Thyroid, kidney, liver, heart and lung problems, urinary and chest infections and strokes are among the many medical conditions that can produce dementia-like symptoms.
Many other conditions, in addition to the ones above, can cause symptoms that mimic dementia or Alzheimer's disease, including disorders of the heart, lungs, liver or kidneys, thyroid problems, sodium or vitamin B12 deficiency, some cancers, pain, constipation, heavy alcohol use and depression.
People with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are often misdiagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD), psychiatric disorders, vascular dementia or Parkinson's disease. The early symptoms and the brain image are often the most helpful tools to reach the right diagnosis.
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is the most misdiagnosed form of dementia, taking on average more than 18 months and three doctors to receive a correct diagnosis.
Dementia can be hard to spot and diagnose, because the symptoms of many other conditions can look very much like it. Other conditions include delirium, mental health conditions, hormone conditions and mild cognitive impairment. That's why your doctor will always do several different tests before they diagnose dementia.
Brain tumors can interfere with cognitive functioning and cause personality changes. Depending on their location, they can trigger other symptoms, such as headaches, seizures, or vomiting. The first symptoms of slow-growing tumors frequently resemble dementia, especially in older people.
Thyroid disease usually develops slowly, which is why symptoms might be mistaken for normal aging. But too little or too much thyroid hormone could cause dementia-like symptoms.
Parkinson disease causes physical symptoms at first. Problems with cognitive function, including forgetfulness and trouble with concentration, may arise later. As the disease gets worse with time, many people develop dementia.
The link between anxiety and dementia, the authors note, may be explained by the excessive stress response triggered by the mental health condition. This abnormally high stress response might accelerate the aging process of brain cells, which, in turn, may speed up age-related cognitive decline.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Repeat scans can show how a person's brain changes over time. Evidence of shrinkage may support a diagnosis of Alzheimer's or another neurodegenerative dementia but cannot indicate a specific diagnosis. MRI also provides a detailed picture of brain blood vessels.
Cobalamin deficiency may cause cognitive deficits and even dementia. In Alzheimer's disease, the most frequent cause of dementia in elderly persons, low serum levels of vitamin B12, may be misleading.
At a Glance. A new blood testing technique could help researchers detect Alzheimer's disease prior to onset or in those showing early signs of dementia. The approach could be less invasive and costly than current brain imaging and spinal fluid tests, enabling earlier treatments and testing of novel approaches.
These may include: seizures, difficulty thinking or speaking, changes in personality, anxiety, depression, disorientation, fatigue, abnormal eye movements, numbness or tingling on one side of the body, weakness on one side of the body, loss of balance, vision changes, memory loss, nausea, generalized pain, trouble ...
Brain scans
These scans can check for evidence of stroke or bleeding or tumor or hydrocephalus. PET scans. These can show patterns of brain activity and whether the amyloid or tau protein, hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, have been deposited in the brain.
Common early symptoms of dementia
memory loss. difficulty concentrating. finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping. struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word.
The current evidence indicates that while chronic stress may play a role in the development or progression of dementia, it does not necessarily cause dementia.
The most common symptoms of vascular dementia during the early stages are: problems with planning or organising, making decisions or solving problems. difficulties following a series of steps (such as when cooking a meal) slower speed of thought.
Introduction: The five-word test (5WT) is a serial verbal memory test with semantic cuing. It is proposed to rapidly evaluate memory of aging people and has previously shown its sensitivity and its specificity in identifying patients with AD.
Common types of dementia associated with memory loss are: Alzheimer disease. Vascular dementia. Lewy body dementia.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is linked to impaired cognition and memory along with a sensation of tingling and numbness, an outcome of poor myelination. Elevated methylmalonic acid and serum homocysteine levels are markers of Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Vitamin B12 and Cognition
The signs of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia can mirror the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency. It is important to know the difference and be able to detect both in your loved ones. Unlike Alzheimer's, a B12 deficiency can be reversed.