"Alzheimer's" and "dementia": We sometimes use the words interchangeably, but there are important differences. The causes of the two conditions are different, and so are the treatment options and prognoses.
Getting a specific diagnosis for you or your loved one is important, and knowing about the differences between the diseases will help you ask your doctor good questions. Take this quiz to see if you can tell the difference between Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
Which of the following is a type of dementia?
All of the above.
That's right -- Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia, as are all the other diseases in the list. If your doctor gives you or a loved one a diagnosis of "dementia," ask the doctor to be more specific.
What is the most common form of dementia?
Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's accounts for about 60% of all cases of dementia.
Alzheimer's is an incurable disease, but some symptoms of other forms of dementia can be cured.
True.
Remember, Alzheimer's is a specific disease, while dementia is a general condition.
Though medication can help slow its progression, Alzheimer's is an irreversible disease. Other the other hand, some of the symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of other forms of dementia may be reversible, depending on their cause.
In what type of dementia do early stage symptoms include lowered attention span, and visual hallucinations?
Dementia with Lewy bodies.
According the Mayo Clinic, another early stage symptom of dementia with Lewy bodies is "a fluctuation between periods of lucidity (or clear thinking) followed by periods of confusion." As the different forms of dementia reach later stages, the differences between them become more subtle, and they may be harder to tell apart.
Which of the following is a cause of temporary dementia?
A and B.
Dehydration and fever can cause temporary dementia. Other causes of temporary dementia include kidney, thyroid or liver diseases. In these cases, the symptoms of dementia can be alleviated by treating the cause.
Identifying these irregularities in the brain is the key to making a positive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
Plaques and tangles.
Plaques and tangles in brain tissue is the tell-tale sign of a brain affected by Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, you can only see those plaques and tangles by analyzing certain brain tissue with a microscope, and it's only possible to do this examination after a patient has passed away.
