Defining Dementia
Learn about the different types of dementia, their unique symptoms, and how they affect daily life.
Listen to this article
Dementia is a term used to describe a severe decline in cognitive/mental function that interferes with daily life. It is not a specific disease but a collection of symptoms that can be caused by underlying conditions. Explore the most common forms of dementia below.
- Alzheimer’s Disease: This is the most common type of dementia, characterized by progressive memory loss, confusion and behavioral changes. Symptoms may include memory lapses, difficulty planning and solving problems, confusion with time or place as well as changes in mood or personality.
- Vascular Dementia: This type of dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain and often follows a stroke or small vessel disease. Symptoms may include impaired judgment, difficulty making decisions, and the sudden onset of cognitive changes.
- Lewy Body Dementia (LBD): This condition is caused by abnormal protein deposits in the brain called Lewy bodies. Symptoms may include hallucinations, fluctuating cognitive/mental ability, Parkinsonism and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep behavior disorder.
- Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD): This type of dementia affects both the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to personality changes and language difficulties. Symptoms may include behavioral changes, impulsivity, language problems and social withdrawal.
- Mixed Dementia: This condition is a combination of two or more types of dementia. The most common combination is Alzheimer’s Disease with Vascular Dementia. The symptoms of mixed dementia may vary depending on the combination of underlying conditions, but often include memory loss and impaired judgement.
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD): This type of dementia is a rapidly progressive dementia caused by abnormal prion proteins in the brain.
- Parkinson’s Disease Dementia (PDD): This type of dementia develops in the later stages of Parkinson’s disease.
- Huntington’s Disease: This is a genetic disorder that causes progressive dementia and involuntary body movements.
- Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: This form of dementia is caused by a severe vitamin B1 deficiency and is often linked to alcohol misuse.