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World Alzheimer’s Day 2023: Every year, World Alzheimer’s Day is observed across the globe to spread awareness about this brain disorder and support the ones suffering from it. The theme for World Alzheimer's Day 2023 is "Never Too Early Never Too Late” which focuses on the importance of early detection, diagnosis and prevention of this brain disease.

Alzheimer’s is a brain disorder common among old people and is characterised by changes in the brain that lead to deposits of certain proteins. When we talk about Alzheimer's, we often hear dementia along with it, which adds to the confusion about whether Alzheimer's and dementia are similar or different health conditions.

Watch the video below to learn about the causes and symptoms of dementia: 

Shedding light on this, Dr Vinit Banga, Associate Director of Neurology & head -Neurovascular Intervention Centre for Neuroscience, BLK Max Super Speciality Hospital said that Alzheimer's disease and dementia are related but distinct conditions. Alzheimer's disease is a specific type of dementia.

Are Dementia And Alzheimer's Same? 

Dr Banga states that Dementia is an umbrella term for a set of symptoms, including memory loss, cognitive decline, and impaired daily functioning. Alzheimer's, on the other hand, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia, accounting for approximately 60-70% of cases.

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Alzheimer's and dementia are brain disorders (Image Credits: Canva)

Causes

Alzheimer's disease is characterised by the accumulation of abnormal protein deposits in the brain, such as beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Other forms of dementia, like vascular dementia or frontotemporal dementia, have different underlying causes, such as blood vessel damage or abnormal protein accumulation.

Symptoms

While both Alzheimer's and dementia share some common symptoms like memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with daily tasks, the specific symptoms and their progression can vary among different types of dementia. For example, frontotemporal dementia often starts with personality and behaviour changes.

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia (Image Credits: Canva)

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Treatment

There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, but some medications can temporarily alleviate symptoms. Dementia treatment depends on its underlying cause, and in some cases, addressing the cause may slow or stop its progression, says Dr Banga.

Prognosis

Alzheimer's tends to have a gradual and predictable progression, while other forms of dementia may progress differently. The course of the disease and life expectancy can vary widely.

Dr. Banga says that dementia is a broader term encompassing various conditions that lead to cognitive decline, while Alzheimer's disease is a specific type of dementia with its own distinct characteristics and underlying causes.