Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Overview

Alzheimer's disease and Dementia are not the same; they can be confusing. However, Alzheimer's disease can lead to a form of Dementia.

Dementia is a condition caused by brain injuries or diseases, which affect the memory, thinking and behaviour.  

There are different types of Dementia and many conditions that cause it. Dementia is not part of ageing and knowing about the two terms is important to give the carer with necessary knowledge and how to handle people with either Dementia or Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's disease is a physical disease that affects the brain and is the commonest cause of dementia, a set of symptoms including memory loss and difficulties with language, thinking and problem-solving.

Alzheimer’s affects more than half a million people in the UK and the risk of developing it increases with age; it occurs most often over the age of 65 and is slightly more prevalent in women than men. Around 1 in 20 people with the condition are under 65 and this is called early-onset Alzheimer’s. 

Alzheimer's disease is caused by build-up of proteins in the brain which are known as 'plaques' and 'tangles', these lead to a loss of connections between nerve cells and eventual death of these cells and loss of brain tissue.  Over time, this damage spreads to several areas of the brain, such as the grey matter (responsible for processing thoughts) and the hippocampus (responsible for memory)

Alzheimer’s sufferers also have an increased breakdown of acetylcholine due to a preponderance of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme that degrades acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is needed for the muscles to work properly, for the  central nervous system to function effectively and for the retention of short term memories, so this insufficiency is responsible for making many of the symptoms more pronounced. 

Alzheimer's Disease is progressive; generally the symptoms are mild to begin with but they get worse over time and start to interfere with daily life.  Early signs of the disease may be forgetting about recent conversations or events and forgetting names of people, places or objects. As the condition develops, the memory worsens and symptoms may include confusion, disorientation, personality changes such as becoming aggressive or demanding, hallucinations and delusions, paranoia, speech and language  problems and mobility problems.

Early Diagnosis enables the patient and their families to plan care for the future and medication available, which can sometimes slow down progression of the disease, so it is advisable to seek medical advice as soon as possible if you suspect Alzheimer’s disease.