Types of dementia

Alzheimer's disease often begins with memory and learning difficulties, while vascular dementia may follow strokes or develop alongside blood-vessel disease, causing slowed thinking, planning problems, or changes that occur in steps. Lewy body dementia can combine attention fluctuations, visual hallucinations, movement changes, and sleep disturbance. Frontotemporal dementia often begins with marked changes in behaviour, personality, language, or social judgement, sometimes before memory is affected. Mixed dementia means more than one brain disease contributes to the symptoms.

Memory problems do not automatically mean dementia. Medication effects, depression, sleep disorders, thyroid problems, infections, and other conditions can affect thinking and should be assessed.

Arrange a GP consultation when memory, language, judgement, mood, or daily tasks change repeatedly or concern family members. Bring a list of medicines and examples of changes, including when they started and whether they fluctuate. Assessment may include a physical examination, blood tests, cognitive questions, and sometimes brain imaging. Support routines, hearing and vision needs, medication organisation, and home safety while assessment continues.

Sudden confusion, new weakness, facial drooping, trouble speaking, severe headache, fever, or a recent head injury needs emergency assessment because it may reflect a problem other than dementia. Seek prompt help for wandering, falls, inability to eat or drink, or unsafe behaviour.

Ask which changes are most concerning, what reversible causes will be checked, whether a mental health assessment is useful, and what support is available for daily safety and carers.