Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are frequently referred to in the media but often are not defined specifically and may be used incorrectly, leading to confusion.
Dementia is a general term that means an individual is experiencing a significant decline in memory and at least one other area of cognitive functioning (e.g., attention, language, planning/organization, reasoning), and these difficulties are interfering with the individual’s ability to carry out everyday tasks (e.g., driving, managing medications, preparing meals).
Dementia tells us there is a problem, but it doesn’t tell us what is causing the problem. There are many diseases and medical issues that can result in dementia.
One type of dementia is dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 50 to 80 percent of all dementia cases. Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition, meaning that it worsens over time. In Alzheimer’s disease, certain brain cells begin to have difficulty doing their jobs and communicating with other brain cells. Research is being done to investigate exactly why this happens. Unfortunately, there is no cure at the present time.
To understand the definition of dementia, it may be helpful to think of dementia as an umbrella term. Underneath the umbrella of dementia, there are various diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia (which can result from a stroke), and many others.
Sometimes, dementia is reversible if the underlying medical issue is corrected. For example, an individual may have dementia due to a vitamin deficiency. If this is the case, the dementia will likely go away once the vitamin levels are increased and maintained at the appropriate level. Finally, what can appear to be a dementia may actually end up being an emotional problem such as depression, which is affecting a person’s ability to concentrate and remember. In such cases, treatment of the emotional difficulty will result in clearer thinking and memory.
It is important to note that dementia is not a normal part of aging. There are normal, mild changes that occur over time in the brain’s ability to process and remember new information; however, most older adults will not develop a significant problem in these areas. In fact, large studies estimate that only 14 percent of people age 71 and older in the United States have dementia.
Therefore, if a person is having problems with memory and thinking, it is crucial to seek medical attention to determine the cause of the problem. Often, individuals or concerned family members will start by speaking with their primary care physician. A primary care physician may oversee diagnostic tests and enlist the assistance of a specialist, such as a neurologist and neuropsychologist.
Specialized testing, in combination with a review of the patient’s medical history as well as knowledge about common risk factors and clinical symptoms for various types of dementia, can assist in determining whether a dementia is present, and if so, what may be causing the dementia.
Knowledge is power. The early and accurate diagnosis of dementia, including the underlying cause of the dementia, has many benefits including:
• A better chance of benefitting from disease-specific medications that may slow symptoms;
• Individualized recommendations regarding how to reduce risk factors that contribute to further memory decline and functional impairment;
• Lessened anxiety about unknown problems;
• Information about what to expect;
• An opportunity to participate in decisions about care;
• More time to plan for the future and develop a relationship with doctors and care partners; and
• Support and advice for both the patient and family.