The Difference Between Alzheimer's And Dementia

People often mistake Alzheimer's with dementia or the other way around, but as much we know about either one, there is a difference between the two. 

Dementia is a term used for the declining of cognitive function like memory and thinking and it's severe enough where it affects daily life, whereas Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer's is a disease while dementia is the set of symptoms it causes. 60% to 80% of Alzheimer's disease is accounted for all dementia cases.  

Alzheimer's is a specific disease and the most common cause of dementia, while dementia is a general term for a group of symptoms that affect memory, thinking and social abilities. When someone has Alzheimer's, it's due to abnormal protein deposits (plaques and tangles) in the brain while Dementia have different causes. 

Both dementia and Alzheimer's involve memory loss, confusion and difficulty with language or reasoning, but Alzheimer's disease typically starts with gradual memory loss and slowly worsens.

Dementia: Progression depends on the cause—some forms may stabilize or improve.

Alzheimer’s: Progressive and currently irreversible, with symptoms worsening over time.

Think of dementia like “fever” (a general condition), and Alzheimer’s like “flu” (one specific cause of that condition).

Even if both Dementia and Alzheimer's are related to memory, there are differences. Dementia is generally used when it comes to memory loss and cognitive issues whereas Alzheimer's is more progressive and is a specific disease that causes these issues. Someone with Alzheimer's may have trouble recalling recent events or keeping track of what day or month it is. 

Reversibility: Most dementias are progressive and irreversible, but some symptoms can be treated. Other causes of dementia-like symptoms (e.g., vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues) may be reversible.

Alzheimer's Disease (Specific Cause)

• Progression: Typically slow, starting with mild memory loss and progressing to severe cognitive decline.

• Brain Impact: Affects areas responsible for memory first, then spreads.

• Treatment: Medications like cholinesterase inhibitors can manage symptoms, but cannot cure the disease.

  
  

Dementia (General Term/Symptoms)

• Symptoms: Memory loss, difficulty with language, problem-solving, and other cognitive abilities.

• Types: Alzheimer’s, Vascular Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia.

• Diagnosis: Doctors focus on identifying the type of dementia to manage it properly.

  
  

Dementia results in changes of memory, thinking and/or behavior due to degeneration of the brain. To be able to meet the criteria of having dementia, there must be sufficient changes that interfere with daily activities and are present in at least two different aspects of thinking or memory. 

For example, someone might have trouble remembering to pay bills and become lost in previously familiar areas.

While we all have some amyloid-β, when too much builds up in the brain it clumps together, forming plaques in the spaces between cells. These plaques cause damage (inflammation) to surrounding brain cells and lead to disruption in tau. Tau forms part of the structure of brain cells but in Alzheimer’s tau proteins become “tangled”. This is toxic to the cells, causing them to die. A feedback loop is then thought to occur, triggering production of more amyloid-β and more abnormal tau, perpetuating damage to brain cells.

Everyone with Dementia and Alzheimer's has a different degree of the disease. People are in the early stages while other people are in late stages of the disease, but no matter where someone is, there is no cure. It's a disease that’s going to get worse as time goes on. 

Not only does it affect your memory, it also affects other parts of you. Over time, you begin to lose cognitive, physical, and functional abilities, starting with short-term memory and eventually affecting basic bodily functions. Key losses include memory, language, reasoning, and independent functioning. The disease causes structural brain damage, resulting in the loss of connections between neurons and eventual brain shrinkage.

There’s so much we don’t know about the brain and we don’t know how or why someone gets Alzheimer's or Dementia. There’s so much to learn and not everything about the disease is talked about in this post. If you want to learn more or you may think you know someone that is showing symptoms, I suggest talking to your doctor and research for more information.