Dementia vs alzheimer

Many times we hear people say, ‘Dementia is just Alzheimer’s disease,’ but in reality, those who have ‘dementia’ do not always have or must have ‘Alzheimer’s disease’ because dementia has many types with different causes and symptoms.
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<h2>How are dementia and Alzheimer’s disease different?</h2>
The terms ‘dementia’ and ‘Alzheimer’s disease’ are different because dementia refers to a group of abnormal symptoms caused by brain degeneration, which can result from various factors. Alzheimer’s dementia is the most common type of dementia, which leads the general public to think that having dementia means having Alzheimer’s disease.
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<h2>Symptoms and types of dementia</h2>
We can classify the symptoms and types of dementia into the following diseases:
<ul>
<li>Dementia from Alzheimer’s disease 
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and is related to aging, so it is mostly found in elderly people aged 60 and above. However, nowadays, more patients under 60 years old are being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s dementia affects memory, thinking, decision-making, speech, and communication, which leads to behavioral problems. Therefore, patients often present with symptoms such as forgetfulness, inability to perform tasks they used to do, such as getting lost on familiar routes, not being able to find their way home, or being unable to work as before, especially tasks requiring thinking and precision. They may forget the names of close people, past events, or only parts of them. Besides forgetfulness, patients may have emotional problems such as irritability and depression.</li>
</ul>
If asked who is at risk of Alzheimer’s, it must be said that since the exact factors causing the disease are unknown, a definite risk group cannot be identified. However, some factors may be linked to unhealthy lifestyles, such as insufficient sleep, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Regarding genetics, it is related to younger Alzheimer’s patients.
Is there a way to prevent Alzheimer’s? The answer is no, but one thing doctors always recommend to reduce risk is exercise. Appropriate exercise is good for health. The principle for beneficial exercise is to do it continuously for 30 minutes at least every other day.
<ul>
<li>Dementia from Parkinson’s disease (Parkinson disease) 
It is brain degeneration related to movement control. We see Parkinson’s patients having walking problems, hand tremors, and as degeneration progresses, it also affects memory.</li>
<li>Dementia from vascular causes (Vascular Dementia) 
Caused by patients having narrowed or ruptured brain blood vessels, leading to brain damage or partial brain death, which results in dementia.</li>
<li>Dementia from other factors 
Such as genetic factors, exposure to certain chemicals, or encephalitis.</li>
</ul>
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<h2>Dementia diagnosis</h2>
Dementia diagnosis is done using several methods, including:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400">History taking and physical examination by a neurologist</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Assessment by a psychologist</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Additional laboratory tests related to the brain, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Blood tests to detect abnormalities in diseases that cause memory problems, such as thyroid hormone tests, anemia tests, and syphilis tests</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400">Tests for other diseases that may not be the main cause but are contributing factors, such as diabetes and blood lipid levels 
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</ul>
After thorough examination, the doctor will diagnose the type of dementia the patient has to plan appropriate treatment. The main reason for identifying the type of dementia is that treatment approaches differ depending on the cause.
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<h2>Treatment of Alzheimer’s dementia</h2>
Currently, treatment for dementia involves medication. Doctors always inform patients and their families that there is no medication that can cure dementia, especially Alzheimer’s dementia. However, medication can slow the progression of the disease, thus slowing brain degeneration. Therefore, early detection of dementia leads to better treatment outcomes and greater slowing of degeneration.
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<h2>Comprehensive holistic care for dementia</h2>
Dementia care is holistic, involving a multidisciplinary medical team. Thus, each examination and treatment session not only involves neurologists but also psychiatrists who manage emotional conditions. Additionally, every six months, psychological assessments are conducted. Phyathai 3 Hospital also prepares patients to practice brain exercises with physical therapists to care for and rehabilitate the brain alongside treatment.
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<h2>Treatment of Alzheimer’s dementia patients with emphasis on caregivers</h2>
We must accept the reality that caregivers play a very important role in dementia treatment. Even though patients in early to moderate stages may not rely heavily on caregivers, as the disease progresses, patients will depend more on relatives or caregivers. Moreover, the patient’s emotional state affects the caregiver. Therefore, every time the patient receives treatment, doctors always discuss with the caregivers as well.
 
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In caring for dementia patients, besides medication and brain exercises, encouraging social interaction is beneficial. It is believed that even in healthy individuals, socializing helps slow brain degeneration. For dementia patients, social interaction and engagement with others help slow brain degeneration and bring happiness to the patients.

Dementia can be caused by various factors. For example, Alzheimer's disease dementia is the most common and is characterized by memory loss and impaired communication. Parkinson's disease dementia presents with symptoms such as tremors and muscle spasms.

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Dementia is not the same as Alzheimer's disease alone.

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