Alzheimer’s Disease Is Not The Only Form of Dementia by Marci

Dementia is the general term for a number of conditions marked by impaired brain functioning. Most people think that all dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease and don’t realize that there are many different forms of dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common type of dementia but it is not the only one.

Here is some information about some of the most common forms of dementia.

Vascular Dementia-This is the second most common form of Dementia. It is caused by poor blood flow to the brain depriving brain cells of the nutrients and oxygen they need to function normally. This can result from conditions that narrow the blood vessels including stroke, diabetes, and hypertension. Symptoms can occur suddenly or over time and initial symptoms are usually impaired judgment, and impaired ability to plan steps needed to complete a task.

Dementia with Lewy Bodies-It is caused by abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies which appear in nerve cells in the brain stem. This disrupts the brain’s normal functioning, causing impaired cognition and behavior, and tremors. Symptoms include memory loss, thinking problems, and usually initial symptoms include sleep disturbances, visual hallucinations, and rigid muscles.

Mixed Dementia-Impairments linked to more than one type of dementia occur simultaneously in the brain.

Parkinson’s Disease-A chronic progressive neurological condition affecting cognition during advanced stages. Not everybody with Parkinson’s Disease will develop dementia. Symptoms include tremors, rigid muscles, speech impairments, memory impairments, and difficulty with judgment and reasoning.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome-This is caused by a Vitamin B1 deficiency and often occurs in alcoholics. It can also result from malnutrition, cancer, high thyroid hormone levels, and long-term dialysis. Symptoms include confusion, gaps in memory, short term memory impairments, and hallucinations.

Mild Cognitive Impairment-Dementia due to medical illness, medications, or many other treatable causes. Symptoms include memory loss, impaired judgment and speech, and one is usually aware of the decline. These problems usually do not disrupt the normal activities of daily living.

It is crucial to find the right doctor who is experienced at diagnosing different types of dementia. Some types of dementia are curable but it is important to get your symptoms diagnosed as early as possible. For more information visit www.alz.org