Despite the fact that alois alzheimer published his description of a demented individual with no significant, underlying vascular pathology 100 years ago, the efforts to distinguish between vascular and nonvascular dementia were mostly undertaken in the 1970s. Since a common cause of vascular dementia is stroke, specific symptoms often begin quite suddenly but then the person may stabilise for a period. They have several symptoms and characteristics that overlap, but there are also some clear differences between the two. With that being said, its believed that approximately 20 percent of those who suffer from dementia display symptoms of vascular dementia. Dementia is an umbrella term that alzheimer s disease can fall under. This type of dementia is more common among those who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. Yet vascular dementia is the second biggest cause of dementia in the uk and while the two diseases may share similarities, there are also important differences which people should be aware of. Whats the difference between alzheimers disease and. Dementia is an umbrella term for symptoms like impaired memory and thinking that. The differences between dementia and alzheimers step to. While the differences between alzheimers and dementia are clear to families dealing with the diseases, more public awareness is needed to differentiate between the two. The second most common form, vascular dementia, has a very different cause namely, high blood pressure. While alzheimers disease is the most common form of dementia accounting for an estimated 60 to 80 percent of cases, there are several other types. While there is a relationship between dementia and alzheimers disease, there are key differences between the two.
The terms alzheimers and dementia are often used interchangeably, but they have very different meanings. About 60% to 80% of people who have dementia have alzheimer s. What is the difference between dementia and alzheimers. Some other common types of dementia include vascular dementia and dementia with lewy bodies. Statistics vary widely as to the prevalence of vascular dementia. Sep 07, 2018 when you boil it down dementia vs alzheimers or vascular dementia, alzheimers and vascular dementia are two types of the same disease. Mar 27, 2018 mixed dementia, which is a combination of two or more dementia disorders. Jun 25, 2018 but knowing the difference is important. Difference between dementia and alzheimers alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia. Skip to site navigation skip to content this content does not have an english version. Alzheimers brain by national institutes of health public domain via commons wikimedia. Difference between alzheimers and dementia wellness fitness. The primary difference between these 2 types of dementia is in the way the symptoms begin, and then develop. Lewy body dementia is an umbrella term for two related clinical diagnoses.
Difference between dementia and alzheimers hometouch. Vascular dementia is widely considered the second most common cause of dementia after alzheimers disease, accounting for 5% to 10% of cases. Alzheimers shows loss of function in the temporal lobe in pet scan while dementia show a global loss of function. The differences between dementia and alzheimers step to health. What is the difference between dementia and vascular dementia. When comparing both vascular dementia and alzheimers, there are clear differences.
While the two terms are often used interchangeably, their clinical definitions are not the same. Hi, dementia dementia is an overall term to describe a wide range of symptoms related to a decline in memory or other thinking skills that severely affects a persons day to day activities. Differential diagnosis of vascular dementia alzheimers. The hachinski ischemic scale is a tool widely used to identify a likely vascular component once. Difference between vascular dementia and alzheimers. Differences between dementia and alzheimers disease. The diseases also attack different parts of the brain. Alzheimers is a progressive disease that tends to worsen in a gradual fashion. About 60 to 80% of all dementia cases are alzheimers disease. Both account for 5 to 10 percent of dementia cases. Difference between dementia and alzheimers difference. Alzheimers is more common than vascular dementia, with approximately 5. Overall, alzheimers is a disease that progresses slowly.
Jul 17, 2018 dementia is caused by different diseases that affect the brain. Learn more about the difference between major neurocognitive disorder, mild neurocognitive disorder, and the presymptomatic phase of alzheimers disease. Alzheimers disease is just a type of dementia and the mo. Instead, people with vascular dementia can have different signs, depending on the area of the brain thats. Unlike alzheimers disease, memory loss isnt the typical first symptom. Whats the difference between dementia and alzheimers disease. Further understanding of what exactly causes alzheimers will help to clear any confusion and hopefully lead to better treatments plans and, ultimately, a cure. Quitting smoking, controlling blood pressure, and following a healthy lifestyle can help in reducing the risk of heart diseases and also vascular dementia. Vascular dementia is caused when individuals suffer from impaired blood flow. Alzheimers and vascular dementia is there a difference.
In alzheimers illness, the symptoms have the tendency to appear gradually, then get worse in a stable downward path. This article deals with the difference between alzheimers and vascular dementia for better understanding and management of. It is similar to heart disease, arterial blockage, that causes neuron damage from lack of glucose and oxygenated blood. These symptoms impact a persons ability to perform everyday activities independently. The difference between lewy body dementia, parkinsons. It slowly steals the minds of its victims, leading to memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, personality changes, disorientation and the inability to communicate. Instead, people with vascular dementia can have different signs. Dementia is a syndrome which describes a wide range of symptoms. For example, someone might have both alzheimers and vascular dementia, or a combination of alzheimers, vascular dementia, and lewy body dementia. Other types of dementia include lewy body dementia, vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia. In recognition of this, i want to increase awareness about the differences between alzheimers and dementia.
There are many different types and causes of dementia, including. It is believed to account for at least half of all individuals affected, with some studies suggesting that seventy percent of all cases may be caused by alzheimers disease. This condition affects lifestyle, ability to socialize, to daily activities. The terms alzheimers disease and dementia are often used to mean the same thing but heres the real difference between them. Alzheimer s disease is the most common form of dementia, and this terminal, progressive brain disorder has no known cause or cure. Learn more so you can understand the differences between the two. Alzheimers affects the grey matter while vascular dementia. However, the difference between alzheimers and vascular dementia is that vascular dementia can be prevented, by preventing the condition which leads to its occurrence. The degree of activity of the different amyloid precursor proteins apps cleaving. Some other common types of dementia include vascular. Difference between alzheimers and dementia compare the.
Alzheimers disease is by far the most common cause of dementia a significant loss of memory and cognitive functions, but vascular dementia is one of several other forms of dementia. The second and third most common types of dementia are vascular dementia and lewy body dementia. When comparing both vascular dementia and alzheimer s, there are clear differences. Alzheimer s disease ad this is the most common type of dementia. Rather, the term describes symptoms that affect the brain. Difference between alzheimers and dementia difference between alzheimers and dementia. May 20, 2019 we asked a doctor to explain the difference between alzheimer s and dementia. However, another stroke may cause a sudden deterioration in some. Finally, the alzheimers type of dementia tends to more women than men.
A main difference between alzheimers disease and dementia is that alzheimers is degenerative and incurable, whereas certain types of dementia, such as dementias caused by certain thyroid conditions, reactions to medication or deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, can be reversed or are merely temporary. Exactly what is vascular dementia and how does it differ from. The icd code has a specific meaning and purpose and knowing what they may prove beneficial for you or your loved one. Alzheimers disease is the most common form of dementia, and this terminal, progressive brain disorder has no known cause or cure.
Whats the difference between alzheimers and dementia. The difference between alzheimers disease and dementia is one of the most common questions received at the michigan alzheimers disease center. Difference between alzheimers and vascular dementia based on. Whats the difference between dementia and alzheimers. Alzheimer s is the more common type of dementia when compared with vascular dementia. Alzheimers disease, vascular dementia, cardiovascular risk factor. This likely contributes to the confusion about dementia vs alzheimers. The term dementia includes several disease like alzheimers disease 1, parkinsons disease, vascular dementia, dementia with lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus, creuzfeldt jakobs disease and huntingtons disease. According to the national institute on aging nia, dementia is defined as a brain disorder that affects communication skills and the performance of daily activities and tasks. Alzheimers causes 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases and is the most common type of dementia.
Alzheimers is now a widely known term in the english language and has, for many, become the catchall phrase for dementia. Whats the difference between vascular dementia and alzheimer. As we stated before, there are early, middle, and late stages of dementia, but there are is also early onset. Its a great question because the terms are often used in place of each other, even though they mean different things. Mar 26, 2020 the terms alzheimers disease and dementia are often used to mean the same thing but heres the real difference between them. The most common types of dementia are alzheimer s disease, parkinsons disease, and vascular dementia. Learning about the two terms and the difference between them is important and can empower individuals with alzheimers or another. Other varieties include lewy body and vascular dementia, which have different root causes and associated symptoms, but ultimately lead to the same place. Vascular dementia is easier to describe than alzheimers, which is largely an unknown. These disorders share the same underlying changes in the brain and very similar symptoms, but the symptoms appear in a different order depending on where the lewy bodies first form. A build up of abnormal proteins in the brain which form plaques or tangles is seen in people with alzheimers. Jan 06, 2014 alzheimers shows loss of function in the temporal lobe in pet scan while dementia show a global loss of function. Mixed dementia, which is a combination of two or more dementia disorders.
Difference between alzheimers and vascular dementia based. Learn more about causes of dementia and symptoms of alzheimer s disease. Alzheimers disease is an irreversible and progressive disorder that damages and destroys brain cells, inducing memory loss and negatively impacting cognitive abilities, such as thinking skills and reasoning. But there are other types, such as vascular dementia and lewy body dementia, too. Alzheimers disease and vascular dementia sometimes called vascular cognitive impairment or vascular neurocognitive disorder are both types of dementia.
A patient with dementia have difficulty in making decisions as well as controlling their. Dementia is the term applied to a group of symptoms that negatively impact memory, but alzheimers is a progressive disease of the brain that slowly causes impairment in. They have many symptoms in common and also vary in many ways. The second most common form of dementia, vascular dementia can have symptoms similar to alzheimers, including memory loss, disorientation and problems with communication. Nov 25, 2019 alzheimers disease is the most common type of major neurocognitive disorder, formerly known as dementia. This is the difference between dementia and alzheimers. Do you know what the difference between dementia and alzheimers disease is. Many people wonder whether there are differences between dementia and alzheimers. Whats the difference between vascular dementia and.
Also read the difference between amnesia and dementia. Alzheimers and dementia are two terms often used interchangeably to describe a condition with symptoms that include memory loss and cognitive impairment. The most common types of dementia are alzheimers disease and vascular dementia. Is the distinction between alzheimers disease and vascular. With that being said, its believed that approximately 20 percent of those. Someone with alzheimers has dementia, but not everyone with dementia has alzheimers, dr. However, dementia can evolve gradually if it is, in fact, alzheimers, in an intermittent fashion if its causes by vascular disease, or depending on the specific diseases of the nervous system. Difference between vascular dementia and alzheimers braintest.
Although dementia and alzheimers are often used simultaneously, dementia is not a disease. While the two conditions are connected, the two terms are actually quite different. The most important difference between alzheimers and dementia is that alzheimers is a disease, while dementia is a set of symptoms what is dementia. What is the difference between dementia and alzheimers disease. Alzheimers disease is the most common type of major neurocognitive disorder, formerly known as dementia. While there is a relationship between dementia and alzheimer s disease, there are key differences between the two. Alzheimers disease is one type of dementia, but its not the only one. Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life. Nov 06, 2017 the term dementia includes several disease like alzheimers disease 1, parkinsons disease, vascular dementia, dementia with lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia, normal pressure hydrocephalus, creuzfeldt jakobs disease and huntingtons disease. Alzheimers disease is simply one type, or cause, of dementia. Vascular dementia, on the other hand, is from impaired blood flow. Alzheimers disease and vascular dementia sometimes called vascular cognitive. Jul 11, 2014 how does vascular dementia differ from alzheimers illness. Alzheimers is a neurodegerative disease that is the most common cause of dementia.
Dementia is not a natural part of aging it is a progressive condition with no known cure. What is the difference between alzheimers and vascular. The main difference between alzheimers disease and vascular dementia appears to be the way in which symptoms begin and progress. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report. Dementia is caused by different diseases that affect the brain. The main difference between alzheimer s disease and vascular dementia appears to be the way in which symptoms begin and progress. Differences between alzheimers and vascular dementia. This study examined differences between vascular dementia vad by the ninds airens criteria and alzheimers disease ad on clinical grounds. Both alzheimers and vascular dementia are the types of dementia. Mar 21, 2018 the second most common form of dementia, vascular dementia can have symptoms similar to alzheimers, including memory loss, disorientation and problems with communication.
A syndrome is a group of symptoms that doesnt have a definitive diagnosis. We asked a doctor to explain the difference between alzheimers and dementia. Differences between alzheimers and other forms of dementia. It slowly steals the minds of its victims, leading to memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, personality changes, disorientation and the. Learn more about causes of dementia and symptoms of alzheimers disease.
Alzheimer s is more common than vascular dementia, with approximately 5. Dementia is the term applied to a group of symptoms that negatively impact memory, but alzheimers is a progressive disease of the brain that slowly causes impairment in memory and cognitive. Treatment for vascular dementia will focus on preventing further damage to. What is the difference between dementia, alzheimers.
The hachinski ischemic scale is a tool widely used to identify a likely vascular component once a dementia diagnosis has been established. Differences between dementia and alzheimers disease shield. Knowledge of the difference of both is necessary in case you encounter a patient suffering from either of the two. What is the difference between alzheimers and dementia. Its a progressive condition, which means it gets worse over time, and it usually affects people over 65 years old.
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