Speak To An Expert
Get clear, personalised advice for your situation.
Jot down a few questions to make the most of your conversation.
What is dementia?
Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, behaviour, and the ability to carry out everyday tasks. It is not a single disease, but an umbrella term for several conditions.
In the UK, dementia affects hundreds of thousands of people and becomes more common with age. However, it is not an inevitable part of getting older.
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. It usually starts with problems such as forgetfulness, confusion, and difficulty finding the right words.
As it progresses, people may struggle with planning, decision-making, and recognising familiar people or places. Symptoms tend to develop slowly over time.
Vascular dementia
Vascular dementia is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often after a stroke or a series of small strokes. It is the second most common type of dementia in the UK.
Symptoms can vary depending on which part of the brain is affected. Common signs include slow thinking, trouble concentrating, and problems with balance or movement.
Dementia with Lewy bodies
Dementia with Lewy bodies is linked to tiny protein deposits in the brain called Lewy bodies. It can affect memory, attention, movement, and sleep.
People with this type of dementia may have vivid hallucinations, fluctuating alertness, and symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease. It can be challenging to diagnose because symptoms overlap with other conditions.
Frontotemporal dementia
Frontotemporal dementia affects the front and side parts of the brain. It often appears at a younger age than other types of dementia, sometimes before the age of 65.
Early symptoms may include changes in personality, behaviour, or language rather than memory loss. A person may become less socially aware, more impulsive, or find it harder to speak or understand words.
Mixed dementia and other types
Some people have mixed dementia, where more than one type is present at the same time. For example, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia can occur together.
There are also rarer forms of dementia, including Parkinson’s disease dementia, Huntington’s disease, and dementia caused by alcohol-related brain damage or certain infections. A proper diagnosis can help people get the right treatment, support, and advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common types of dementia include Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. They differ in the brain changes they cause, the symptoms they start with, and how quickly they progress.
Early signs of common types of dementia often include memory loss, difficulty finding words, trouble planning or solving problems, confusion about time or place, and changes in mood or behavior.
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common types of dementia and usually begins with short-term memory problems. Over time, it can affect thinking, language, judgment, and the ability to manage daily activities.
Vascular dementia is a common type of dementia caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often after strokes or small vessel disease. It may cause problems with thinking speed, attention, planning, and decision-making.
Lewy body dementia is a common type of dementia linked to abnormal protein deposits in the brain. It often causes visual hallucinations, changes in attention, movement symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, and sleep problems.
Frontotemporal dementia is a common type of dementia that mainly affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. It often leads to changes in personality, behavior, or language before major memory loss appears.
Common types of dementia are caused by different brain diseases or injuries. Examples include Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, blood vessel damage, abnormal protein buildup, or degeneration in the frontal and temporal lobes.
Risk for common types of dementia increases with older age, family history, cardiovascular disease, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and a history of stroke or head injury. Some genetic factors can also play a role.
Common types of dementia are diagnosed using medical history, cognitive testing, physical and neurological exams, blood tests, brain imaging, and sometimes specialized memory or language assessments.
Doctors may use memory and thinking tests, MRI or CT scans, blood tests, and sometimes PET scans or other specialized evaluations to help distinguish common types of dementia from one another.
Symptoms of common types of dementia that affect daily life include forgetting appointments, repeating questions, getting lost in familiar places, difficulty managing money, trouble cooking or taking medications, and changes in behavior or judgment.
There is currently no cure for most common types of dementia. Treatments may help manage symptoms, slow decline in some cases, and improve quality of life.
Treatment for common types of dementia may include medications, support for daily activities, cognitive and physical exercises, treatment of related medical conditions, and caregiver support. The plan depends on the specific type and stage.
Medications for common types of dementia may include cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine for some forms of dementia, along with medicines to treat mood, sleep, or behavioral symptoms when appropriate.
The progression of common types of dementia varies by type and person. Alzheimer’s disease often progresses gradually, vascular dementia may change in steps, Lewy body dementia can fluctuate, and frontotemporal dementia may progress more quickly in some cases.
Not all common types of dementia can be prevented, but lowering blood pressure, staying active, avoiding smoking, managing diabetes, eating a healthy diet, and protecting the head may reduce risk.
Common types of dementia can affect behavior and personality by causing irritability, apathy, anxiety, suspiciousness, poor judgment, disinhibition, or social withdrawal, depending on the type and brain areas involved.
Common types of dementia affect memory and thinking in different ways. Some mainly cause memory loss, while others affect attention, language, planning, spatial skills, or problem-solving first.
Support for people with common types of dementia and their caregivers may include community services, respite care, support groups, home safety changes, occupational therapy, legal and financial planning, and dementia education.
Someone should see a doctor about common types of dementia if memory problems, confusion, language difficulties, or behavior changes are worsening or interfering with daily life.
Useful Links
This website offers general information and is not a substitute for professional advice.
Always seek guidance from qualified professionals.
If you have any medical concerns or need urgent help, contact a healthcare professional or emergency services immediately.
Some of this content was generated with AI assistance. We've done our best to keep it accurate, helpful, and human-friendly.
- Ergsy carefully checks the information in the videos we provide here.
- Videos shown by Youtube after a video has completed, have NOT been reviewed by ERGSY.
- To view, click the arrow in centre of video.
- Most of the videos you find here will have subtitles and/or closed captions available.
- You may need to turn these on, and choose your preferred language.
- Go to the video you'd like to watch.
- If closed captions (CC) are available, settings will be visible on the bottom right of the video player.
- To turn on Captions, click settings.
- To turn off Captions, click settings again.