Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Alzheimer's disease and dementia the same thing?
Answer: No they are not. Unfortunately these two terms are often used interchangeably; however dementia is a syndrome with a many symptoms. One specific form of this syndrome is Alzheimer's disease. There are numerous other forms of dementia including vascular dementia, fronto-temporal dementia, Lewy Body just to name a few.

2. Is Dementia a part of normal aging?
Answer: No it is not a part of normal aging. We do know that as we age our bodies begin to slow down. This is also the case for certain aspects of our cognition such as our memory. However, with dementia actual changes are taking place in the brain that ultimately result in significant problems with memory, concentration, problem solving and other aspects of our cognition.

3. Is there a cure for dementia?
Answer: No! there is no cure. There are various forms of dementia some which are neuron-degenerative and other that are reversible. However, in terms of the neurodegenerative forms of dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Vascular Dementia, Fronto-temporal dementia, Lewy Body) there is no cure. There are treatments on the market today that treat the symptoms of dementia, but these treatments do not slow down the progression of the disease.

4. Is dementia a psychiatric illness?
Answer: Dementia is an illness that disrupts the normal functions of certain parts of the brain. In certain cases, the symptoms of geriatric depression can look very similar to the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. It is important to receive the proper diagnosis so that the appropriate treatment can be administered.

5. How do you Diagnose Dementia?
Answer: Receiving a diagnosis of a specific form of dementia can sometime be difficult, therefore a number of tests are done to arrive at an appropriate diagnose. The individual will often be examined by a specialist such as a neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist and blood work will also be done typically during this exam. The patient may also receive neurocognitive testing, which helps to explore the areas of cognition that may be compromised. An interview with the patient's family will also be performed so that information about how that individual is functioning on a daily basis can be gathered. Finally, all of this information will be used to arrive at a clinical diagnosis.