Dementia encompasses a wide range of mental health and cognitive deficits that cause significant impairments in everyday functioning, including memory loss. Dementia comes in several forms, and the most common is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which affects 60 to 80% of people with dementia.

In the United States, 4% of the aging population (people 65 and older) report having dementia, with that number rising to 13% among those 85 and older . About 6 .7% of the U.S. population 65 and over is dealing with Alzheimer’s disease. Without new ways to stop, halt, or cure AD, this figure might reach 13.8 million by the year 2060.

Although the likelihood of getting dementia or AD increases with age, dementia is not a normal aspect of becoming older. Some forgetfulness and mental decline is natural as we age, but dementia and AD are conditions that impair brain function .

In this article, we’ll answer an important question: What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease? Knowing how the two conditions correlate with one another will help you to spot warning signs and understand treatment strategies.

Defining Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Since Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia and a leading cause of it, there’s significant overlap between the two conditions. Let’s take a close look at each one.

Alzheimer’s: A specific type of dementia

Cognitive decline is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s, a neurodegenerative disorder that gradually destroys brain cells. The death of these brain cells and the neurons and connections between them affects brain function, impacting memory, cognition, and behavior, while also leading to brain shrinkage. In the later stages of AD, the brain atrophy tends to become more pronounced .

When diagnosed at 65 years of age, the typical additional lifespan for a person with Alzheimer’s disease is four to eight years. But for others, the survival time after symptoms begin can be as long as 20 years.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

• Memory loss that affects daily life
• Difficulty in planning or solving problems
• Confusion with time or place
• Trouble understanding visual images
• New problems with speaking or writing
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
• Decreased or poor judgment
• Withdrawal from work or social activities
• Changes in mood and personality

The majority of Alzheimer’s patients are 65 and over. The occurrence of young-onset Alzheimer’s disease is around 110 per 100,000 persons ages 30 to 64. Genetic factors cause this disease in some cases. Having a family history of young-onset Alzheimer’s disease increases the likelihood that a person will get the illness. However, scientists still don’t have a thorough understanding of why some individuals get  Alzheimer’s at a younger age than others .

Dementia: A broad term for cognitive decline

Dementia is not a certain type of disease. It’s more of a catch-all term for disorders that heighten memory loss, cognitive impairment, and decision-making problems that make it hard to carry out daily tasks .  The memory problems in dementia are much more complex than forgetting names or where you left your car.

Dementia patients  often struggle with two or more of the following:

• Memory
• Talking and communicating
• Paying close attention
• Judgment and reasoning
• Perception of visual objects (inability to distinguish between colors, inability to perceive motion, perception of non-existent objects)

In dementia, patients also struggle with daily tasks affecting their level of independence, such as:

• Taking medications without help
• Managing finances and paying bills
• Driving a car
• Making and keeping appointments

Apart from AD, there are several different forms of dementia :

• Vascular dementia (the second most common type of dementia). This type of dementia begins with a decrease in blood flow to the brain, which may occur due to a variety of disorders affecting the blood vessels. It impairs cognitive abilities such as reasoning, planning, and remembering. However, the signs of vascular dementia can manifest quickly and differently in different parts of the brain.
• Lewy body dementia. Protein abnormalities in brain cells are the hallmark of dementia with Lewy bodies. It causes symptoms that are comparable to Parkinson’s disease, including visual hallucinations, cognitive skills that fluctuate, and unsteady movement.
• Frontotemporal disorders. This type of dementia primarily affects the prefrontal and temporal regions of the brain. Symptoms include behavioral, linguistic, and personality abnormalities. Initially, the memory loss is often less severe than in Alzheimer’s disease.
• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Serious deterioration of brain function usually occurs within a year after this rare form of dementia begins. It’s caused when prion proteins start to fold abnormally, which leads to other proteins following suit. The symptoms, which resemble Alzheimer’s but progress at a far quicker rate, include changes in behavior, impaired coordination, and memory loss.
• Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is a hereditary condition that leads to the gradual degeneration of brain cells. It causes involuntary movement of the limbs and face, as well as cognitive decline and emotional issues. Symptoms tend to appear when people are in their 30s and 40s.
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus. An abnormal accumulation of spinal fluid in the brain causes this condition. It can lead to memory loss, gait issues, and urine incontinence. However, unlike AD, this condition can be relieved by surgical intervention.
• Mixed dementia. Having more than one kind of dementia is known as mixed dementia. Combinations of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia are the most prevalent, affecting up to 22% of the elderly.

Diagnosis of Dementia

A dementia diagnosis requires a comprehensive evaluation to identify the underlying cause. To help understand the symptoms, progression, and any co-occurring conditions or lifestyle factors, doctors will take a patient’s complete medical history.

The next stage is a thorough physical examination to search for indicators of neurological and general health issues. Doctors use specific tests to gauge the patient’s mental facilities. Laboratory tests are used to help rule out infections and vitamin deficiencies as possible causes of symptoms.

Brain scans and imaging are valuable tools for assessing the structure of the brain and finding signs of shrinkage, strokes, tumors or other abnormalities. Modern imaging technology helps physicians achieve a greater rate of diagnosis accuracy, which helps in suggesting personalized therapies and treatments.

Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s

Advances are being made in the detection of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers in Great Britain report using an MRI machine and artificial intelligence to predict a patient’s chances of getting dementia. They report that their method has an accuracy rate of 82% and can predict a person will get the disease years before a diagnosis can be made. This method is designed for many forms of dementia, but applies to Alzheimer’s as well.

At the Mayo Clinic  in Rochester, Minnesota, doctors have developed a blood test that can identify a protein in the brain that indicates Alzheimer’s. The simple blood test is less invasive than other diagnostic procedures and very accurate, research studies show.

No one test can determine whether a person has AD . Doctors will take a medical history and perform a wide range of tests, both physical and cognitive, to determine the level of cognitive function and rule out other forms of dementia.

Risk Factors

Scientists think that a combination of hereditary factors, environmental variables, and dietary habits contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Although certain risk factors, including age and family history, are beyond a person’s control, several modifiable risk variables might mitigate cognitive decline.

Risk factors for dementia and AD:

• The biggest known risk factor is age. After 65 years of age, the risk doubles every five years, and after 85 years of age, it reaches approximately one-third.
• Family history. Having a parent or sibling who has Alzheimer’s disease raises the chance of having the condition yourself, and the risk rises if more than one family member has it.
• Factors influencing the development of Alzheimer’s disease include both risk genes and deterministic genes; nevertheless, deterministic genes account for fewer than 1% of cases.
• Head injury. A history of traumatic brain injuries raises the probability of developing dementia, highlighting the need to safeguard the brain.
• Certain medical conditions. Hypertension, diabetes, and other cardiac conditions increase the likelihood of getting dementia.

Treatment and Management

There is no cure for dementia or Alzheimer’s. Some drugs have been developed as treatment options that seem to be able to slow the advance of symptoms. Some have been available for some time such as donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine.  Newer medications for Alzheimer’s target the underlying disease. Donanemab is administered to delay symptoms, and has proven be about as effective as a competitor, lecanemab, according to recent reports. Aducanumab, a novel medicine that targets brain amyloid plaques, has also shown small advantages in clinical studies . These advancements provide optimism for the possibility of reducing the rate of cognitive decline and enhancing patients’ quality of life.

Individuals also have used preventative measures to reduce their vulnerability to dementia and AD.

Prevention strategies  for brain health

Alterations to your way of life can have the dual effect of enhancing cognitive performance and reducing the rate of Alzheimer’s development. This speaks to the importance of early detection.

Some examples of these tactics include reading regularly, doing puzzles or other cognitive exercises, and eating a nutrient-rich diet. Another way to reduce your risk of developing dementia is to maintain your cardiovascular health by controlling your blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.

Because it strengthens brain connections and cognitive abilities, exercise is seen as an important tool in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Consistent physical exercise improves levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BNDF) and cerebral blood flow, which, in turn, stimulates the development of new neural connections and cells. Particularly beneficial are aerobic activities, which include jogging, walking, and swimming, all of which enhance your cardiovascular health and general cognitive function. Strength training and flexibility activities improve balance and reduce the likelihood of falls, in addition to promoting brain health.

Finding Help

People with concerns about dementia and Alzheimer’s can find extensive assistance from Florida Medical Clinic’s Neurology and Neuropsychology services. We provide comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations to assess cognitive function, memory, and behavioral changes associated with neurodegenerative diseases and neurological disorders.

We specialize in the assessment and management of chronic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and epilepsy. Our experienced neuropsychologists understand how to effectively evaluate cognitive functioning and provide personalized recommendations to help patients and families navigate complex neurological conditions.

Meet Dr. Clement, PhD

Board-certified clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Veronica Clement, PhD, earned her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Florida and completed her clinical neuropsychology fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine. She holds board certification from the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABPP-CN) and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.

With an emphasis on complex neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, dementia, stroke, and brain tumors, Dr. Clement is devoted to providing comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations and personalized care to her patients and their families.