What is the difference between alzheimer's disease and senility or dementia?

This is how the doctor described it to my grandmother. Alzheimers is when you walk up to a stove and you forget its a stove. Dementia is when you walk to the stove and forget why you walked over there.

Alzheimer’s is a specific type of dementia. Senile isn’t an official diagnosis, where as dementia and Alzheimer’s is.

This is actually really good, and sourced: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dementia

I’m logging off for a bit. Will be back later to read more. Don’t want anyone thinking I’m ignoring their answers!

Alzheimer’s Disease is sometimes considered pathogenic (i.e., caused by an external source) whereas senility and dementia are naturally occurring breakdown of the brain. I do not think there is any conclusive evidence to support that this is the case in all situations, however.

In any case, Alzheimer’s Disease is a subset of senile dementia (as oppoosed to non-senile dementia.) Per usual, the wikipedia article is a great place to start.

If I understand correctly, dementia/senility are considered symptoms of Alzheimer’s.

I dont think Alzheimers was a disease until they invented levadopa (or something like that) It was just another kind of dimentia.

As I read that article, Alzheimer’s disease is a common cause of dementia. Dementia is the result of various possible causes, Alzheimer’s disease being one.

My source here is the linked article only.

Dementia is a description of a group of symptoms that together mediate the loss of intellectual and social abilities severe enough to interfere with daily functioning. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, but there are many others. There are no definitive tests for dementia (and Alzheimer’s) at the present time, and so the diagnosis rests primarily on a good history and physical exam combined with excluding reversible causes.

P.S. Wikipedia is a terrible source for medical information.

Dementia is the earlier stages of alzheimers. First comes dementia ( periods of forgetfulness , paranoid)and then with alzheimers you are easily confused. Short term memory is totally gone. They only remember things from long ago. As the alzheimers gets worse you lose the ability to eat (swallow, speak) and usually go into a fetal position.

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the great responses!

HIV encephalopathy can also cause dementia.

My aunt passed away several years ago from what was diagnosed as Alzheimers. As long as I remember her, she always had a diet Dr. Pepper in her hand, she never drank water it seemed. Now I am reading both aspartame and Aluminum contribute to dementia/alzheimers. My father had parkinsons disease which is an altogether different animal I think. He lasted a good 14 years after he was diagnosed, but I still think before the medical industry invented medicines for it, it was simply thought of as old age. He was 87 when he finally succumbed.