What is the Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia?

Cause and effect best describes the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia. In broad terms, dementia is an impairment of memory and thinking that keeps a person from being able to do things that he or she previously was able to accomplish without assistance. On the other hand, Alzheimer’s is actually a disease, a microscopic deterioration of the brain that causes specific abnormalities within the brain. As a disease, Alzheimer’s is one of the disorders that might cause dementia.

Alzheimer’s and dementia differ in that dementia is a syndrome, a symptom of disease but not a disease itself. Being diagnosed with dementia does not necessarily mean that a person has Alzheimer’s disease. Stroke, tumors and such degenerative brain disorders as Huntington’s or Parkinson’s diseases might cause dementia. External factors such as drug use, depression, hypoglycemia, vitamin B-12 deficiency and even dehydration might cause dementia. Alzheimer’s, though, remains the leading cause of dementia and is estimated to cause approximately 50-70 percent of all cases.

The symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia are strikingly similar, exist along a continuum of seriousness and require the attention of a physician for diagnosis. Dementia symptoms vary depending both on cause and on what area of the brain is affected. The earliest, usually most noticeable, symptom is memory loss. Other key symptoms include experiencing more difficulty recalling recent happenings, increased trouble finding the right words, lapses in personal grooming and problems carrying out basic daily tasks such as following a recipe or making coffee.

Forgetting recently learned information is one of the most frequently seen symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Other symptoms might include generalized memory loss; taking much longer to do things; being confused about time or place; having visual problems that cause difficulty in reading, judging distance or doing similar tasks; and losing the ability to retrace steps. An important caveat is that the symptoms of both Alzheimer’s and dementia are highly individualized and can vary greatly from person to person. Generally speaking, Alzheimer’s progresses relatively slowly, taking some five to 20 years to fully develop, but dementia can develop quickly.

Since Alzheimer’s and dementia are very similar in presentation, it is necessary to seek the advice of a doctor for an accurate diagnosis. Treatments and medications for the conditions differ, and the guidance of a physician is needed. In addition, the fact that some of the symptoms for these conditions simply might be a normal part of the aging process and not an indication of disease complicates the diagnosis. For example, normal age-related happenings would be to forget appointments or names occasionally but remember them later or to misplace keys or glasses sometimes.