Dementia is marked by loss of memory, impaired cognitive abilities, and behavioral and mood changes that interfere with a person’s daily life. Dementia also refers to a progressive worsening of these symptoms and is not usually signified by a sudden onset of problems. There are many causes of dementia. A doctor determines the specific cause, after a series of neurological, psychological, and laboratory tests.

Alzheimer’s disease is the number one cause of dementia, representing 50-60% of all cases. In the majority of cases, Alzheimer’s disease appears over the age of 65, though doctors usually include Alzheimer’s in their lists of possible causes of dementia after the age of 40. Although Alzheimer’s disease cannot be confirmed until after death, with an examination of brain tissue, doctors can diagnose the illness in a patient with 90% accuracy.

The second most likely cause of dementia is known as vascular dementia. Vascular dementia, which accounts for approximately 20% of dementia cases, occurs when a patient has suffered a series of mini-strokes. The strokes usually are not detected at the time, but each stroke does damages brain cells. Eventually, the damage will accumulate, and a patient will begin to show symptoms of dementia. Vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease sometimes come in tandem.

Dementia with Lewy bodies ties for the second most likely cause with vascular dementia, representing another 20% of dementia cases. Like Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies cannot be confirmed until after death. The term Lewy bodies refers to abnormal concentrations of protein in brain nerve tissue. A patient with dementia with Lewy bodies usually shows a loss of the ability to concentrate, language issues, an inability to judge distances or problem solve, and occasionally they will experience visual hallucinations. Patients with Lewy bodies often develop Parkinson’s disease in addition to their dementia.

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