Alzheimer s and dementia What s the difference - Mayo Clinic

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Alzheimer s and dementia What s the difference

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What s the difference between dementia and Alzheimer s disease

Answer From Jonathan Graff-Radford, M.D. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they actually have different meanings. Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an umbrella term that describes a wide range of symptoms. These symptoms affect people's ability to perform everyday activities on their own. Common symptoms of dementia include: A decline in memory Changes in thinking skills Poor judgment and reasoning skills Decreased focus and attention Changes in language Changes in behavior Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, but it's not the only one. There are many different types and causes of dementia, including: Lewy body dementia Frontotemporal dementia Vascular dementia Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy Chronic traumatic encephalopathy Parkinson's disease dementia Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Huntington's disease Mixed dementia While dementia is a general term, Alzheimer's disease is a specific brain disease. It is marked by symptoms of dementia that gradually get worse over time. Alzheimer's disease first affects the part of the brain associated with learning, so early symptoms often include changes in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. As the disease progresses, symptoms become more severe and include confusion, changes in behavior and other challenges. With Jonathan Graff-Radford, M.D. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Review/update the information highlighted below and resubmit the form.

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Is the definition of Alzheimer's disease changing?Can music help someone with Alzheimer's? ShareTweet April 14, 2022 Show references Types of dementia. Alzheimer's Association. https://www.alz.org/dementia/types-of-dementia.asp. Accessed Feb. 5, 2022. What is dementia? Alzheimer's Association. https://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp. Accessed Feb. 5, 2022. Larson EB. Evaluation of cognitive impairment and dementia. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Feb. 5, 2022. Graff-Radford J (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Feb. 7, 2022. Dementia vs. Alzheimer's disease: What's the difference? Alzheimer's Association. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/difference-between-dementia-and-alzheimer-s. Accessed Feb. 5, 2022. See more Expert Answers

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Alzheimer s and dementia What s the difference? Mayo Clinic