Amnesia Vs. Dementia: Similarities And Differences
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Amnesia and dementia are two cognitive symptoms that share some similar features. Both involve some form of memory loss, but additional symptoms, causes, and treatment options differ. Read on to learn more about key similarities and differences between amnesia and dementia.
What is dementia?
The National Institute on Aging defines dementia as "the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—to such an extent that it interferes with a person's daily life and activities."
Types of dementia: Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and more
There are several possible causes of dementia, with Alzheimer's disease being the most common. Other types of dementia include vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, Lewy body dementia, and mixed dementia.
Dementia is associated with a gradual loss of neurons in the brain. That’s why dementia patients usually experience a progression of symptoms over time, from mild to moderate to severe. The timeline of this decline can vary depending on the individual, their overall health, when they were diagnosed, what type of dementia they have, and other factors. Dementia is usually eventually fatal.
Symptoms of dementia
Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the type of dementia and the stage of the illness, but examples include:
- Impaired memory
- Impaired judgment
- Challenges speaking and articulating thoughts verbally
- Challenges in comprehension when reading and writing
- Disorientation, which may result in wandering and getting lost in familiar places
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
- Less regard for social norms or how words or actions may be perceived by others
- Repeating questions or stories frequently
- Difficulty planning or organizing
- Hallucinations and/or delusions
What is amnesia?
Amnesia refers to either a partial or complete loss of memory, which can be temporary or permanent. Amnesia may be caused by injury, disease, substance use, or psychological factors such as trauma, stress, anxiety, depression, or insomnia. If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.
Depending on the kind of amnesia a person experiences, they may have difficulty recalling memories or familiar information, memorizing new information, or forming new memories. That said, an individual may be able to recall skills, such as playing an instrument, and will usually hold onto their sense of identity, personality, and awareness of themselves and their memory problems.
There are several different types of amnesia, and the causes and key symptoms of each can vary. Here’s a quick look at a few of these types.
Retrograde amnesia
Retrograde amnesia refers to the loss of memory of past events that occurred before the onset of the amnesia. The condition can happen due to brain injuries or psychological causes. Findings suggest that it can be possible to recover from retrograde amnesia by reacquiring skills to learn episodic-autobiographical events that can be retained over the long term.
Dissociative amnesia
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines this kind of amnesia, which is related to retrograde amnesia, as "a dissociative disorder characterized by failure to recall important information about one’s personal experiences, usually of a traumatic or stressful nature, that is too extensive to be explained by normal forgetfulness." A person may recover after a few hours once removed from the situation causing the amnesia. While they are experiencing this type of amnesia, a person may be unable to remember autobiographical information, such as their name or age, or to recall the traumatic event(s).
Anterograde amnesia
Anterograde amnesia is a type of memory loss where a person can’t form new memories. It’s caused by brain trauma, which can come about due to a head injury, brain aneurysm, complications of brain surgery, a brain tumor, or stroke. Anterograde amnesia is often temporary, sometimes resolving on its own. The major exception is in cases of dementia. Individuals with dementia often exhibit both anterograde and retrograde amnesia, which means they have trouble both recalling past memories and forming new ones. In this case, neither type of amnesia will resolve and both will typically worsen over time.
Transient global amnesia
Transient global amnesia usually affects middle-aged and older adults. It comes on suddenly, often triggered by strenuous activity or stressful events. It can last several hours and will typically resolve on its own. There are usually no long term effects beyond this acute phase.
Amnesia vs. dementia: A key difference on broader brain function
Dementia and amnesia are two medical terms related to memory loss. Both can have a variety of potential causes, from an underlying neurological condition to a brain injury, though amnesia can also be caused by psychological conditions and challenges.
Considering therapy for health-related stress and memory loss
If you’re experiencing difficulties recalling information, it's usually important to speak to a doctor about these challenges to address any underlying medical conditions. In addition, meeting with a therapist can also be helpful when you're struggling with stress or health challenges. They can help you voice and process your emotions and find healthy ways to cope with them.
If attending in-person talk therapy appointments is inconvenient or not possible for you, you may want to consider virtual therapy instead. Online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp allows you to attend sessions with a licensed therapist via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging from home or anywhere you have an internet connection.
Research continues to indicate the potential effectiveness of online therapy for a variety of mental health challenges and situations. For instance, one study reviewed data from 27,500 patients who received cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) online. Its findings suggest that online therapy can be just as effective as in-person sessions, emphasizing the ability of the online format to provide "patients with a therapist’s guidance every step of the way."
Takeaway
Frequently asked questions
Read more below for answers to questions commonly asked about amnesia vs. dementia.
Can you regain memories after experiencing memory loss due to amnesia?
Yes, it is possible to recover memories depending on what caused the amnesia and how bad it is. Some people get their memories back over time after being exposed to familiar objects, though they might not get everything back.
There is no direct treatment for amnesia. However, when it occurs due to another condition, it generally resolves when the underlying cause is treated.
Recovery can also depend on the type of amnesia. For example, people with anterograde memory loss experience a continuous period of memory loss and cannot form new memories but can recall distant ones. This type of neurological amnesia is caused by a brain disorder affecting the frontal and temporal lobes and can sometimes resolve on its own.
How does amnesia affect memory and other brain functions?
People with amnesia may have trouble remembering past events or making new memories. Their other brain functions, such as language and reasoning, often remain intact, depending on the type and the factor that has caused the amnesia.
While there are many forms of amnesia caused by different factors, amnestic syndrome often occurs with short-term memory loss, which can make it difficult to learn new things or remember recent events.
How do you diagnose amnesia?
Amnesia is typically diagnosed through a combination of neurological exams and cognitive tests. Doctors will also look at your medical history. You may also undergo MRI or CT scans to determine any physical causes of memory loss.
How can you tell the difference between vascular dementia and amnesia?
Vascular dementia affects multiple cognitive functions of a person mainly because of the reduced blood flow to the brain. Amnesia is primarily focused on memory loss and usually does not impair other cognitive functions.
In the early stages, it can be difficult to distinguish what is causing lost memories, as both amnesia and dementia can cause symptoms like difficulty recalling recent conversations or getting lost in familiar surroundings. In time, vascular dementia will worsen, and the person will start having other cognitive health symptoms, like being unable to understand written language or having a difficult time with daily living activities like eating, bathing, or toileting.
Does memory loss affect your daily life, or do you believe a loved one is experiencing cognitive issues in their older age? Talk to a physician who has experience working with dementia in their clinical practice. Internal medicine practitioners can consider your risk factors and symptoms, help determine if there is a medical reason behind the memory loss, and refer you to other practitioners for additional testing or treatment when necessary.
Do I have dementia or am I just forgetful?
Experiencing occasional forgetfulness can be due to a variety of causes, including stress. However, dementia involves more serious memory loss along with other symptoms, like difficulty with thinking, language, and problem-solving, that disrupt daily life. To determine what is causing your forgetfulness, visit a doctor to get a proper diagnosis.
What are other types of dementia besides Alzheimer’s disease?
In addition to Alzheimer's disease, other types of dementia include Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and mixed dementia. Each of these diseases can affect your cognitive functions differently, but they all affect memory in some way. In many types of dementia, people may have difficulties with long-term memory and be unable to recall recent memories.
How long can amnesia last?
While not everyone experiences amnesia the same way, some cases of amnesia are temporary and resolve quickly, while others can persist for a longer duration and sometimes become permanent.
How do you know if it's memory loss or dementia?
Mild forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging. Our brains change as we get older, leading to age-related memory loss that can make it harder to recall information. However, serious memory problems that make it difficult to perform everyday tasks can be a warning sign of dementia. Some symptoms that can indicate something more serious than memory loss include the following:
- Asking the same questions over and over
- Getting lost in familiar places
- Becoming confused about person, place, or time
- Having trouble following directions
- Neglecting hygiene and self-care
Some adults can also experience mild cognitive impairment. In this condition, people have more memory or cognitive problems than other people their age but can generally still take care of themselves and function day to day.
Dementia is a progressive condition. Memory loss is a common symptom, but it is not the only sign of dementia. Other signs can include problems with higher brain functioning, such as language, attention, visual perception, and personality changes.
It can also be important to consider other factors that can contribute to memory loss, including the following:
- Head injuries, such as from a car accident or contact sports
- Blood clots or infections in the brain
- Thyroid, liver, or kidney problems
- Mental health conditions
- Alcohol or drug misuse
- Certain medications
- Sleep disorders
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Trauma or stressful events
What is the cause of amnesia?
Experts do not fully understand what causes amnesia but believe it can result from a variety of factors, including the following:
- Nutritional disorders
- Head trauma
- Disorders that disrupt blood flow to the brain, like stroke or high blood pressure
- Dementia
- Alcohol abuse
- Brain tumors
- Severe emotional stress
- Use of certain drugs and medications
What stage of dementia is forgetting names?
Forgetting names is not always a sign of dementia, but it can be. For example, forgetting the name of an acquaintance or friend of a friend can result from memory changes associated with normal aging. However, forgetting the name of a loved one can be a sign of something more serious than age-related forgetfulness, especially if the person is experiencing progressive memory loss that is worsening over time. To determine whether this type of memory loss is due to dementia or other cognitive disorders, talk to your primary care provider or other healthcare professional.
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