This is one of the most widely asked questions from patients and family. These terms are so easily confused particularly because they seem to be the only two terms you hear in the news or talked among people in general.
The difference between dementia and Alzheimer's Disease is that dementia is a broad term describing a group of symptoms (also known as a syndrome) associated with the deterioration of a person's thinking, emotional, or behavioral functioning, and Alzheimer's disease is one possible cause or trigger of that deterioration. So in other words, dementia is the umbrella term that describes the person's level of functioning and under that umbrella are all the different possible causes which identifies the kind of dementia a person has. More specifically, dementia indicates that a person is showing cognitive problems that are to the point of causing difficulties in managing daily functions (for example, managing medications, paying bills).
There are many different possible etiologies, or causes, of a person's dementia syndrome (some examples seen below), with Alzheimer's Disease being the most common. It accounts for about 70% of all dementia cases! Dementia with Lewy Bodies is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, accounting for about 5-10% of all dementia cases.
Currently, there are more than 5 million Americans age 65 and older living with Alzheimer's Disease. This number is expected to rise to 14 million by 2050. The 2 major reasons for this progressive rise in numbers has to do with 1) the "baby boomer" generation advancing in age through these years, and 2) medical, scientific and technological advancements that are allowing people to live longer. While advancements and living longer are both positive things, one fact about Alzheimer's Disease that cannot be thwarted at this time is that increasing age alone is one known risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease. These numbers give some perspective as to this growing crisis in America, both medically and economically. For this reason, there is a constant stream of research being done around the world to treatments and interventions that could potentially prevent and slow the progression of the disease. It is the hope of all those involved to one day even find the cure. However, in the meantime, early identification is key. Early identification allows patients to begin making the necessary changes in their day-to-day life that can help slow the progression of the disease in order to be as productive and active for as long as possible. Not only does this have a personal impact on quality of life, but also economical savings in medical and long-term care costs. This is where a neuropsychological evaluation can be of great value. Tests administered as part of the evaluation are sensitive to even mild changes in the brain that can indicate risk of or early stages of Alzheimer's Disease. With this information in hand, patients and families can begin the path forward.
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