For a lot of people, the words Alzheimer's disease and dementia are being used interchangeably. That is why it is important to know the difference between Alzheimers and dementia to be able to understand them better. Generally, dementia is a term that pertains to a group of physical and mental symptoms that become so severe that it may interfere with the day-to-day activity of a person. The symptoms can be caused by different disorders or diseases.
In short, dementia is a symptom whereas Alzheimer's disease is the cause. Dr. Robert Stern, who is the Director of Boston University of Alzheimer's disease center provides a more detailed description that highlights the difference between Alzheimers and dementia.
Alzheimer's on the other hand is a main cause of dementia and especially in older people; in fact it is the main cause of dementia and therefore the common confusion between the two. Alzheimer's causes brain abnormalities in the affected individual and it is very hard to establish. This is because the abnormalities are microscopic and requires that the doctor carries out a closer examination on the patient's history.
To understand Dementia, a good analogy would be fever. Fever shoots the temperature of the person but doesn't give any information about what is causing the sickness. Dementia indicates that there is a problem with a person's brain, but doesn't provide information on what's causing the memory or cognitive problems. It's not a disease. Rather, it's a clinical presentation of a disease.
Some of the early signs of dementia include growing confusion and being forgetful. Patients who are suffering from this condition find it hard to remember faces as well as names. They cannot give care to themselves leading them to have inadequate personal hygiene.
Although Alzheimer's is just one symptom of dementia, it is hard to identify and might even be identified after death by carrying out a microscopic test of the patient's brains. However, the worst thing is that even after being the most difficult symptom of dementia to identify, of all people suffering from dementia 60-70 percent has Alzheimer's.
In most cases, a person having dementia develops it as a result of Alzheimer's disease. AD can have early stages when the symptoms are mild, but then it progresses from mild to severe stages with time.
Alzheimer's has no cure and therefore continues to claim lives of many people. This is especially boosted by the fact that it starts brain damage years earlier before the signs of its presence can show. It kills the brain cells making them to shrink and therefore the early death soon after the first signs show.
It is important that doctors explain the difference between Alzheimers and dementia to their patients in order to avoid confusion. This way, the patient will be well-informed about the condition that he or she is suffering from. It would also give the doctors with the possible cure or prevention for the condition.
In short, dementia is a symptom whereas Alzheimer's disease is the cause. Dr. Robert Stern, who is the Director of Boston University of Alzheimer's disease center provides a more detailed description that highlights the difference between Alzheimers and dementia.
Alzheimer's on the other hand is a main cause of dementia and especially in older people; in fact it is the main cause of dementia and therefore the common confusion between the two. Alzheimer's causes brain abnormalities in the affected individual and it is very hard to establish. This is because the abnormalities are microscopic and requires that the doctor carries out a closer examination on the patient's history.
To understand Dementia, a good analogy would be fever. Fever shoots the temperature of the person but doesn't give any information about what is causing the sickness. Dementia indicates that there is a problem with a person's brain, but doesn't provide information on what's causing the memory or cognitive problems. It's not a disease. Rather, it's a clinical presentation of a disease.
Some of the early signs of dementia include growing confusion and being forgetful. Patients who are suffering from this condition find it hard to remember faces as well as names. They cannot give care to themselves leading them to have inadequate personal hygiene.
Although Alzheimer's is just one symptom of dementia, it is hard to identify and might even be identified after death by carrying out a microscopic test of the patient's brains. However, the worst thing is that even after being the most difficult symptom of dementia to identify, of all people suffering from dementia 60-70 percent has Alzheimer's.
In most cases, a person having dementia develops it as a result of Alzheimer's disease. AD can have early stages when the symptoms are mild, but then it progresses from mild to severe stages with time.
Alzheimer's has no cure and therefore continues to claim lives of many people. This is especially boosted by the fact that it starts brain damage years earlier before the signs of its presence can show. It kills the brain cells making them to shrink and therefore the early death soon after the first signs show.
It is important that doctors explain the difference between Alzheimers and dementia to their patients in order to avoid confusion. This way, the patient will be well-informed about the condition that he or she is suffering from. It would also give the doctors with the possible cure or prevention for the condition.
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Learn more about the stages of dementia. Stop by the dementia stages website where you can find out all about the differences in terminology between Dementia and Alzheimer's? and the different available treatments.
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