Tash11e t1_j26ajlj wrote
There are a range of types of dementia, and they all look slightly different on scans of the brain (often MRI's) and might have different signs from blood or other tests that differentiates the types from each other.
The different types also effect people's function slightly differently, and both family history and just general life history can help with determining the type of dementia. For example, if someone is known to have had a history of alcohol excess they might be more likely to develop an alcohol related form of dementia so that might be the starting point for investigations.
Alzheimer's is the most common hence being the one most people are aware of.
The other main types are:
Frontotemporal dementia, which often develops slightly younger and can lead to quite significant personality changes and challenging behaviours (among other things).
Lewy Body dementia, which can often present quite similarly to Parkinson's disease.
Vascular dementia, which is often correlated with multiple strokes or other vascular (blood flow) changes to the brain. The functional impacts to a person can often depend on which part of the brain is most impacted.
Mixed dementia, which is essentially a combination of types.
But that isn't an exhaustive list and there are other less common types, and yes most of them have names.
-----shreddit----- t1_j27zpvm wrote
My mum has parkinsons and has both visual and auditory hallucinations, plus she is super paranoid all the time.
She has the odd hour or so of clarity, but lately she's been stopping mid sentence because she cant remember words or what she's talking about.
Ive read this is late stage parkinsons but the doctors wont den or confirm this.
kotibi t1_j29dmvw wrote
Look up “Parkinson’s disease dementia” and “cognitive impairment with Parkinson’s disease.” Here is a good resource to learn the basics: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/parkinson-s-disease-dementia
Bring it up with her doctor, there may be medications and therapies she can try or a clinical trial she can enroll in!
cheesynougats t1_j27rpqw wrote
Is Pick's disease considered a type of dementia?
BrainstormsBriefcase t1_j27wnp7 wrote
Pick’s disease is frontotemporal Dementia
cheesynougats t1_j28pz7a wrote
Thank you; I lost someone to Pick"s and don't really know much about it.
EnricoPin t1_j2azr20 wrote
To make a diagnostic of alzheimer you must first exclude all other causes and all reversible causes of dementia (hypothyroidism, depression, hydrocephalus)
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