10 Different Types of Dementia that Aren't Alzheimer's

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I appreciate the article--it is clear and I know helpful

Thank you for the above information. It was very helpful.

My mom (83) was just diagnosed with dementia. She had a right brain stroke. Curable?

What are the different types of dementia? Experts estimate that Alzheimer's disease is the underlying cause of -- of all cases. Above is a quote from this article which is highly inaccurate! There are many more types of progressive dementia that can NOT be reversed, in fact it is believed by some that there is actually more than one disease currently defined as Alzheimer's. The. There are at least 8 diseases lumped under FTD, all progressive with NO approved treatments. It is important to have a thorough diagnostic process by a doctor experienced with dementia but this article is misleading.

Which type of Dementia would affect a person who suffered a closed-head injury in late teens, with first diagnosis of dementia coming more than 20 years later (based on periodic MRI's, with areas of concern consistent with prior physical damage)? Are there other tests this 45 year-old should have?

thankyou

Diabetic since 1997 & memory is not as good as used to be! 64 this year. Hope memory doesn't get worse!!

I have dementia but I dont witch one it is.

Tell about sundowners. My mom has more of a problem at sun down. She's 90, diabetic all her life. Below 100# and eats only oatmeal.

My wife asks the same question over and over and she puts away keys and does not remember where they are. Many years ago she was in intensive care with high blood pressure, could this be related?

all of the information that was available.

My husband's PET scan revealed "Mild symmetric decreased activity involving the temporal lobes. The parietal, frontal, and occipital lobes are unremarkable in appearance" Impression: Mild symmetric diminished activity involving the temporal lobes consistent with early changes of Alzheimers". Is there temporal lobe (only) dementia? I can only find info on FTD. Are any specific kinds of dementia related to TBIs? My husband has a family history of Alz. but he additionally has suffered TBI's from high school football years ago and injuries while in the military.

If you have a problem from a neurologist and a diagnosis with dementia don't blame him. I had a diagnosis for Mild Cognitive impairment 3yrs and 6mths ago but he had't known me before this and what I was Like. He has no line to draw from. There is one thing we can all do though is talk to your senators Alzhemers needs more tools for diagnostic work and with out you report there never will be and early dementia like mine is slowly but surely taking me. Social Security will not help at all and this is even holding up my retirement. I was diagnoised feb. 22 2010 and still have no help with social security. I am a danger to even drive and they think I can still work and also dementia gets patients in different ways. So this is hard to understand when you are frustrated and everything just keeps on not doing things like you really need love, patience and understanding is the most important thing also with some freedom to make some of your small choices is very helpful.

Oops! CJD is not caused by viruses. It's caused by "prions." The word was derived from "protinacious infectious protein" by Dr Stanley Prusiner, neurologist at UCSF in the early '80's.

My mother is 84yrs old has dementia I believe w Lewy Bodies. I believe her onset was sometime in 2006. Did not know the signs then however when she would call she would say: "someone is making obsecene calls all the time" Her SO passed Nov 2006. She has a narcissitic (sp)personality as is. Oh I was not raised by her. Just intermitent phone, mail and occasional 5-7 day vacation visits -at first me to NY then after 1980 she traveled here to CA. The visits were never enjoyable all she did was complain about $ & what she does for us (my bro & I) which was a $50 b-day or Christmas card. Her job apt and furniture were always more important. Yet when there were phone talks all she ever did was state in a nasty tone even up until last year what a terrible dgtr I am I live like a hillbilly (I live in a small mountain comm) she hates Ca etc.... So 2yrs ago she asks if she can come live with me. I had just seen her in Oct of 2010 & had no idea how out there she was and of course denying everybit of her abnormal behavior & hallucinations. Had her evaluated by a neurologist (sp) report was early signs of Mild Cognitive Impairment. I returned to CA with her accusing me of taking all of her RX in which I had just refilled and left detailed instructions for the new PT caregiver. Well now she is pretty much in space unless she wants to get up & go & I mean go like there is not one thing wrong with her. She is more defiant when she is around me. There are 2 caregivers- one has 4 days (24hr shift) the other has 2 days (24hr shifts) who provide a comfortable living setting in my 1 bdrm apt downstairs in my home. I have her for 1 24 hr shift. she has a regiment of her meds. a pacemaker her BP is great yet she complains 1 day she cant do this or that & her speech is poor Then there are days when she is defiant and just is nasty, does not want to eat or sleep her response in a nasty tone: "dont tell me what to do" or "just leave me alone" which makes being around her difficult and unpleasant. In all that I have shared my biggest question is : "then what?" I have taken a few classes and gone to a few seminars very helpful too. Yet my perplexing thoughts - if the brain is not functioning why is the body still going? there is no quality of life. She does not know where she is or what day it is or much of anything for that matter. When she watches a movies she may retain some of what it is & about then when asked about the movie she says: " I did not go or watch a movie" sometimes within minutes of the event!!! What a horrible way to live. She still recognizes me. doesnt know who the care givers names are. Oh she has been back home since June 2013 She was in a facility for 4 1/2 mths I broke my leg in late Dec & could not care for her. The facility she was in is poorly run by the administrator she only cares about $$$ & not the well being of the resident. That in itself is another story. So how long does this go on?? another 5-10yrs?? no one knows for sure I suppose it is so stressful, cant take your eye off of her who knows what shell do like - put bread all over the conter, dress & undress & want to leave at 3AM, stuff the toilet w an abundance of tp, go in-n-out of her room &/or closet, wandered off 3-4x which she thought was funny. .............,. I will close now, thought I had some incling (sp) of how to deal with her & her illness, along with the reading I had done before she came to live w me, & boy I did not know what how or why or to do, act, feel, etc.... and now time just goes on without any answers for any sort of ending, Please dont take that as a negative. There is no life there coming from her, only frustration for all concerned so no quality of life either - So whats next, now what or ?

I am nurse by profession and presently working in a Nursing Home taking care of an elderly and majority of them are AD my pleasure to learn more so i kept reading articles regarding Dementia so that i could able to be more familiar ,equip with more knowlegde because by the time i enter on my profession i know i have a mission to care .

What is the final place u can put a dementra person that assaults people

nature of treatment for different types of dementia would help

My husband is 74 and is exhibiting some odd behavior, I'm worried it could be alzheimers. For example, today he asked me if I was going to put an ad in the lost pet's section on the computer. I asked him why, and he said, never mind, I thought one of our animals was gone, but I guess not. A few weeks ago, he asked me what I did with the keys, after we had returned from an event. I told him he had driven, not me, so I hadn't had the keys. Should I be concerned? I'm getting kind of worried about him. Thank you.

My mother has been having confusion, thoughts of flooding, being at a wedding in nursing home, seeing a fire, not there of course. At someone's house and today she said not to come there. Because she is at someone's house again, I read all type's of dementia I am a caregiver for my mom 12 years this past 6 month is the worst seeing her start this at this home and now long-term of course, is there a name for it??

Great info!!! EBG really cares

"new to the problem and have no suggestions" may be good manners, but it sounds a bit passive and uninvolved, to me. I look after a lady who has now forgotten much of her last ten years of life. And when I came in, (I am a longtime neighbor who assists, and I have some training in caregiving though I am not a nurse by profession) When I first came in on this situation, I asked the lady's son and daughter to "help me get to know Mary". They brought out photos, told some great stories, and the instruction proved not only helpful in my having background to better help with Mary's day to day care..it proved heartwarming and, forged a bond with her relatives. They knew that I was there, creating a feeling between us of trust and comfort -they knew I'd come by and look in regularly; I wasn't just there to heat up soup. I took the time to get to know her, dig in and learn about this grand lady, now 89, in the wintertime of her life. Her relatives and I exchanged email addresses and phone numbers, as well. You get what I am saying? This type of care, to be of any use, requires above all else - that you CARE. That word's meaning, in the broadest possible sense. As a result of my research, I now know Mary was a gifted artist in chalk and pastel, practiced Tai Chi, loved the music of Chet Baker, the poetry of Neruda...had a cat named ChooChoo-the thousand and one things that make a person a person, dementia or no! And that's the information we look for, that makes us, and the family, better carers!

I am new to this problem and have no suggestions

Put everything on the same Internet page so that it can be read faster and more efficiently. It is a time-wasting nuisance to have to load additional pages.

I was told several months ago that I have cerebrovascular insufficiency. It sounds a lot like some of the disorders listed in this article--which was great, by the way--and several symptoms have hugely shown up over the last couple of weeks. I think a visit with my neurologist is in order before February.

Since most of the described conditions have no cure, the particular form of dementia is not all that important to folks who are dealing with the effects of it, either the demented or loved ones trying to help them.

Perhaps the listing of particular (10?) larger U S cities where experts and scientists are working on dementia and Alzheimer's disease might be helpful for local resouces to individals who may not be able to travel to distant areas.

very informative

My mother suffered from dementia that followed multiple small strokes. What type it is really doesn't matter much when they are trying to eat their paper napkin for dessert.

Two significant corrections must be made to the paragraph about CJD. 1) CJD is NOT caused by a virus. It is caused by an abnormally folded protein called a prion. 2) Most cases of CJD are NOT the human form of mad cow disease (a.k.a. bovine spongiform encephalopathy and variant CJD (vCJD)). Both diseases are prion diseases, but the overwhleming majority of CJD is NOT the human version of mad cow.

My father, 92 and in good health, is only on blood pressure med.since we think he had a TIF a few yrs. ago.He fell out of bed, cut his head, but never lost consciousness or felt dizzy, etc. About 10 days later, he started to hallucinate. He saw silly faces on the ceiling, water on the table, etc. When we couldn't reach his dr. and they continued, we took him to the hosp. All of their tests were "normal", (and he was still hallucinating) they okayed him to go home. We told him his mind was playing tricks on him, and he was not upset or concerned. His b/p has been high for several weeks, and we are trying to control it with meds. This has happened twice. Could the high b/p be causing this?

A friend of mine is suffering from AIDS dementia. Is this type related to the actual disease or the prolonged use of medications? Does anyone have any information?

As a gerontological nurse practitioner who works with dementia every working day, I still found the article interesting and informative. I would have liked to have seen a bit more in the way of comparison, but the article is nonetheless of clear value to those who have minimal knowledge of dementia.

I NEED HELP! MY MOM NEEDS THE BEST I CAN DO FOR HER! LOOKING FORWARD TO LEARNING AND GIVING ADVICE!

Alzheimer's runs in my Dad's family. We have been lucky, at 92 yrs. old, he has not had it. Although he is "forgetful" at times, he's holding his own and is not on any meds. 10 days ago, he fell out of bed and cut his head. Bled a lot. No loss of consciousness, dizziness or lack of focusing. This week, shows drastic signs of dementia. Sees water, objects, etc. Also talks in his sleep. Hosp. tests all negative (CAT scan of brain, xrays). Dr. says may be delayed reaction to fall....wait and see. Any comments? Thanks.

Learning of causes for dementia besides Alzheimer's.

My 72 year old mother went to a nursing home for rehab after knee surgery. My mother was fine before the surgery. Yes, she did sometimes get her kids names mixed up but, thats it. She became hostile and delusional. I thought she was gone forever. They said it was a kidney infection? After antibiotics she was fine and still is months later. I have never heard of any thing like that. Have you?

I READ NOTHING ON OXYGEN THERAPY,I NEED MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AS WELL AS PERSONAL CARE AND OR ELDER ABUSE...

I NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOT DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMERS DISEASE.

They forgot to mention dementia related to cortial MS. My wife has never had problem walking but her brain is mush. Could not even spell her name if you asked her.

I am an old man and i always fear getting some type of Dementia. I retired at 74 yrs of age from a sales position because i started to have short term memory loss(10 minutes) of my customer,s last name, of whom, i just met.

Creutzfeld-Jakob is NOT caused by a virus. It is caused by a prion, which is a misfolded protein. Also, it is not "called" mad cow disease. It is SIMILAR to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow) because both are prion diseases. Also, in some cases, CJD has been found to be caused by exposure to BSE-positive animal tissue. In other cases, it occurs naturally (perhaps due to genetics).

Creutzfeldt-Jacob Dementia is not caused by viruses. look up prions -- these are proteins in a specific useless shape that catalyze useful proteins into the same shape, and that's how they do their damage.

we were told my mother law has dementiawe had toputher in a nursing home for the proper careshe needs we vist her everyday wehave good days with her and bad days .we havenotice aher eyes look glasses and sometime a far away look isthis part of her disease

Yes, very helpful.

My husband is getting more forgetful, spends a lot of time alone editing his photographs on the computer, and now has started making nonsense noises a lot of the time, like "budja, budja,budja" and other sounds like that. He also speaks perfectly normally. He has had lots of chemo (last in 2004) and also heart failure and ran a very low blood pressure for a year or so. I am getting worried about dementia...he is quite defensive about the memory issue.

i'm in the nursing fielf- and also work with patients that has alzheimers,would like more information. thank you!

Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with a B12 deficiency. The doctor I had had done a study on this issue. Although I was young to have this deficiency, I was told that if I didn't take a B12 sublingual under my tongue everday, I would have dementia by the time I was 50. I did not see this in your article, but I know people under 50 that also have this deficiency.

Thank you for this article. My Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but he never lost his short term memory. In fact, once he was in the home, and eating 3 healthy meals plus snacks every day, he improved drastically. He could tell me about every patient in the facility, and we talked by phone at least once a week when I was at home, several thousand miles away. He could always bring up our conversation from the previous weeks, and asked about his youngest granddaughter in every conversation. He would remember what she had learned in preschool, if she had been sick, etc. Your diagnosis #1 seems a more accurate portrayal of his issues. He did not die from Alzheimer's, but fell, and died of a severe head injury. On another diagnosis, my father-in-law had classic Parkinson's Disease, with dementia. He passed away in an ER, with a verified UTI, and sepsis. My spouse, now in his 60's, has bouts of memory loss, but fights to regain those losses. Diagnosis #5 seems a good description of where he is, presently. His personality changes have been the most difficult, and is causing him issues in many areas of his life. Your article helps me look ahead, and see what we can do to help delay the process. Thank you so much!

all the symptons listed. just knowing the signs ,is very helpful.

Also, untreated late-term Lyme Disease can cause many of the symptoms associated with old age and dementia.

My mother was diagnosed with Dementia secondary to alcoholism. One of the types refers to alcoholics. Is the diagnosis given to my mother (deceased) at the age of about 68 one with validity? She was definitely an alcoholic and definitely had dementia. Some characteristics of her dementia were similar to Alzheimers and some were not. For example, he short-term memory was not necessarily a big problem and she never reverted to talking about her childhood as if it was the present. She stopped talking all together about 7 years before she died, didn't appear to recognize her family and slowly lost all of her physical functioning until she died. Anyone have thoughts about this?

During the time immediately after the passing of her husband from brain cancer, my Mother-In-Law, had some fainting episodes. We had to get her to the hospital twice and the second time we had a psychological exam. The report was she did not have Alzheimer's, but some form of dementia. They could not specify which one. Both husband and wife were regulars for all vaccinations, and it is that which I believe is the cause both of his brain cancer and her dementia. All injectible vaccines contain thimerasol, which contains mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal which like lead never leaves the body, and tends to collect in the brain. They got these vaccinations over twenty years, so imagine how much mercury collected. I implore those whose loved ones are getting vaccinations, to cease that activity and instead take vitamin D3 during flu seasons, and the best source of D3 is raw milk. I drink two cups of raw milk every day and I never get sick period. If God made it eat it, if man made it toss it. Say no to factory foods.

LTC is probably inevitiable for me. At 66 YOA, I experience feelings of dementia when it comes to doing daily tasks that are a part of a daily routine. Unless I can get documented for clearance of bariactic surgery, I don't stand much of a chance to be personally mobile. My feet, legs, thighs, calves and hips and BACK is thoroughly enflamed by arthirities. At age of 66, I am limited to what moments I can make. Thus far, anti-steriodial meds allow me to live a normal life, no matter what it does to my stomach lining. What choices do I have to live a para-normal life with the ability to take care of my own body, thus able to live a free and good life beyond 70 years of age.

Hi sandyinco, I'm so sorry to hear about your situation, that sounds very difficult. If you'd like, you can post a question to our Ask & Answer section, here: ( http://www.caring.com/ask ). Take care -- Emily | Community Manager

I am only a part time caregiver for my husband. He lives in a healthcare facility. The hospital he was in where he was diagnosed put him there. He is in a locked unit with severe Alzheimer's residents. He is not as bad as them. I do not feel he should be with them, but the doctor refuses to move him out. What can I do?? He wants to come home, but I go to school and I don't think he can be left alone all the time. HELP!!!

Hello usmca1, Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease. There are medications and treatments that can, in some cases, help slow the progression but nothing that will completely cure the disease. If you would like to learn about Alzheimer's treatment options, please visit our topic center on Alzheimer's treatment, here: ( http://www.caring.com/alzheimers-treatment ). I hope that helps. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager

let me know if dementia can be cure! Can one take medicine & stop once they are better?

Hi merrry, Thank you for your comment. You may find this article about diagnosing Alzheimer's disease may be useful, (http://www.caring.com/articles/alzheimers-diagnosis). I hope that helps. Good luck! -- Emily | Community Manager

Iam so grateful to see such detailed information on memory issues. This is a godsend! Thanks for posting all of this. I'm tired of people just saying... oh, don't worry! EVERYONE forgets stuff! That is not helpful when you are looking for reasons and things you can do to keep what you DO have!

It was very helpful! But am not sure what kind of doctor to see? I took my mother to a neurologist but was unhappy with his quick exam. Said she was normal! But did nothing but make her take a few step's and said the tremor's she had in one hand was normal! But now she shakes in both hand's and cannot remember how to get her messages from her cell phone no matter how many time we have shown her! she repeats thing's and has trouble remembering what she did yesterday.what kind of doctor should we see next?

I think there may be a typo in the 'What are the different types of dementia?' paragraph: Experts don't estimate that Alzheimer's disease is the cause of all dementia - the figure normally reported is about 70%. Otherwise, a great article - many people don't realise there are more causes of dementia than Alzheimer's so well worthwhile

Great information! Thanks for posting.

Hi bobzorro, Thank you for your question. You may find some of the suggestions in this article helpful: ( http://www.caring.com/articles/memory-tricks ). I hope that helps! Take care -- Emily | Community Manager

My Dad is losing a bit of his memory, otherwise he is still sharp. Is there anything he can do? He goes in a room for a task and if he digresses, he forgets what he came fo in the first place.

I appreciate the article because so much dementia is often automatically termed "Altzheimer's" by the general public. This is not helpful to the people and caretakers who are affected by dementia, as it may deter diagnosis for reversible diseases. My mother has passed; it is too late to know what type of dementia took her life. She did not exhibit "Sundowner's" syndrome or wandering. She also had a head injury when she was younger; and was prescribed increased doses of benzodiazapines for over 20 years by a patronizing but unprofessional doctor. it is difficult to discern confounding environmental factors from inherent, endogenous disease. Whatever the cause, it was a terrible, sad disease that was extremely unfair to a very loving, courageous, and genuinely good human being. When I think of her suffering, I cry and would do anything to go back in time and somehow protect her from the slow but sure devastation of dementia. I also fear this may happen to myself or my sister, as several women in my maternal side have lost their lives to this sadness. I most certainly hope we can find a cure before massive numbers of my generation end up institutionalized and powerless. I also hope that we, as a society, will find a way to provide loving care to those afflicted with dementia.

Excellent article of the 10 causes of dementia including some of the rarer causes. Highlights for me-- --clarification of Lewy body --relationship between Parkinson's and Lewy body and that not all people with Parkinson's will have cognitive impairment --fontotemporal lobe dementia (AKA Pick's disease) --overview on page 4 of the diagnostics for dementia (MMSE, MRI, etc.)

How about music therapy? Oliver Sachs, the Doctor/musicologist/writer has written extensively about music and the way it impacts on the brain - not only in cases of Alzheimer's, but in autism and many kinds of dementia. Very touching, and if you ever experience this firsthand as a caregiver, it is quite moving. My friend, who is 88 now has pretty much 'left the building'. And one day we were sitting together. For no reason I can think of, I began to sing the words to one of her favorite songs, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey.." Unbelievably, she picked up her head, and started to sing along, weakly at first, then with increasing spirit. We finished the song and I was totally in tears. Now we include singing whenever I come by to visit. And she loves it! The way in which music is encoded into the human brain is well worth reading about. Those of you out there caregiving a loved one may find some real benefits from looking into types of music therapy for your person/patient/dear one/partner. Never give up - and keep singing!!

to realize that there were different kinds of dementia. Also to see how testing is done and used by the physician.

Informative-I was not aware that there were different types of dementia. I had heard of Parkinson's and Huntington's, but was not aware that either was related or could develop dementia. My friend's mother has dementia and she has had so much information thrown at her. I am going to tell her about caring.com. Thank you for what you are doing. Information (knowledge) is indeed power.

Hi anonymous, thank you very much for your comment. There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, however there are treatment options to help stabilize and improve the condition for some period of time. You can learn more about those treatments, here: ( http://www.caring.com/articles/alzheimers-medication ). I hope that helps. Take care -- Emily | Community Manager

My lady and I have been going steady for 68 years now. In 2002 her ulcer ruptured and she lost half of her blood by the time we got her to the hospital. I am of the opinion she has Vascular dementia BUT she has been treated for Altzheimers for 9 years. Her short term memory is gone and her condition has not changed. Is there any way to improve her condition or is it keep going a day at a time.

Nice to have this checklist...am only up to #7. I hope you mentioned dementia due to drug reactions and side effects. Going "drug free" as much as possible for a test will often reveal improvement in mental functioning, reduction in delusions, etc. I found this with my mother. Beers Criteria is the official protocol for going drug free, but simple reasoning can help guide you. I heard at lecture that kidneys and liver do not process meds in the same way they did when the patient was younger, so residue builds up. Solution her is to use fast acting version instead, and perhaps reduce dose. So please, before assume actual dementia or Alzheimer's go drug free for 2-3 weeks to find clues and solutions in the cocktail of meds and OTC remedies the patient is taking. Watch for Benedryl in allergy and sleep meds. That one can cause problems too.

This article showed me there are various types of dementia. It was very specific about the types. I will be reviewing it again from time to time. There is a lot of material to think about there.

I think the writer did all that could be done without turning this into a much longer, much less-likely-to-be-read piece. I agree that alcoholic 'wet brain' and the HIV-related dementias should be included -- maybe you can edit it?

Your article is a great overview and gives just enough detail to be helpful without being overwhelming. You have left out the clinical types of HIV-associated dementia or HAD, the most serious of a group of HIV-associated neurocognative disorders collectively called HAND, (the other two being MND and ANI) that are progressive and devistaing, with HAD being the most serious . It is important that you include this "other"dementia becuase a lot of people who have HIV, especially those aging with long-term HIV survival and HIV sufferers who have secondary medical/psychiatric complication often develop HAD, which is very frequently misdiagnosed as Alzheimers DO. For clarification and verification of my information, please see: http://pallipedia.org/term.php?id=701

if this article was on one page, instead of 4, then it would be much more readable and sendable to friends and family. wake up to the modern internet.

Very interesting article. I am glad that I discovered it on abc news. Being a caregiver takes lots of patience and understanding, difficult at times. One remembers the way the person used to be and how he/she is now..........it is very sad.

Thanks for publishing this article. My late mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in her mid-sixties, but declined slowly and lived to age 82. Since that time, great strides have been made in diagnosis and treatment options, and I'm encouraged by research findings I've recently encountered. One question I've been asking remains unanswered, however, and if there are any medical professionals reading this who can respond, I encourage them to do so! Here's my question: just as there are MANY cancers, I've been wondering if there are various strains of Alzheimer's (or other dementias); strains involving, for example, environmental factors, heredity, and infectious viruses or proteins such as prions (also spelled as "preons"). Since my two sisters and I are all mom's first-degree relatives, we'd be especially grateful for any additional light which can be shed on this concern. Thanks again for your informative article.

Delineating the different types of dementia

I never knew there are different types of dementia. I have MS and dementia is one of my symptoms. I do notice being a lot more forgetful than I used to be. One good thing is I admit it! My mom does not. She gets angry when she forgets like its someone elses fault. Ha!

This article was helpful to further my research and understanding of dementia.

I have read all the comments. If in any case dementia is cured is not known. What are the medicines is also not clear.Only mention of fish oil is there.

Rough direction to where lies the treatment is indicated.

I have been working as an Occupational Therapist specializing in people with dementia / Alzheimer's for 10 years. If you have a friend or family member get this diagnosis, don't give up! There is no proof to this, but I have all of my patients do these things everyday and they seem to do pretty well: 1) Take 2 grams of fish oil every day 2) Walk for at least 30 minutes everyday 3) Regularly interact converse w/ people 4) Do brain exercises / challenges More at www.geriatricHC.com

The detail description are most helpful for self examination and recognizing cognitive impairment among residents of a memory care unit in a skilled nursing facility. Thanks.

CJD is caused by prions (abnormally folded, self-propagating forms of a protein) not by a virus. Except for the familial form, which is genetic--the alteration in the gene creates a protein with a high chance of spontaneously misfolding. Once that happens, the process is the same as with an acquired prion. Hard to trust an article that misses this rather basic and essential fact.

Recently read an article about Cocoanut Oil and its affect on Dementia. Any comments?

Recently read an article about Cocoanut Oil and its affect on Dementia. Any comments?

Is the statement "Caused by *viruses* that interfere with the brain's normal functioning, dementia due to CJD..." correct? Isn't CJD a prion-caused; prions are not viruses?

Well done and not too detailed. This gives a general understanding by which to judge the activity level and allow us to plan accordingly.

My mom was diagnosed with dementia in her late 80's but nerver diagnosed with Alzheimer's even though she showed many symptoms. I know there is a 50% likelihood that I or one of my siblings could develop this condition. We are all involved in the Alzheimer's Assoc. in the areas where we live(GA., OK. & TN.) I look forward to receiving your newsletter & thank you for improving the health of seniors like me. My mom lost her battle with demnetia/Alzheimer's in March 2008. It is my daily prayer that some day a cure will be found.

My mother was diagnosed with dementia in her late 80's & passed away in Mar. '08 at the age of 93. For 7 yrs. she had to be told who family members were & was never fully diagnosed with Alzheimer's yet she showed many symptoms. I know that there is a 50% likelihood of me or my siblings developing dementia or Alzheimer's. We as a family are very much involved in the Alzheimer's Assoc. in the areas where we live(Ga.,Ok. & Tn.) I look forward to receiving information from this website as I'm sure it will be beneficial for both me & my husband. Keep up the good work of changing the health of seniors for the better. Linda

Maybe you could reveal research that has been or is being done, as to what is leading to or causing these diseases or conditions. Also, include such research and findings for other senior citizen diseases or medical problems. Thanks David

I am 65 years old, on my fathers side, he and his five sisters died from Alzheimers in their mid seventies. I am the oldest son and currently on the offense to protect myself and family. I have no symtoms that I know of even though I forget now and then. I am healthy and not on any medications. I have no issues and I am very active playing senior softball three times a week. I have not had any sickness or even a cold or sore throat in 25 years. I will keep you up to date if any thing happens. I get a physical every July with excellent results.

a great article for the uninformed. A question my wife continually asks since she denies the doctors diagnosis.

This article omitted Dementia caused by alcoholism. "Wet brain" caused by alcoholism is significant and more information should be published regarding this problem.

Thank you

Great article, I work in an alzheimers /dementia clinic, it is wonderfull but frustrating work and many patients are diagnosed without any form of brain scan, MRI ,CT and never or rarely, rarely a PET , so this is a great article to inform people and help esp. with diagnosis.

The article will be of high use if the symptoms are also described.

My father was diagnosed with alzheimer and I need to learn more about this disease. He also has renal kidney problems. Glad you showed me the possiable link.