Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease: What is the Difference?

• Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life.
• Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. Alzheimer’s is a specific disease. Dementia is not.

Dementia describes a group of symptoms associated with a decline in memory, reasoning or other thinking skills.

• Many different types of dementia exist, and many conditions cause it. 
• Mixed dementia is a condition in which brain changes of more than one type of dementia occur simultaneously. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases.
• Dementia is not a normal part of aging. It is caused by damage to brain cells that affects their ability to communicate, which can affect thinking, behavior and feelings.