Changes in thinking and memory as we age can occur for a variety of reasons. These changes are . But when they begin to disrupt daily life, it could indicate the first signs of dementia.
Another term that can crop up when we're talking about dementia is Alzheimer's disease, or Alzheimer's for short. So what's the difference? What is dementia? Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of syndromes that result in changes in memory, thinking and/or behavior due to degeneration in the brain. To meet the for dementia, these changes must be sufficiently pronounced to interfere with usual activities and are present in at least two different aspects of thinking or memory.
For example, someone might have trouble remembering to pay bills and become lost in previously familiar areas. It's less-well known that dementia can also occur in . This is due to progressive brain damage associated with more than 100 rare genetic disorders.
This can result in similar cognitive changes to those we see in adults. So what's Alzheimer's then? is the most common type of dementia, accounting for of cases. So it's not surprising many people use the terms dementia and Alzheimer's interchangeably.
Changes in memory are the most common sign of Alzheimer's and it's what the public associates with it. For instance, someone with Alzheimer's may have trouble recalling recent events or keeping track of what day or month it is. We still don't know exactly what .
However, we do know it is associated wi.
