Difference Between Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is the disease and one of the common types of Dementia. Dementia is a syndrome that describes brain disorders. In dementia, the person is hard to remember and declines in the decision-making ability, communication ability, losing emotional control, and repetitious questioning. Whereas Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects thoughts, memory, and communication skills. Many people are confused about these two and are using interchangeably. But it is advisable to talk to the doctor about such symptoms to identify the disease.  This article will focus on both types and also, the difference between Dementia and Alzheimer’s.

What is Dementia?

Dementia is one of the types of Alzheimer’s but it is not a disease rather it is a syndrome. A syndrome can be defined as the club of symptoms that does not have a definite diagnosis. According to the WHO, there are more than 47.5 million people all over the world who have dementia. It is considered as the group of symptoms related to brain disorders and thus resulting in memory loss, control over emotions, in making decisions. Some people may suffer from mixed dementia.

Although dementia can be prevented before the onset. But factors like family history, age, and genetics can’t be changed, but other factors, especially change in our lifestyle may give some useful impact; some of them are taking proper diet, exercise, taking proper rest and sleep, challenging the brain.

What is Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s is a chronic disease that usually affects the parts of the brain controlling memory, speech, cognitive function, control thought, and judgmental. These symptoms also include impaired speech, impaired thoughts, confusion, aggression, confusion, and mood changes. But, Alzheimer’s disease is considered as one of the common types of dementia, but not every person who has dementia has Alzheimer’s disease. It occurs when fibers called tangles or tau and proteins called plaques are found in the brain and nerve cells and destroy the nerve cell and block the signaling.

Difference Between Dementia and Alzheimer’s

The important difference between Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Parameter	DEMENTIA	ALZHEIMERS
Symptoms	Its symptoms are like Forgetfulness, Confusion grows, Disability in making the decision, Concentration and focus, The problem in communication.	Its symptoms are like Apathy, Depression, Disorientation, Confusion, Behavioural changes, and problem in making the decision. Sometimes a problem in speaking, walking, swallowing.
Causes	Some major causes are damage to brain cells, Stroke, Depression, use of Chronic drug, and vascular disease.	Its causes are the same as that of dementia, but its main cause is the death of the brain cells and so it is termed as a neurodegenerative disease.
Prevention	Proper exercise. Eating fruits and green vegetables. Timely and routine check-up. Proper rest and complete sleep.	It can be prevented by a change in if the person changes their lifestyle, by eating healthy food, doing exercise, taking proper sleep, etc.

FAQs on Dementia and Alzheimer’s:

Q.1: What are the types of Dementia?

Answer: Types of Dementia is as follows:

• Lewy Body dementia
• Frontotemporal dementia
• Vascular dementia.
• Parkinsons’s disease dementia.
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob dementia.
• Mixed dementia.
• Huntington’s disease.

Q.2: What are the three main stages of Alzheimer’s?

Answer: Three main stages of Alzheimer’s are:

1. The first is the preclinical stage which occurs before the recognition of any symptoms.
2. Secondly is a mild cognitive impairment with mild symptoms.
3. Thirdly is dementia.