What is Dementia? How Does it Differ from Delirium?

Dementia is neurological disease affecting how the brain works. The result is a gradual decline in cognitive function. People with dementia slowly begin to experience signs like memory loss, loss of mathematical calculations and problem solving capabilities, agitation, paranoia, impaired judgment and impaired abstract reasoning. Dementia comes in several forms.

Types of Dementia

-Alzheimer's Disease: This is the most common form of dementia for people over age 65. Alzheimer's is caused by the destruction of neurons in the brain. Symptoms tend to occur around age 60 and the full onset of the disease usually happens over the course of 7-10 years.

-Lewy Body Dementia: This form of dementia is caused by abnormal clumps of protein floating in the brain. People with Lewy Body dementia can have some unique symptoms that included acting out during REM sleep, tremors, and periods of confusion with clear thinking.

-Vascular dementia: Vascular dementia occurs when there is obstruction or damage to arteries in the brain, and can be the result of a stroke, hemorrhage, or even high blood pressure.

-Frontoltemporal dementia: This type of dementia is caused by damage to and degeneration of neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.

What are the key differences between dementia and delirium?

Unlike dementia, delirium (or acute confusion) is a sudden onset of confusion and level on consciousness. Some of the key differences between dementia and delirium include:

-Onset: Delirium has a very quick onset, usually occurring over the course of a few hours or a few days.
Dementia is a slow decline that can take place over the course of a few years.

-Reversibility: Delirium is mostly a reversible condition, while dementia is permanent.

-Attention: A person with delirium has impaired alertness and level of consciousness while a person with dementia may be fully aware and alert to their surroundings

-Fluctuation: People with delirium can go back and forth between appearing symptomatic and asymptomatic while a person with dementia is consistently symptomatic.

-Risk groups: Unlike dementia, people at any age can experience delirium, however it is most common in the elderly.

-Causes: Delirium can be brought on by such conditions as infections, medications, surgery, alcohol or drug abuse, and dehydration. Causes of dementia are related to mostly to degeneration of neurons in the brain.

If you or someone you love is experiencing signs and symptoms listed above, seek medical attention immediately so a doctor can make a proper diagnosis.