Types of Dementia - Part One
Hello again — I hope your weekend was great! It is getting more and more like the end of fall here in Ohio, but I feel certain that we still have some good Indian Summer days ahead. I sure do hope so. I’m not quite ready for the snow to fall just yet.
Let’s continue our discussion of Alzheimer’s Disease with a look at the different types of dementia. I will cover just a few of them today, and continue this subject with subsequent articles.
If you have any questions, just leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them. Please remember, I’m just writing from my own research. I’m not an expert — just someone who has a desire to learn as much as possible about this disease.
Okay, here’s today’s offering …
Types of Dementia
There are many different forms of dementia and each has its own causes. Alzheimer’s Disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between 50% and 70% of all dementias.
The effects of the different types of dementia are similar, but not identical, as each one tends to affect different parts of the brain.
Here are the most common forms of dementia :
Ø AIDS related dementia
Ø Alcohol related dementia
Ø Alzheimer’s disease, has two forms :
o Familial Alzheimer’s Disease (FAD), also known as Early Onset Alzheimer’s or Younger Onset Alzheimer’s. See section 5.1.1.1 below.
o Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease, also known as Late Onset Alzheimer’s. See section 5.1.1.2 below.
Ø Dementia with Lewy bodies: Another common form of dementia, sharing many similarities with Alzheimer’s disease.
Ø Down syndrome: Research has established a link between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease.
Ø Frontal lobe dementia, including Pick’s disease.
Ø Vascular Dementia: The second most common cause of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease.
Some of these other types are discussed further below.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular Dementia is the second most common cause of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease. Previously, this form of dementia was known as multiinfarct dementia.
Vascular Dementia is associated with problems in the circulation of blood to the brain causing a deterioration of mental abilities as a result of multiple strokes, or infarcts, in the brain.
A stroke refers to the death of a piece of brain tissue because the blood vessels which supply it are blocked or interrupted.
These strokes may cause damage to specific areas of the brain responsible for speech or language as well as producing generalized symptoms of dementia.
Therefore Vascular Dementia may produce similar symptoms to Alzheimer’s Disease. A mixture of Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia is a common cause of dementia, and it can sometimes be difficult to separate the two.
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system, characterized by:
Ø Tremors
Ø Stiffness in limbs and joints
Ø Speech impediments
Ø Difficulty in initiating physical movements
Late in the course of the disease, some people may develop dementia. Drugs may improve the physical symptoms, but can have side effects which may include hallucinations, delusions, and a temporary worsening of confusion and abnormal movements.
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That’s it for today. I’ll pick this up again either tomorrow or the next day.
Have a great day and thanks for reading.
Shanti,
Ron Rink
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