Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are often used interchangeably, but they actually have different meanings. The main difference between Alzheimer's and dementia is that Alzheimer's is a disease in the brain, whereas dementia is a collection of symptoms. Alzheimer's disease causes cognitive decline, eventually leading to dementia. It's the most common reason why people get dementia.
What Is Dementia?
Dementia is a term used to describe problems with memory or thinking. These symptoms get worse over time, which is known as cognitive decline. Dementia is caused by disease in the brain and is not a natural part of ageing. According to the Alzheimer's Society, there are currently estimated to be 982,000 people with dementia in the UK, but more than a third of people with the condition do not have a diagnosis.
Dementia Symptoms
Common symptoms include memory loss, such as problems recalling things that happened recently; confusion and needing help with daily tasks, for example struggling to make decisions, solve problems or follow a series of steps like cooking a meal; problems with language and understanding, such as difficulties following a conversation or finding the right word; and changes in behaviour, such as becoming unusually anxious, irritable or sad.
What Is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. About two out of three people living with dementia in the UK have Alzheimer's disease. It is a physical illness which damages a person's brain. It starts many years before symptoms start to show. Early symptoms of Alzheimer's are mild and don't prevent someone from doing everyday activities by themselves. Eventually, Alzheimer's disease causes so much damage to the brain that the person develops dementia.
How Alzheimer's Affects the Brain
For most people, Alzheimer's disease starts in and around the part of the brain involved in memory. However, in some rarer types of dementia, the disease starts in a different part of the brain and so causes a different set of symptoms. Dementia can be caused by many different diseases, not just Alzheimer's, all of which affect the brain in different ways. Most often, these changes will show up as a decline in cognitive abilities such as thinking, problem-solving and memory, as well as differences in mood and behaviour.
