Amnesia Vs. Dementia: Similarities And Differences

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.

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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."