Stop 1 of 14
What is dementia?
The Short Answer
Dementia is a category — like the word “dog.” Alzheimer’s disease is one specific cause within that category — like a Golden Retriever is one specific breed of dog. Dementia itself is not a single disease.
Understand It
Every Golden Retriever is a dog. Not every dog is a Golden Retriever.
Different "breeds" of dementia — each a different underlying disease.
Dementia describes a pattern of symptoms, not one specific disease. Many different brain diseases can produce the symptoms we call dementia.
The symptoms typically include changes in memory, reasoning, language, attention, perception, or behavior — severe enough to interfere with daily activities and independence.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, but it is not the only one. Other causes include vascular disease, Lewy body disease, and frontotemporal degeneration, among others.
The Golden Retriever Rule: Dementia is the category — like “dog.” Alzheimer’s disease is one specific cause within that category — like a Golden Retriever is one specific breed. Every Golden Retriever is a dog. Not every dog is a Golden Retriever.
Quick Check
A moment to check your understanding — this is feedback, not a test.
Which statement best describes dementia?
Could you explain this to someone else?
Could you explain why a diagnosis of dementia is not the same as a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease?
The One Thing to Remember
Dementia is a description of symptoms, not a diagnosis — many different diseases can cause it.