Self-Instruct
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are both neurological conditions that affect a person's cognitive abilities. Dementia is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that cause a decline in cognitive abilities, including memory, language, problem-solving, and decision-making. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of all cases.
Dementia is a broad term that describes the symptoms that result from a variety of brain diseases. It is not a specific disease, but rather a group of symptoms that affect cognitive abilities. Symptoms of dementia can include memory loss, difficulty with language and communication, impaired judgment, and changes in behavior.
Alzheimer's disease is a specific type of dementia that is caused by physical changes in the brain. These changes cause a buildup of proteins, known as amyloid plaques, and tangles of a protein called tau. These plaques and tangles can cause the death of brain cells and damage the connections between them. This damage leads to memory loss, difficulty with language and communication, impaired judgment, and changes in behavior.
The main difference between dementia and Alzheimer's disease is that dementia is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that cause a decline in cognitive abilities, while Alzheimer's is a specific type of dementia. While Alzheimer's is the most common type of dementia, there are other types of dementia that can cause similar symptoms.