What Are the Types of Dementia?

Do you have a loved one struggling with memory loss? Alzheimer’s disease probably springs to your mind first, but there are many different types of dementia. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common types of dementia.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, and it’s responsible for about 60% to 80% of all cases of dementia. The hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is brain cell death.

Early symptoms include forgetting recent events or names. Then, the disease progresses to mood changes and confusion, followed by difficulty speaking or walking. Alzheimer’s is most common in older adults, with only 5% of cases happening in people in their 40s or 50s.

Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia is caused by a lack of proper blood flow to the brain and is the second-most common cause of dementia. Symptoms may start quickly or slowly and include disorientation and confusion, progressing to trouble concentrating or completing tasks.

Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy body dementia is the result of protein deposits in nerve cells, which interrupts chemical messages in the brain. This can cause disorientation and memory loss as well as visual hallucinations, difficulty falling asleep, and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s Disease

People with advanced Parkinson’s disease frequently develop dementia. Symptoms may include problems with judgment and reasoning, difficulty understanding visual information, and hallucinations.

Pick’s Disease (Frontotemporal Dementia)

Frontotemporal dementia describes several different kinds of dementia that affect the same areas of the brain. The side and front parts of the brain control behavior and language. Symptoms of Pick’s disease include loss of motivation, compulsive behavior, and speech problems.

Mixed Dementia

Up to 45% of people with dementia have both Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. The combination of both disorders, referred to as mixed dementia, may have a more significant impact on the brain than either disease individually.

Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s disease is a genetic condition that causes dementia. There is a rarer juvenile form of the disease where symptoms start in childhood or adolescence, but adult onset symptoms usually start when a person is in their 30s or 40s. Symptoms include trouble focusing on tasks, difficulty speaking clearly, trouble learning new things, and difficulty with walking or swallowing.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a very rare type of dementia, affecting only one in one million people. CJD progresses rapidly, with people typically passing away within one year of diagnosis. Symptoms may include agitation, confusion, memory loss, muscle stiffness, and twitching.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) causes a person to build up excess fluid in the brain’s ventricles (fluid-filled spaces that cushion the spinal cord and brain). Symptoms may include forgetfulness, depression, frequent falls, and loss of bowel or bladder control.

Need Help Finding a Memory Care Facility for Your Loved One?

Regardless of what type of dementia your loved one is struggling with, trying to keep them home can eventually become dangerous. If you need help finding a memory care facility for your loved one, contact Senior Living Specialists to help you through the process.