10 Types Of Dementia That Aren't Alzheimer's & How They're Diagnosed

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10 Types Of Dementia That Aren't Alzheimer's & How They're Diagnosed

The term dementia is used broadly to describe a condition which is characterized

by cognitive decline, but there are many different types of dementia. Although

it is usually progressive, properly diagnosing dementia can reverse the effects

and be treated and even cured completely by addressing the underlying cause.

However, dementia caused by incurable conditions such as Alzheimer's disease,

are irreversible.

What are the different types of dementia?

Experts estimate that Alzheimer's disease is the underlying cause of 60–80% of

all dementia cases. However, there are many other conditions which can also

cause dementia, which makes it vital for the patient to obtain accurate

diagnosing of dementia early on in order to get proper treatment. Following are

some of the most common types of dementia and their causes..

Vascular Dementia

The second most common form of dementia, vascular dementia is caused by poor

blood flow to the brain, which deprives brain cells of the nutrients and oxygen

they need to function normally. One of the ten dementia types, vascular dementia

can result from any number of conditions which narrow the blood vessels,

including stroke, diabetes and hypertension.

Mixed Dementia

Sometimes dementia is caused by more than one medical condition. This is called

mixed dementia. The most common form of mixed dementia is caused by both

Alzheimer's and vascular disease.

Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)

Sometimes referred to as Lewy Body Disease, this type of dementia is

characterized by abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies which appear in

nerve cells in the brain stem. These deposits disrupt the brain's normal

functioning, impairing cognition and behavior and can also cause tremors. DLB is

not reversible and has no known cure.

Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD)

Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological condition, and in its

advanced stages, the disease can affect cognitive functioning. Not all people

with Parkinson's disease will develop dementia, however. Dementia due to

Parkinson's is also a Lewy body dementia. Symptoms include tremors, muscle

stiffness and speech problems. Reasoning, memory, speech, and judgment are

usually affected.

Frontotemporal Dementia

Pick's disease, the most common of the frontotemporal dementia types, is a rare

disorder which causes damage to brain cells in the frontal and temporal lobes.

Pick's disease affects the individual's personality significantly, usually

resulting in a decline in social skills, coupled with emotional apathy. Unlike

other types of dementia, Pick's disease typically results in behavior and

personality changes manifesting before memory loss and speech problems.

Creutzfeldt- Dementia (CJD)

CJD is a degenerative neurological disorder, which is also known as mad cow

disease. The incidence is very low, occurring in about one in one million

people. There is no cure. Caused by viruses that interfere with the brain's

normal functioning, dementia due to CJD progresses rapidly, usually over a

period of several months. Symptoms include memory loss, speech impairment,

confusion, muscle stiffness and twitching, and general lack of coordination,

making the individual susceptible to falls. Occasionally, blurred vision and

hallucinations are also associated with the condition.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)

Normal pressure hydrocephalus involves an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in

the brain's cavities. Impaired drainage of this fluid leads to the build-up and

results in added pressure on the brain, interfering with the brain's ability to

function normally. Individuals with dementia caused by normal pressure

hydrocephalus often experience problems with ambulation, balance and bladder

control, in addition to cognitive impairments involving speech, problem-solving

abilities and memory.

Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease is an inherited progressive dementia that affects the

individual's cognition, behavior and movement. The cognitive and behavioral

symptoms of dementia due to Huntington's include memory problems, impaired

judgment, mood swings, depression and speech problems (especially slurred

speech). Delusions and hallucinations may occur. In addition, the individual may

experience difficulty ambulating, and uncontrollable jerking movements of the

face and body.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is caused by a deficiency in thiamine (Vitamin B1)

and often occurs in alcoholics, although it can also result from malnutrition,

cancer which have spread in the body, abnormally high thyroid hormone levels,

long-term dialysis and long-term diuretic therapy (used to treat congestive

heart failure). The symptoms of dementia caused by Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

include confusion, permanent gaps in memory, and impaired short-term memory.

Hallucinations may also occur.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

Dementia can be due to medical illness, medications and a host of other

treatable causes. With mild cognitive impairment, an individual will experience

memory loss, and sometimes impaired judgment and speech, but is usually aware of

the decline. These problems usually don't interfere with the normal activities

of daily living. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment may also experience

behavioral changes that involve depression, anxiety, aggression and emotional

apathy; these can be due to the awareness of and frustration related to his or

her condition.

What can I expect when the doctor is diagnosing dementia?

The health care professional you meet with will need to know the symptoms the

patient is experiencing, their duration, frequency and rate of progression. The

doctor will do everything he or she can to make the patient comfortable while

diagnosing dementia, which includes addressing the patient's fears regarding the

types of dementia and condition. Diagnosing dementia requires a full review of

the patient's health care, family history and medication history. This includes

evaluating the patient for depression, substance abuse and nutrition, and other

conditions that can cause memory loss, including anemia, vitamin deficiency,

diabetes, kidney or liver disease, thyroid disease, infections, cardiovascular

and pulmonary problems. The patient must also undergo a physical exam and blood

tests in order to determine which types of dementia the patient may be suffering

from.

Not every doctor is familiar with the complexities of dementia diagnosis, so you

will need to find a doctor who is experienced at diagnosing dementia types.

Currently, there is no single test that proves Alzheimer's, although it is

possible to achieve 90% accuracy. However, we may have difficulty in discovering

the true underlying cause. In patients with advanced findings of brain

dysfunction, diagnosing dementia is fairly straightforward. But in patients with

some early findings of diminished brain function, the diagnosis and its type is

seldom clear. Following are some of the approaches that are commonly used in

determining types of dementia.

Mini Mental State Evaluation (MMSE)

The mini-mental status exam is a very brief evaluation of the patient's

cognitive status used in diagnosing dementia types. The patient is required to

identify the time, date and place (including street, city and state) where the

test is taking place, be able to count backwards, identify objects previously

known to him or her, be able to repeat common phrases, perform basic skills

involving math, language use and comprehension, and demonstrate basic motor

skills.

Mini-Cog

Another test for diagnosing dementia, the mini-cog takes only a few minutes to

administer and is used as an initial screening for various types of dementia.

The patient is required to identify three objects in the office, then draw the

face of a clock in its entirety from memory, and finally, recall the three items

identified earlier.

Imaging Tests: CTs, MRIs & Pet Scans

Physicians diagnosing dementia may study the structure of the patient's brain by

CT or MRI to see if there are any growths, abnormalities or general shrinkage

(as seen in cases of Alzheimer's). Studies of brain function, using a PET scan

and a special form of MRI can more definitively confirm the diagnosis of various

types of dementia and raise the accuracy of the diagnosis to 90%. A PET scan

administered and reviewed by an expert delivers the most accurate and suggestive

results while diagnosing dementia. The most accurate form of PET scanning for

types of dementia is called Stereotactic Surface Projection, which involves an

advanced statistical analysis of the data.

In 2007, led by Dr. Norman , head of the Alzheimer's Center at the

University of Utah, a group of elite PET scientists and dementia experts

conducted a study in which they performed PET scans and clinical tests on

multiple patients. The accuracy with the tests was 90% for both Alzheimer's and

frontotemporal dementia types. They stated that scans increased the experts'

confidence in diagnosing dementia types and made them question and sometimes

change the diagnosis in 42% of cases. They stated that early and accurate

diagnosing of dementia is critical to avoid misdiagnosis and mistreatment. The

results of this study show that PET scanning is highly predictive of the

patient's clinical course and essential to properly diagnosing dementia.

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