What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?

There are over 200 subtypes of dementia

It's Alzheimer's Awareness Month, so we're shining a spotlight on important information about the progressive brain disorder that impacts over 55 million people worldwide.

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects your memory, thinking, and behaviour. The symptoms develop gradually over years and eventually become very severe, making everyday activities increasingly difficult and distressing for those affected. Every person's experience with the disease is unique, but activities like remembering appointments, managing important life admin tasks, and even going to the shops, can become impossible when battling the disease.

Although living with Alzheimer's, or seeing it occur in a loved one, can be deeply saddening and frustrating, there are lots of treatment options available, such as specialist medication and cognitive stimulation therapy that can significantly slow down the progression of the disease and keep symptoms at bay.

Everything you need to know about Alzheimer's

Many people use the terms Alzheimer's and dementia interchangeably to describe the same disease, but Alzheimer's is just one type of dementia. According to Dementia UK, there are over 200 subtypes of dementia, and each type stops a person's neurones (more commonly known as brain cells), from working properly. Around 944,000 people are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK, and someone develops the condition every three minutes. One of these types is Alzheimer's, which comes with its own set of common symptoms.

In this blog, we explore some of the key facts about Alzheimer's and other types of dementia.

Important information about dementia

If you suspect you might be suffering from dementia in general, or you have spotted symptoms in a loved one, it helps to know some of the most common symptoms and types of the disease.

Dementia causes distinct changes in your memory, thinking, personality, and behaviour, but symptoms vary depending on which type you have. Understanding these types can help you or your loved one get the right diagnosis and support for the disease.

Aside from Alzheimer's, some common types of dementia include:

Vascular dementia

Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Vascular dementia is caused by problems in the blood supply to your brain caused by damaged or diseased blood vessels. This can happen after a stroke, during which your brain cells are deprived of the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly.

Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's is a condition that causes a section of your brain called the substantia nigra to lose nerve cells. This causes a reduction in a substance called dopamine, which helps regulate the movement of your body. As these levels of dopamine decrease, the movement in your body becomes slower. Many people with Parkinson's do not develop dementia, but some people do in the later stages of the disease. This is known as 'Parkinson's with dementia' or, 'Lewy body dementia.'

Read more information about living with Parkinson's disease.

Alcohol related brain damage

Alcohol-related brain damage (or ARBD) is a brain disorder caused by regularly drinking too much alcohol over several years. It usually happens between the age of 40 to 50 years old. Excessive amounts of alcohol can damage your brain, interfering with your ability to think clearly. If you stop drinking alcohol and get the right treatment and support, you can reverse the symptoms and fully recover from this type of dementia.

Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder that happens when a faulty gene damages your brain gradually over time. This typically happens in the areas of your brain responsible for movement, learning, emotions, and memory.

Huntington's disease is usually associated with affected movement, but the damage to your brain can also cause symptoms such as memory loss and an inability to focus, which is more commonly associated with dementia.

This is an inherited disease, meaning it is passed on from a parent. According to the NHS, if a parent has the Huntington's disease gene, there's a 50% chance of each of their children developing the condition.

Common symptoms of dementia

All of these types of dementia come with their own set of unique symptoms, which affect every person differently. But there are common symptoms that occur across each of the types of dementia, which are:

• Memory loss, which is usually first recognised by a loved one
• Problems finding the right words when communicating
• Difficulty reasoning or problem-solving
• Difficult planning and organising
• Confusion and disorientation

Dementia can also cause some behavioural and personality changes, which are:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Agitation, which can be expressed as anger
• Inappropriate behaviour
• Being suspicious, also known as paranoia

According to Alzheimer's Association, people with Alzheimer's can become suspicious of the people around them, sometimes accusing them of behaviour such as theft, infidelity, or inappropriate behaviour. This can be hurtful and distressing for those accused, but it's important to try not to take offense, and listen to what is troubling your loved one to help them understand reality and feel reassured.

What is Alzheimer's?

Now that we've uncovered the difference between Alzheimer's and dementia, it helps to know more about this type of dementia and how it affects people. 

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that damages a person's brain over time, resulting in symptoms that develop over the course of several years. Like most types of dementia, it is a life-shortening condition, which means people with Alzheimer's tend to live a shorter lifespan.

The stages of Alzheimer's

There are three stages of this type of dementia: early, middle, and late. The middle stage is usually the point at which symptoms slowly progress from early to late, becoming more severe with time. Early-stage Alzheimer's presents with different symptoms from late-stage Alzheimer's.

The symptoms of early-stage Alzheimer's

The most common early-stage symptoms are related to memory problems. These can make a person with Alzheimer's more likely to:

• Forget or misremember recent conversations and events
• Forget appointments or specific dates for important events
• Become more disorganised and less able to manage life admin
• Become lost in a place that is familiar to them, or a journey they take regularly

If you have Alzheimer's, it becomes more challenging to form new memories, which worsens your short-term memory (meaning you can't remember things that might have only happened yesterday). This is because one of the first parts of the brain that becomes damaged by Alzheimer's is the hippocampus, which plays an important role in your memory.

Late-stage symptoms of Alzheimer's

The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease will get worse over time, which happens over the course of many years. As it progresses, the problems with memory, language, and perception, can become more severe, meaning you need plenty of support to manage symptoms and everyday activities.

If you know someone with late-stage Alzheimer's, you might find they:

• Have become highly agitated and restless
• Pace the room
• Call out or repeat the same questions and conversation more generally become agitated or restless
• Becoming increasingly confused towards the later afternoon, which is commonly known as 'sundowning'
• Behave angrily and appear aggressive
• Become extremely suspicious to the point of debilitating paranoia

In the later stages of Alzheimer's, the person might also forget to eat and drink, which can lead to extreme weight loss. By this stage, they might be supported by an around-the-clock carer who ensures they maintain a healthy, balanced diet and eat and drink as much as possible to prevent nutrition deficiency and weight loss. People with Alzheimer's can also experience distinctive changes in their sleeping habits, for example sleeping for the duration of the day.

Treatment and support for Alzheimer's

Sadly, there is no current cure Alzheimer's disease, but there are several treatment options, such as medicine, that can help.

Medication for Alzheimer's

There are many types of medication available to help manage symptoms. The main medicines are Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors, which increase levels of acetylcholine, a substance in your brain that helps your nerve cells function properly. These inhibitors are donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine, which can be continued in the more severe stages of the disease after it has progressed.

There's no difference in how well each of the three different AChE inhibitors works, but some people have better reactions to one than the other. For example, some people experience negative side effects, such as sickness and nausea, with one inhibitor but not another.

Medication for the mind

In the later stages of dementia, many people develop behavioural problems, such as severe agitation and aggression, which can make them lash out at people caring for them, or their loved ones. There are many ways this can be managed, one of which is medication, such as risperidone or haloperidol, which are types of antipsychotic medicine for people struggling with severe behavioural problems.

Specialist therapy

Medication is one part of a bigger treatment plan. Other treatment includes specialist therapy for both the person with Alzheimer's and their loved ones. This offers a safe space to manage the emotional toll the disease can have on people's lives. Therapy techniques include cognitive stimulation therapy, which involves group activities and exercises designed to improve memory and problem-solving skills.

Reminiscence and life story work involves talking about events from your past. It can include the use of memory-probing props such as photos, favourite items, journal entries, or music.

Joining a support group

There are many support groups for people and loved ones with Alzheimer's and other kinds of dementia. Members of the group often share similar experiences, providing a sense of shared experience and understanding.

It's a safe space to express feelings, frustrations, and fears without judgment.

Use this guide by Alzheimer's UK to find your local support group.

Get a private diagnosis

If you suspect you might be struggling with early-stage dementia, or you know someone who is, you can book a private diagnosis and assessment for dementia with one of our dedicated specialists.

Book an appointment or speak with one of our advisors today.