With so many myths about mental illnesses being spread today, one area of uncertainty lies in the differences between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is defined as “a form of degenerative brain disease resulting in progressive mental deterioration with disorientation, memory disturbance and confusion.” Some definitions of Alzheimer’s disease even include the word dementia, so it is easy to see why a distinction between the two is not always made.

Dementia is defined as a “progressive brain dysfunction that eventually leads to the restriction of daily activities.” Symptoms of this condition include loss of memory, changes in behavior and other skill and orientation problems. Sounds like Alzheimer’s disease, some might say. So what are the differences between the two conditions?

First of all, dementia can develop in a person for a number of reasons. Forms of infection, strokes, head injuries, abuse of drugs and nutritional deficiencies can cause dementia. In addition to those, other medical diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Pick’s disease, brain tumors and even some cases of HIV or syphilis, can lead to dementia. Some diseases that cause dementia are curable, and some symptoms of dementia are least partially reversible with proper treatment.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. Studies showed that in nearly 70% of people who suffered from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease was the cause. In this disease, abnormal protein deposits in the brain destroy cells in other important areas that control memory and mental functions. People with Alzheimer’s disease also have lost some levels of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which further affects the thinking process. This disease causes not only dementia but also a gradual intellectual deterioration and is not reversible. Despite some foolish claims to the contrary, no cure exists for Alzheimer’s disease.

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