Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Differences

Dementia:

Not a specific disease, but a general term for a condition characterized by cognitive decline.

Alzheimer’s disease:

One of the diseases that causes dementia.

Dementia is a general term for conditions characterized by cognitive decline that impacts daily functioning. Below are the main types of dementia, each with distinct causes and characteristics:

1.  Vascular Dementia:

•  Caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often due to strokes or small vessel disease.

•  Symptoms: Memory issues, impaired judgment, and difficulty with planning or organization. Symptoms may vary depending on the brain areas affected.

•  Prevalence: Accounts for about 10-20% of dementia cases.

2.  Lewy Body Dementia (LBD):

•  Caused by abnormal protein deposits (Lewy bodies) in the brain.

•  Symptoms: Visual hallucinations, fluctuating cognition, motor issues (similar to Parkinson’s), and sleep disturbances.

•  Prevalence: Represents 5-15% of dementia cases.

3.  Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD):

•  Caused by degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

•  Symptoms: Personality changes, behavioral issues, language difficulties, and less prominent memory loss compared to Alzheimer’s.

•  Prevalence: Rarer, making up about 5-10% of cases, often affecting younger individuals (40-65 years).

4.  Mixed Dementia:

•  A combination of two or more types of dementia, most commonly Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

•  Symptoms: Vary depending on the combination but may include memory loss, cognitive decline, and motor issues.

•  Prevalence: More common in older adults, with autopsy studies suggesting up to 45% of dementia cases have mixed pathology.

5.  Parkinson’s Disease Dementia:

•  Develops in some individuals with Parkinson’s disease as it progresses.

•  Symptoms: Cognitive decline, memory issues, and executive dysfunction, often accompanied by Parkinson’s motor symptoms like tremors.

•  Prevalence: Affects up to 50-80% of Parkinson’s patients over time.

6.  Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD):

•  A rare, rapidly progressive dementia caused by prions (infectious proteins).

•  Symptoms: Rapid cognitive decline, muscle stiffness, and involuntary movements.

•  Prevalence: Extremely rare, affecting about 1 in 1 million people annually.

7.  Huntington’s Disease:

•  A genetic disorder causing progressive brain degeneration.

•  Symptoms: Cognitive decline, movement disorders, and psychiatric symptoms.

•  Prevalence: Rare, affecting about 5-10 per 100,000 people.

8.  Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH):

•  Caused by excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.

•  Symptoms: Dementia symptoms, difficulty walking, and urinary incontinence.

•  Prevalence: Rare, but treatable with surgical intervention in some cases.

Each type has unique features, but they all share cognitive decline as a hallmark. Alzheimer’s is the most common, accounting for 60-80% of cases,

In the case of one of my patients:

Before the dietary changes took effect, the patient experienced hallucinations, often speaking to someone who was not there. When the patient saw a box-like shape, they mistook it for a toilet and attempted to use it as such. The patient wore bras over their clothes and socks on their head and ears, perceiving these actions as a form of personal art. The patient was frequently angry and prone to screaming. Initially, the patient disliked seafood and refused to eat fish. However, after I encouraged regular exercise and introduced a consistent breakfast of salmon, oats, and vegetables, their dietary habits improved. Over time, these challenging behaviors gradually diminished.