Memory Loss in Alzheimer's, Dementia & Normal Aging

When first entering the caregiving world of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, many people are rightfully confused. How can this be happening to someone so intelligent, active, healthy, caring? One doctor says 'dementia' and another says 'probable' Alzheimer's. How can it be 'probable', isn't it one way or the other? What is 'normal' memory loss with aging, anyway? Who wants to face any of this? Jump into the river of denial, maybe it'll all just go away. This posting is meant to give a straightforward, easy to understand explanation of the most common differences of memory loss. It should not be used as a substitute for professional advice, and any liability arising directly or indirectly from its use is, hereby, disclaimed.

DEMENTIA is an impairment of brain functions like memory, reasoning, judgment, difficulty with words, getting lost in familiar places and not knowing how one got there. It may cause difficulty with organizing a task, balancing checkbooks, handling money, shopping; and create depression, irritability, behavior and personality changes. Dementia has dozens of causes: a blow to the head, alcoholism, allergies, vascular disorders, brain diseases such as Huntington's or Alzheimer's, HIV/AIDS and other health conditions. Nearly 70% of all dementia is from Alzheimer's disease and is not reversible. Other dementias are sometimes reversible with treatment, and the success of reversibility depends on how soon the underlying cause is determined. Think of dementia like a fever, it is a symptom, not a disease in itself. Is it from a sore throat, a flu, or an infected toe? It is important to find the cause and treat that. Dementia usually progresses slowly and can be easily dismissed as normal aging or go unnoticed by family and friends for many years. Regardless of the cause, dementia means that someone is not of sound mind.

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE is a progressive brain condition that messes with normal messages in the brain as cells die off. It always gets worse over time. It involves losing memory, intelligence, judgment, language and common social skills. A disease of mental regression, it ultimately includes the loss of physical abilities as well. The brain also monitors our involuntary functions such as blinking, circulation, digestion, swallowing saliva, breathing, and heartbeat. Eventually, all this ceases to operate as well. It is the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Understand that all patients with Alzheimer's will have dementia, but not all people with dementia will have Alzheimer's. Yes, one can die from Alzheimer's, the average life span after diagnosis is about seven years, but because it moves so slowly and is often dismissed by family and friends as normal aging, the disease may be undiagnosed for many years, even decades. Although there are general commonalities, the presentation of symptoms and progression can vary greatly from patient to patient. Some people may function reasonably well until late in the disease while others may lose their abilities early on. It is generally accepted that when you've seen one patient with Alzheimer's disease, you've seen ONE patient with Alzheimer's disease.

There are two basic TYPES OF ALZHEIMER'S: (1) SPORADIC appears with no known cause, although a recessive gene may well be a culprit, and affects maybe 85% of those afflicted; and (2) FAMILIAL in which genetics appears to have a role. Even a blood test to identify suspected genes will not determine 100% who will get the disease. Having such a test will be a permanent part of medical records and may have a negative impact on getting health insurance and in career and relationship choices. There are medications coming on the market all the time that may help slow the progress for some patients, but there is no cure or prevention. It usually begins with changes in recent memory. For some time, the person will remember even small details of the distant past, and this confuses everyone. But over time, and it can be months or decades, the disease affects all memory.

'PROBABLE' ALZHEIMER'S is a common diagnosis. Although many advances have been made in diagnosing Alzheimer's, it is still only positively known through a brain biopsy at autopsy. Otherwise, it is determined by eliminating anything else that may be causing the symptoms and can be 80% to 90% accurate. But because it is not 100%, the diagnosis is often 'probable' Alzheimer's.

MEMORY LOSS WITH AGING begins in the 20's, and is rarely noticed. Brain cells are lost a few at a time and the body starts to make less of the chemicals brain cells need to work. Information is stored in different parts of the memory for short-term, remote, and recent memories. Short-term and remote childhood memories aren't usually affected by aging. However, recently stored memory may be affected, forgetting the name of someone just met, for instance, is a normal aging change, not a sign of disease. When a word cannot be recalled, it's just a 'hiccup' in the memory. In time, it will almost always be remembered. It may become frustrating and more common with age, but it is not usually serious. Such normal memory loss with aging may increase somewhat, but it doesn't usually get much worse over time. If there is concern, a doctor should be able to determine if it's normal aging or if it may be caused by medications or depression.

MEMORY LOSS THAT IS NOT A PART OF NORMAL AGING may be trouble learning new things, forgetting how to do things done many times before, repeating phrases or stories in the same conversation, problems handling money, not being able to keep track of daily happenings. It's best to see a doctor as soon as possible. The sooner treatment is begun; the better things are likely to be.

FORGETTING THINGS THAT ARE NOT THE BEGINNING OF ALZHEIMER'S frightens people needlessly. Everyone forgets something sometimes. Walking into a room and forgetting why you came in is normal, not a sign of Alzheimer's; losing your car at the mall is normal, not a sign of Alzheimer's; forgetting an appointment is normal, not a sign of Alzheimer's. We seem to forget, but really, we are just distracted. If you later remember why you came into a room, when you find your car, when you make a new appointment--you have NOT forgotten.

* Home * What you Need to Know * Words to Live By * Author's Notes*

* Endorsements * Foreword * Table of Contents * Sample Book Pages *

* Statistics * Stages of Alzheimer's * Save the Caregiver *

* Memory Loss in Alzheimer's, Dementia, & Normal Aging *

* Driving * Delusions & Hallucinations *

* I Have Alzheimer's * Remarks & Reviews *

* You're in Good Company * Where to Buy the Books *

* And God Laughs *