and is associated with abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain. These deposits, called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain whose changes, in turn, can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood.

Typical symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia include:

• Problem with balance, gait coordination: looks like Parkinson’s disease
• Competencies fluctuate: have good days and bad days
• Scary hallucinations and delusions: 70-80% will suffer.
• REM sleep disorder
• Frontotemporal Lobe Dementia (FTD)
• Caused by degeneration of the frontal and/ or temporal lobe of the brain (Pick’s disease). It is more common to occur between the age of 45-64
• Typical symptoms of Frontotemporal Lobe dementia include:
• Disinhibition, compulsive, perseveration: may be sexually inappropriate, aggressive, say what comes to mind (may be insulting, rude, or mean).
• Loss of empathy and personality change
• Difficulty changing tracks
• Socially awkward
• Substance/Medication Induced Dementia

Dementia as a result of prolonged use of an abusive substance such as alcohol (Korsakoff Syndrome) or drugs.

If there are no underlying other types of dementia, it can be reversible with treatment in the early and moderate stages.

What should you do with this information?

If your loved one was diagnosed with dementia, ask the doctor to be more specific, if possible, as of what type of dementia it is. Continue to educate yourself as it will help you understand what to expect and how to care for your loved one.

Dementia, no matter what type, is a progressive and terminal disease with no cure. However, there is a lot that can be done to assure the quality of life of the person who lives with dementia, as well as of those who care for him or her.

It is not a journey you should go through by yourself, and we like to offer our knowledge and expertise as a source of help and support. Whether you care for your loved one at home or see the need to move them into a memory care community, let us guide you to the right path.