When people reach a certain age, they might start forgetting things like where they keep their important files or their scheduled important appointments, which you think is very common. And thus, it is very common to ignore these signs and to think of them as something that comes with old age. However, it might not be what it seems. Simply forgetting things might be the early symptom of Dementia or Alzheimer’s. And thus, this needs to be taken seriously.
According to the study, in the last 20 years, about 10% of the total population of the USA has found Dementia. And currently, 6.5 million Americans under the age of 65 and even older are fighting with Alzheimer’s.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s are frequently used interchangeably. These terms have different meanings. There are treatments available for such health conditions, but first, you must find out that you or your close one has Dementia or Alzheimer’s to give them the appropriate treatment and care to live a better life.
What Is Dementia?
A group of symptoms without a specific cause is known as Dementia. It can affect several mental processes. Dementia is related to a large range of medical conditions.
Alzheimer’s infection is the most common kind of Dementia and is recorded for about 70% of cases. However, there are some more kinds and causes, such as:
Vascular Dementia
Stroke and other health conditions that regulate blood flow to the brain can cause vascular Dementia.
Lewy Body Dementia
Abnormal accumulation of brain protein brings on Lewy body dementia.
Frontotemporal Disorders
Disorders that impact the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain are also called frontotemporal disorders.
Traumatic Encephalopathy
Recurring traumatic brain injury causes chronic traumatic Encephalopathy.
Symptoms Of Dementia
Dementia can present in your body with the following symptoms.
Behavioural Changes
“Psychological and Behavioural symptoms” occur in many people who have Dementia. Depressive signs, increased anxiety, wandering, periodic hallucinations, and aggression are some examples of these.
Memory Loss
It’s possible that people who have Dementia won’t recognize their family or close friends or won’t remember where they live or are.
Weak Judgment And Reasoning Skills
People with Dementia have poor reasoning and judgment skills. They are unable to make the right decisions because they lack the various important factors considered while making a decision.
Less Ability To Concentrate And Pay Attention
A person having Dementia lacks concentration, and it reduces his ability to pay attention to every matter.
Changes In Language
The person with Dementia finds difficulties in naming, understanding, and finding words for things, as well as his voice, gets louder while speaking.
Various conditions and factors can activate dementia-like symptoms like:
- The use of several drugs, as well as interactions with them
- Lack of vitamin D and possibly vitamin B12
- Excessive consumption of Alcohol
- Traumatic head wounds
- Issues with the kidneys, thyroid, or liver
- Anxiety, depression, or stress
Read Also:- What Is The Difference Between Dementia And Alzheimer’s?
Causes And Risk Factors Of Dementia
The cause of Dementia differs from type to type, but the exact cause of many types of Dementia is currently unknown. A kind of Dementia might affect around 50% of people of age 85 and even older. With age, symptoms usually get worse. Although the condition of Dementia is more common in older adults, it can also evolve at a very young age.
Why Does Dementia Progress?
Dementia is generated by various physical brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, vascular Dementia, FTD, and DLB. In the initial stages of all kinds of Dementia, only a small portion of the brain gets damaged. In this early stage, a person has several symptoms as only the skills dependent on the impaired part of the brain are affected. Most of the time, these initial symptoms are not too bad. That is why the term “mild” Dementia is used in place of “early” Dementia.
In these early stages, each type of Dementia impacts various parts of the brain. Also, the symptoms of Dementia vary from type to type. For instance, memory loss is not that common in FTD early-stage but in the initial stage of Alzheimer’s disease. The signs of different kinds of Dementia tend to become more similar as they progress into the middle and further stages. It happens due to the fact that as Dementia progresses, more of the brain is affected.
With time, the disease that causes Dementia spreads to other parts of the brain. As a result, more brain regions become incapable of functioning properly, resulting in more symptoms. At the same time, areas of the brain that are already damaged get even more affected, making the symptoms worse for the affected person. The disease ultimately causes serious damage to the major part of the brain.
Note: Dementia causes some important changes in all parts of memory, language, conduct, feelings, and actual issues.
What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Researchers believe that the signs of Alzheimer’s disease are brought on by an accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain, which results in tangles and plaques. These unusual proteins can interfere with the ability of the brain cells to communicate. The cells eventually suffer damage as a result of this until they become incapable of functioning. According to the study, the hippocampus is one of the portions of the brain where these buildups have been found. This region significantly influences long time memory recall.
The progression of Alzheimer’s disease is usually referred to in terms of stages, which shows the seriousness of the symptoms.
Initial Phase
Symptoms are tender. At this point, a person is completely aware of their situation and only requires minimum assistance when asked for it.
Middle Stage
The signs become more noticeable. Alzheimer’s patients will require additional assistance to complete their daily tasks.
Late Stage
The person will ultimately lose their ability to communicate verbally and take care of themselves when they reach this stage. The person’s quality of life depends on the care he gets.
End-of-life
The person’s cognitive decline extends to the point where they require full-time care. In order to guarantee a quality death of the patient, the focus shifts to comfort and palliative care.
A person is more likely to have a better quality of life when stressed with the disease if diagnosed at an earlier stage.
Symptoms Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Because of the brain’s portion it affects, Alzheimer’s disease includes some particular symptoms. A person may experience the following:
Disorientation
A person with Alzheimer’s disease faces the problem of disorientation. A mental state of disorientation involves losing memory of time and direction. Sundowning is a common form of disorientation for people with Alzheimer’s disease or related Dementia in the middle to late stages. Sundowning is also called sundown disorder and late-day disarray.
Changes In Mood And Behavior
People with Alzheimer’s disease might exhibit mood and behavioral changes, like extreme irritability, depression, and anxiety, in the initial stages of the disease. Families usually choose to seek medical attention because of these changes.
Baseless Doubt About People Near Them
In the middle or late stage of Alzheimer’s, patients develop delusions and suspicions about the people around them, and they believe that they are not real. They feel that the person is hiding things from them and may cause danger to them.
Difficulty In Talking And Understanding Words
Patients who are in the initial stages of Alzheimer’s disease have difficulty remembering words or recalling the appropriate vocabulary to express themselves. Verbal fluency often worsens during this phase. Halting, Stuttering or difficulty finishing sentences are all possible.
Physical Issues Like Walking
Walking is a challenge for some Alzheimer’s patients. Patients with these issues walk slowly and irregularly, making it difficult for them to turn and climb to a walking stool. Also, Late-stage Alzheimer’s patients usually have trouble swallowing and eating and need assistance with 24 hours personal care.
Which Is Worse, Dementia Or Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia are different from each other. Dementia is not a particular disease, but it is a common term that covers various symptoms. These symptoms influence people’s capacity to perform everyday activities independently.
On the other hand, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common and worst kinds of Dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a severe condition of the brain. However, the symptoms of Dementia distinguish it as it slowly gets worse over time.
Firstly, Alzheimer’s disease affects the portion of the brain which helps in thinking and learning. Memory loss, behavioral shifts, confusion, and poor reasoning skills are common and serious initial symptoms of the disease. That is why it is said to be worse and more dangerous than Dementia.
Conclusion
So now you might know which is the worst and most severe health issue between Dementia and Alzheimer’s. A condition that impacts a person’s capability to think is Dementia. In particular, it might have an impact on their memory, mood, reasoning, and other characteristics. On the other hand, Alzheimer’s is the most prevalent but worse form of Dementia because of different causes. The cause will regulate the course of treatment, which may include lifestyle changes and medications.
Here at Alincor counseling, you can take the assistance of our trained specialists anytime for the proper guidance to recover quickly. Contacting us by phone or email and participating in our video sessions will help you to get well quickly. We will hold your hand and provide support and comfort throughout your recovery. For any related queries, you can contact us at +1 833-211-1777, or you can mail us at info@alnicorconsulting.com.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The speed of progression of Dementia depends from person to person or the type of Dementia. Alzheimer’s disease progresses more slowly compared to other types of Dementia.
Sometimes a person with Alzheimer’s disease lives longer for about 15 to 20 years. But a person with vascular Dementia lives only around five years. It is even the minimum of the average lifespan of Alzheimer’s because a person having vascular Dementia might die from a heart attack or a stroke before dying from Dementia.
It is the most ordinary kind of Dementia. Between 60 to 80 percent of people with Dementia also have Alzheimer’s. It is a growing condition that can get worse with time, and it typically affects people over the age of 65. There is no remedy at this time.
Many people often get worried thinking that the Dementia they have will inherit or pass on to their children or grandchildren. But not all types of Dementia usually get inherited; only the rare kinds of Dementia can pass on because of a powerful genetic link. However, it covers only a small proportion of all Dementia cases.
Pneumonia is the most common reason for death in Dementia patients and is caused by the infection. A patient in the last stage of Dementia shows some symptoms that might suggest that the person is close to death. But that particular person can live for some more months even with these symptoms.