👉👉👉 Early Signs Of Dementia ? 🧠 Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease

🧠 Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease -

• Dementia is a general term for a decline in memory, thinking, and daily function that interferes with life. It has many possible causes (e.g., Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia).

• Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for about 60–80% of cases.

🔎 Early Signs of Dementia (Common to Many Types) -

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life (forgetting recent events, asking the same questions repeatedly).

2. Difficulty planning or solving problems (struggling with numbers, following recipes, or managing bills).

3. Trouble completing familiar tasks (getting lost in familiar places, difficulty using appliances).

4. Confusion with time or place (not knowing the day, season, or where they are).

5. Problems understanding visual images and spatial relationships (difficulty reading, judging distance).

6. Language difficulties (trouble finding words, repeating phrases).

7. Poor judgment (unsafe financial decisions, neglecting hygiene).

8. Withdrawal from work or social activities.

9. Changes in mood or personality (suspicion, anxiety, depression).

🔎 Early Signs Specific to Alzheimer’s Disease -

While Alzheimer’s shares most of the above dementia signs, there are distinct early features :

1. Progressive memory decline – especially forgetting newly learned information.

2. Olfactory dysfunction (loss of smell) – often appears before memory problems, as the olfactory bulb and hippocampus are among the first regions affected.

3. Difficulty learning new information – more pronounced than in other dementias.

4. Disorientation – getting lost in familiar environments.

5. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage may precede full Alzheimer’s dementia.

📖 Reference :

• Alzheimer’s Association. 10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Link - https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs

• Devanand, D. P. et al. (2010). Olfactory deficits predict cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease in an urban community. PubMed - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20819976/

✅ In summary :

• Dementia is the broad syndrome.

• Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause, with hallmark early signs of progressive memory loss and smell dysfunction.