An introduction to four types of dementia

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Dementia is a term that is used to describe a range of progressive conditions which affect language, problem-solving, thinking and memory.

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Here we look at four different types of dementia, their causes and some common symptoms.

Table of Contents

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is caused by chemical alterations in the brain which enable proteins to form clumps known as tangles or plaques. Some of the first symptoms include frequently forgetting faces, names and events, misplacing items, and disorientation.

Lewy body dementia

In Lewy body dementia, clumps of protein form inside the brain’s nerve cells, which impacts how they communicate with each other. Some of the most common symptoms include hallucinations, limb stiffness and slow movement, disorientation, memory loss, and falls.

Fronto-temporal dementia

Fronto-temporal dementia often impacts younger people and describes a number of conditions where damage occurs to the sides and front of the brain. This type of dementia impacts a person’s language, speech, decision-making, personality and emotions.

Vascular dementia

A reduction in the supply of blood to the brain can cause vascular dementia. There are a few ways in which it can develop, including following a stroke. Depending on the cause, symptoms can start suddenly or appear gradually and may include slow thinking, issues finding the right words, memory problems, and disorientation.