Dementia can be due to a number of different factors or causes. Many people fear they have dementia if they become forgetful or think their memory is getting worse, but this could be due to a number of other factors. It is important to get a
correct diagnosis of what is causing the dementia as the progression of the disease and treatment will vary. If you are concerned about yourself, or someone you are close to, always discuss your concerns with your GP.
Alzheimer's Disease
The most well know and commonest type of dementia is Alzheimer's Disease. Alzheimer's is characterised by a slow and gradual loss of memory and skills, often combined with difficulty in remembering the right words in conversation. People with Alzheimer's gradually lose the ability to cook or care for themselves and may become lost in familiar surroundings, forget the names of family and friends and may eventually fail to recognise others.
Vascular Dementia
Vascular Dementia is caused by mini-strokes, where blockage of small blood vessels leads to the death of some brain cells. The signes of the illness depend on which brain cells are affected, but often the confusion is much worse at night or if the patient is physically unwell. The illness gets worse in a stepwise manner, with sudden deterioration occuring, followed by stable periods of varying duration.
Lewy Body Dementia
This is related to Parkinson's disease although the exact cause is unknown. The confusion is very variable and hallucinations and falls are common.
There are many rarer dementias and the three main types of dementia may occur together. It is important to recognise the cause since some dementias are rare but reversible where treatment may be possible to stop or even reverse the process. These include dementias due to severe thyroid disease, severe anaemia, severe depression and brain tumours.
