Comparing Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease

Similarities and Differences in Symptoms

There are several similarities and differences in symptoms between the two conditions. Alzheimer's disease has all the symptoms of dementia, but it also has additional criteria of its own. Dementia and Alzheimer's disease can both lead to impaired communication, impaired memory, and improved cognitive function and problem-solving capacity. Additional Alzheimer's disease symptoms include depression, apathy, disorientation, impaired judgment, and difficulty with remembering recent conversations or events. Dementia doesn't typically impair short-term memory, since short-term memory is stored and recalled differently from long-term memory. Dementia also doesn't cause emotional symptoms like depression and apathy. Alzheimer's disease causes these symptoms because of progressive damage to the emotional processing parts of the brain.

Other types of dementia may not include emotional involvement and short-term memory impairment. Alzheimer's disease patients may also experience behavioral changes and confusion that aren't part of the overarching dementia umbrella. In the later stages of the illness, Alzheimer's disease can make it difficult to walk, swallow, and speak. The type of dementia an individual has is diagnosed by evaluating these non-dementia symptoms to see what diagnosis fits best.

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Treatment Options Available

Many cases of dementia aren't reversible, but many types of dementia can be treated. If dementia is caused by hypoglycemia, metabolic disorders, tumors, or drugs, some treatments may be able to remove or cure the underlying cause. Dementia due to Parkinson's disease can be treated with cholinesterase inhibitors, which are also used in Alzheimer's disease treatment. Treatments for Alzheimer's disease and dementia can often overlap. Alzheimer's is a form of dementia that can't be cured, but there are multiple treatments available for symptom management. Behavioral changes can be improved and managed with medication, and there are also medications to help improve memory and mitigate the effects of memory loss. Dietary supplements like fish oil and coconut oil may be used to improve brain function and general health. Depression and insomnia associated with Alzheimer's disease can be treated with medication.

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