What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?

Dementia is not a disease itself, but a word used to describe a set of symptoms. Dementia is caused by diseases that affect the brain, and the symptoms of dementia can vary a great deal. They can include problems with memory, decision-making, communication, confusion, changes in mood and behaviour, and hallucinations.

Dementia can be caused by a number of different diseases, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common. Other causes of dementia include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. In some cases, a person’s dementia is caused by more than one disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. This is often called mixed dementia. You can contact us or speak with your doctor for more information about the different causes of dementia, or read more here.