Learn About Alzheimer's Disease

Although Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, there are other types of mentaly debilitating diseases that followunder the dementia heading. Here are just a few.

• Vascular or multi-infarct dementia

This type of dementia is similar to Alzheimer’s disease and runs a close second in terms of how often it strikes when compared to Alzheimer’sdisease. Symptoms are the common loss of memory, difficulty following instructions, as well as confusion. Although it causes a steady decline in cognitive abilities, it usually occurs in “stages or steps” instead of the charactaristic routine of Alzheimer’s disease.This is caused in part by small strokes which block smaller arteries, too small to cause major symptoms, but their combined effect is noticeable over a period of time. Low blood flow to parts of the brain is the culprit in this case.

• Mixed Dementia

Certain experts believe that the combination of vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease is very common, and refer to it as mixed dementia.

• Injury to the brain

Actual physical injury to the brain accounts for another form of dementia which includes symptoms such as memory loss and/or behavioral changes.

• Frontotemporal dementia (Pick’s disease)

Although rare, when this type of dementia occurs, it is diffucult at times to tell the difference between it and Alzheimer’s. Symptoms start beforememory loss, such as disorientation and personality changes.

• Parkinson’s disease

This debilitating disease starts by affecting muscle control, causing stiffness, impaired speech and tremors, with dementia occuring in later stages.

• Dementia with Lewy bodies

This type of dementia is characterized by wide variations in alertness and attention, with victims experiencing muscle rigidity as well as tremors usually found in Parkinson’s disease sufferers.

• Huntington’s disease

This type of dementia is inherited, causing progressive odd movements of the legs, facial muscles and arms. There is a marked change in thepersonality of the victim as well as the inability to think coherantly.

• Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)

This type of dementia is very rare. It has been identified as the disorder believed to be the result of eating “mad cow disease” infected meat. It destroys coordination and memory, often rapidly. It also makes marked changes in the victims behavior.

• Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)

This type of dementia is caused by a buildup of fluid in the brain. Surgery is sometimes used to drain the fluid off the brain. NPH victims show signs of inability to control urine, difficulty walking, and memory loss. Doctors are unable to determine the cause of most cases.

One thing to consider when faced with the task of determining a loved ones cause of dementia is that doctors will label an individual as afflicted with MCI (mild cognitive impairment) if they are exhibiting signs of memory loss or loss of cognitive skills. MCI does not always lead toAlzheimer’s disease, but there is an increased occurence of this happening when diagnosed with MCI.

As you can see, there are many different variations of dementia, all destructive to the victim’s brain, but not all are cases of Alzheimer’s disease.

The best defense is knowledge and a great medical team.

Darlene