Dementia is an overall term to describe a collection of symptoms that one may experience if they are living with a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Diseases grouped under the general term "dementia" are caused by abnormal brain changes. Dementia symptoms trigger a decline in thinking skills, also known as cognitive abilities, severe enough to impair daily life and independent function. They also affect behavior, feelings and relationships. There are different types of dementia and they can share similar symptoms, which makes diagnosing the different types of dementia complicated. Dementia is not a single disease. In fact, there are over 400 different types of dementia. Sometimes different types of dementia are present in a patient at the same time. When this happens, it is known as mixed dementia. Most people diagnosed with dementia have one of 4 common types: Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia and Dementia with Lewy Bodies. These types of dementia have slightly different symptoms and causes. For more information on those types of dementia, I will explaining in more detail and diving deeper into each one in another blog. Here is just a brief description of the most common types: Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's Disease is the most common type of dementia. More than 6 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer's. An estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's in 2023, and seventy-three percent are age 75 or older. About 1 in 9 people age 65 and older (10.7%) has Alzheimer's. It is caused by a speeding-up of normal ageing processes in the brain. Alzheimer’s does not have a single cause, but there are a number of factors that have been found to increase a person’s likelihood of developing it, including cardiovascular disease and family history. It is a degenerative condition; the symptoms become more severe over time. Vascular Dementia This is the second most common type of dementia in older people. Vascular Dementia is caused by a lack of oxygen reaching cells in the brain, causing the cells to be damaged. This leads to reduced brain activity. The most common symptom of Vascular Dementia is a significant slowness of thought, and it is a degenerative condition – it gets worse as time goes on. For this reason, many people with Vascular Dementia require round-the-clock care. Frontotemporal Dementia Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is less common than Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia, but is actually the 3rd most common type of dementia for people aged under 65. The damage to the brain cells affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These are the areas of the brain related to problem-solving, behaviors and recognition – and so people with frontotemporal dementia tend to struggle with these things. Dementia with Lewy Bodies Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) is another common form of dementia. It is caused by a build up of proteins called Lewy Bodies in the body. Lewy Bodies are also what cause Parkinson’s disease, which is why both illnesses share the symptoms of reduced mobility and a ‘shuffling’ walk. DLB also causes significant mental decline associated with the other major types of dementia, including lapses in memory and forgetfulness. Less common types of dementia There are other types of dementia though they are much more rare. Five percent of all dementia cases are caused by rarer forms of dementia. It is thought that most forms of rare dementia are under-diagnosed – in part because people do not know to look out for them. Some rarer forms of dementia have very specific symptoms that differ from other types of dementia. Rare forms of dementia: Korsakoff Syndrome; Progressive Supranuclear Palsy; Corticobasal Degeneration; Huntington's Disease; Niemann-Pick Disease Type C; Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus; Parkinson's Disease Dementia; Posterior Cortical Atrophy; Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
How is it diagnosed To diagnose dementia, doctors first assess whether a person has an underlying, potentially treatable, condition that may relate to cognitive difficulties. A physical exam to measure blood pressure and other vital signs, as well as laboratory tests of blood and other fluids to check levels of various chemicals, hormones, and vitamins, can help uncover or rule out possible causes of symptoms. Thanks to growing medical consensus that irritability, depression and anxiety often flag dementia before memory issues do (and official changes to the diagnostic criteria to reflect this), doctors also ask more about changes in mood or personality. Early detection of symptoms is important as some causes can be successfully treated. However, in many cases, the cause of dementia is unknown and cannot be effectively treated. Still, obtaining an early diagnosis can help with managing the condition and planning ahead. In the early stages of dementia, it may be possible for people to continue with their everyday activities. As the disease progresses, people will need to adopt new strategies to help adjust. A review of a person’s medical and family history can provide important clues about risk for dementia. Typical questions might include asking about whether dementia runs in the family, how and when symptoms began, changes in behavior and personality, and if the person is taking certain medications that might cause or worsen symptoms. The following procedures also may be used to diagnose dementia: Cognitive and Neurological Tests; Brain Scans; Psychiatric Evaluation; Genetic Tests; Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Tests; Blood Tests. Some of the tests and procedures used to diagnose dementia may not be covered by health insurance. Check with your insurance provider and talk with your health care team to determine what options may work best for you. For more information on this topic, please visit the author's pages at:
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