So, that's the difference between Alzheimer's disease and dementia

Seeing someone you like as a memory loss at a parent or grandparent can be overwhelming. However, the mere fact that a person starts to skid does not automatically mean that she is showing signs of Alzheimer's disease.

This could of course be nothing. Or confusion or cognitive decline could be more a sign of dementia – which is not the same as Alzheimer's, despite what many people might think. Although there is overlap between the two, there are important differences to note.

You will find below information on the variation of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. So you can help your loved ones – or yourself – get the right treatment.

Dementia can sum up many conditions related to the brain and should be considered more as a syndrome than as a disease.

"Dementia is a cognitive loss at any point in life and encompasses many diseases," said George Perry, chief scientist at the Consortium for Brain Health at the University of Texas at San Antonio and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. "It can happen in any stage of life … or after an accident resulting in brain damage or stroke."

In this group is Alzheimer's disease, which represents more than 50% of diagnoses of dementia, according to Elise Caccappolo, Associate Professor of Neuropsychology and Director of the Department of Neuropsychology, Columbia University Medical Center. And although the causes of Alzheimer's disease are a bit difficult to pin down (more details below), age can be an important factor.

"More than 60% of age-related cognitive losses in the United States are due to Alzheimer's disease," said Perry.

What makes Alzheimer's disease difficult is the fact that the condition is only confirmed by an autopsy.

"We can diagnose it when someone is alive, but we are never completely certain until after the autopsy, and we are looking for specific pathological changes in the brain to determine what they are doing. have died of Alzheimer's, "said Caccappolo.

"The big medical centers are pretty good at diagnosing it, but in other parts of the country or [when seeing] a general neurologist, the term "Alzheimer's" can be used very frequently, and if someone does not, the drug will not help, and it could miss other treatments, "she added.

One of the biggest threats of Alzheimer's disease is the classic short-term memory loss. Caccappolo said that this is because Alzheimer's disease occurs in the area of ​​the brain responsible for learning new information and creating new memories. This explains why a person with Alzheimer's disease can probably remember what she ordered during her first appointment with her husband 50 years ago, but has trouble remembering where she put her glasses.

In addition to Alzheimer's disease, there are three types of dementia, according to Caccappolo and Perry. These include vascular dementia, that is, when someone suffers a stroke or diabetes that causes a lack of oxygen in the brain; Frontotemporal dementia, a condition that typically affects people 60 years and older, where a protein similar to Alzheimer's disease causes nerve cell loss in the brain; and Lewy body dementia, where protein deposits develop in areas of the brain responsible for motor and memory.

All of these illnesses have different symptoms, but overall there may be severe mood swings, personality changes, and a significant decrease in cognitive and motor skills. Whether absorbing information or getting dressed in the morning, it takes longer and is more tedious to handle. Perry added that in severe cases, such as Lewy body dementia, patients may even have hallucinations.

A somewhat troubling aspect of dementia and Alzheimer's disease is that there is no real slider as to who is most likely to develop a dementia-related disease.

"Most of these diseases are sporadic, they have no obvious genetic cause," Perry said. Some people may have a genetic inheritance – and these cases usually cause the disease – but it's not because someone in your family has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

"If your grandmother was in her forties, you might be more concerned and do some genetic testing, but if she was over 65, you might have increased risk, but it's really small," she said. he declares.

Perry points out that Alzheimer's disease is more common among women, probably because women tend to live longer than men. "The prevalence of Alzheimer's doubles every five years after the age of 60," he said.

The question of whether alcohol consumption could cause any form of dementia, including Alzheimer's, was debated, but Caccappolo said there was no reason to believe that it was entirely true.

"We do not routinely diagnose alcohol dementia and it is not a known cause. It makes things worse, but it is rare for people to have dementia because of alcohol abuse, "she said.

However, according to Perry, lifestyle factors can generally play an important role. Healthy habits, including a good diet and a good exercise, are essential for reducing your risk and treating Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.