Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: What are the Differences?

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's is based on clinical symptoms and mental status examination, which is often difficult to distinguish from other diseases in the early stages. It causes delays in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Until now, no treatment can cure Alzheimer's. Several types of drugs that exist today are symptomatic therapies developed based on the pathophysiology of this disease. Drugs that can be used are cholinesterase inhibitors such as Donepezil and rivastigmine, or the N-methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) antagonist Memantine.

Causes and Effects of Alzheimer's on the Brain

Damage to the brain begins years before symptoms appear. It happens when proteins (called plaques) and fibers (called tangles) build up in your brain, block nerve signals, and destroy nerve cells. As neurons are injured and die throughout the brain, connections between networks of neurons may break down, and many brain regions begin to shrink. These changes can cause the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. These include memory loss; problems with thinking and planning; behavioral issues; and, in the last stage, a further decline in functioning, which can even include trouble swallowing. By the final stages of Alzheimer's, this process---called brain atrophy---is widespread, causing significant loss of brain volume. Memory loss may be mild at first, but symptoms get worse over time.  

Treating Alzheimer's Disease vs. Other Types of Dementia

Neither Alzheimer's nor most other types of dementia have a cure. Doctors focus treatments on managing symptoms and keeping the disease from getting worse. 

Some of the treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's overlap. The common treatments are: (1) Cholinesterase inhibitors that can help with memory loss in certain types of dementia and Alzheimer's, (2) Glutamate inhibitors help with learning and memory in both dementia and Alzheimer's, (3) Sleep medications may help with sleep changes, (4) Antidepressants can help with depression symptoms, and (5) Antipsychotic medications may help with behavior changes.
Some types of dementia respond to treatment, depending on what is causing it. Your doctor may recommend: (1) Stopping the use of drugs and alcohol, (2) Tumor removal, if any, (3) Treating a B12 deficiency, (4) Treating hydrocephalus (extra fluid on the brain),(5) Getting blood sugar under control, and (6) Thyroid medication.

References:
1. Lakhan SE, Chawla J. Alzheimer disease. https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1134817-overview
2. AAIC 2018. First practice guidelines for clinical evaluation of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias for primary and specialty care. https://www.alz.org/aaic/downloads2018/Sun-clinical-practice-guidelines.pdf
3.  Dementia fact sheet. (2016, April).Retrieved from who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs362/en
4. Symptoms of dementia. (2015, June 17). Retrieved from nhs.uk/Conditions/dementia-guide/Pages/symptoms-of-dementia.aspx