It is important to identify the actual cause in order to receive proper care. Alzheimer's Disease is the leading cause of dementia, as the graph below shows. Symptoms are failing memory, changes in behavior and lack of muscle coordination. CJD progresses rapidly, usually causing death within a year. No treatment is currently available.
Symptoms can include disorientation, confusion, and behavioral changes.
Symptoms include difficulty in walking, memory loss, and incontinence. NPH may be related to a history of meningitis, encephalitis, or brain injury, and is often correctable with surgery. Pick's Disease - a rare brain disease that closely resembles Alzheimer's, with personality changes and disorientation that may precede memory loss. As with Alzheimer's Disease, diagnosis is difficult, and can only be confirmed by autopsy. Parkinson's Disease - a disease affecting control of muscle activity, resulting in tremors, stiffness, and speech impediment.