Around 50 million people suffer from dementia worldwide, with 10 million new cases popping up each year.
Out of all the different types of dementia, Alzheimer’s is the most common, with 60 to 70 percent of dementia patients suffering from Alzheimer’s. But, what about the other types of dementia?
From Parkinson’s dementia to Alzheimer’s dementia, there are a lot of different types of dementia out there that you may not know about.
Check out this guide to learn all about the different types of dementia.
What is Dementia?
Before we talk about the different types of dementia, we first need to answer the question, “What is dementia?”
Dementia is an umbrella term that’s used to describe changes in the brain that result in memory loss. In most people, dementia causes behavioral and personality changes, and it often affects people’s ability to perform day to day tasks.
In addition to affecting your memory, it also affects your language skills and decision-making skills. For the most part, dementia is the result of a disease that can’t be reversed.
Sometimes, alcohol and drug use can cause dementia, and in these cases, dementia can be reversed.
Types of Dementia
Now that you have an introduction to what dementia is, let’s talk about the different types of dementia. Here’s what to know about thee 10 types of dementia:
Alzheimer’s Disease
As we mentioned earlier, Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia, affecting up to 70 percent of patients.
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by death in the brain cells, and as more brain cells continue to die, patients experience confusion and mood swings. Patients also tend to have trouble walking and speaking.
Early signs of Alzheimer’s include forgetting names and events and depression. This type of dementia is much more likely to affect older adults.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia. It’s caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain.
Vascular dementia can be related to a stroke or atherosclerotic disease, and it tends to happen as you age. Symptoms can appear suddenly or slowly, depending on the cause of the disease.
Common early signs include disorientation and confusion. As the disease progresses, people have trouble concentrating and completing tasks.
Lewy Body Dementia
This type of dementia is caused by protein deposits in the nerve cells. These deposits interrupt the chemical messages in the brain and cause disorientation and memory loss.
People with Lewy body dementia also experience visual hallucinations and tend to have trouble sleeping. It’s also common for patients to experience fainting spells or to become suddenly disoriented.
Many people with this type of dementia also have trouble walking, feel weak, and develop trembling hands.
Parkinson’s Dementia
Many people with advanced Parkinson’s disease will also develop dementia.
Early signs of Parkinson’s dementia include trouble with reasoning and judgment. Confusing hallucinations are also a symptom of this type of dementia.
Parkinson’s dementia can also cause a person to become extremely irritable, and many people become depressed and paranoid as the disease progresses.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, commonly referred to as CJD, is one of the rarest forms of dementia.
In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, only 1 in 1 million people are diagnosed with this type of dementia each year. Symptoms of CJD are similar to other types of dementia, with some people experiencing agitation and others experiencing depression.
Memory loss and confusion are also common, and CJD can also affect the body. Muscle stiffness and twitching are common symptoms.
Frontotemporal Dementia
This is actually an umbrella term that’s used to describe several different types of dementia. All of these types have one thing in common: they affect the front part and sides of the brain.
These are the areas of the brain that control language and behavior. Frontotemporal dementia is also commonly referred to as Pick’s disease.
Although scientists don’t know what causes this type of dementia, it runs in families and is common in people with certain gene mutations.
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
This is a type of brain disorder that’s caused by a severe deficiency in vitamin B-1. It causes bleeding in the lower sections of the brain, which can lead to physical symptoms such as a lack of muscle coordination and double vision.
Wernicke disease describes the physical part of this syndrome, and at some point, the physical symptoms start to disappear and the signs of Korsakoff syndrome begin to emerge.
Korsakoff syndrome is a memory disorder that’s caused by Wernicke’s disease. People with this syndrome have trouble learning new skills, processing information, and remembering things.
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
This is a condition in which a person builds up excess fluid in the ventricles of their brain. Due to fluid build-up, there’s extra pressure on the brain that can cause damage and lead to symptoms of dementia.
NPH can be caused by:
- Infection
- Injury
- Bleeding
- Brain tumors
- Previous brain surgeries
Symptoms of this type of dementia include:
- Forgetfulness
- Mood swings
- Poor balance
- Frequent falls
- Depression
- Loss of bladder control
This is actually one of the only types of dementia that can be cured by surgery.
Huntington’s Disease
This is a genetic condition that can lead to dementia. There are two types of Huntington’s disease: adult-onset and juvenile.
Huntington’s disease is caused by a premature breakdown in the brain’s nerve cells. This can lead to dementia as well as impaired movement. People with Huntington’s tend to have difficulty walking and swallowing, and display impaired movements such as jerking.
The dementia symptoms of the disease include:
- Impulse control issues
- Difficulty focusing
- Trouble speaking clearly
- Trouble learning new things
Mixed Dementia
Lastly, there’s mixed dementia. This refers to a situation in which someone is suffering from more than one type of dementia.
It’s very common, with as many as 45 percent of dementia patients suffering from mixed dementia. The symptoms of mixed dementia depend on the different types of dementia one is suffering from.
Parkinson’s Dementia and More: The Different Types of Dementia
From Parkinson’s dementia to Alzheimer’s disease, you can now see that there are a lot of different types of dementia out there.
If you have a loved one with dementia who is in need of care, contact us today. We’re a home care company that can provide around the clock care for your loved one.
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