Forgetfulness can arise from aging, stress, depression, lack of sleep, or thyroid problems. Old age memory loss and Alzheimer’s are both conditions that result in memory loss. Old age memory loss is a normal process of aging, while Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that involves significant changes in cognitive abilities.
The key difference between old age memory loss and Alzheimer’s is the extent of forgetfulness. Old age memory loss can cause mild forgetfulness. However, Alzheimer’s disease can cause significant changes in memory, mood, and personality.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Old Age Memory Loss
3. What is Alzheimer’s
4. Similarities – Old Age Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s
5. Old Age Memory Loss vs Alzheimer’s in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Old Age Memory Loss vs Alzheimer’s
7. FAQ – Old Age Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s
What is Old Age Memory Loss?
Old age memory loss may include mild forgetfulness. People who suffer from normal aging-related memory loss may have occasional difficulty remembering names, appointments, or where they left something. But they may be able to remember these things later. Moreover, these people may take a longer time to recall information, or they may occasionally forget things. Old age memory can be due to deterioration of the hippocampus, a decline of the hormones and proteins that protect the brain cells, and decreased blood flow to the brain.
Old age memory loss can be diagnosed through medical history, questionnaires, and physical examination. Furthermore, treatment options for old age memory loss may include learning new skills, following a daily routine, planning tasks, placing wallet or purse, key, phone, and glasses in the same place each day, staying involved in activities, volunteering in the community, at school and place of worship, spending time with family and friends, getting enough sleep, exercising and eating well, preventing high blood pressure through medicines, avoiding or limiting alcohol and managing depression.
What is Alzheimer’s?
Alzheimer’s is a severe brain condition causing a progressive decline in memory, thinking, learning, and organizing skills. It is caused by plaques and tangles. Plaques are protein deposits that build up in between nerve cells, whereas tangles are fibers of protein that build up within cells in the brain. Alzheimer’s mainly affects people older than 65 years. However, it can also affect people in their 40s and 50s. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s may include a gradual decline of memory, reasoning and handling of complex tasks, language, understanding visual form and space relationship, behaviour, and personality, memory loss that disrupts daily life, difficulty completing familiar tasks, challenges in planning or solving problems, confusion with time or place, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, decreased or poor judgment, and changes in mood and personality.
Alzheimer’s can be diagnosed through medical history, neurological examination, physical examination, blood test, urine test, and imaging testing such as brain CT, brain MRI, or positron emission tomography. Furthermore, cholinesterase inhibitors, NMDA antagonists, disease-modifying agents such as aducanumab, antidepressants, ant-anxiety drugs, anticonvulsant drugs, antipsychotic drugs, and managing behavioral changes.
Similarities Between Old Age Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s
- Old age memory loss and Alzheimer’s can both cause memory loss.
- Both these conditions may have forgetfulness as a symptom.
- Both these conditions can be diagnosed through medical history and physical examination.
- They can be treated through specific medications and therapies.
Difference Between Old Age Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s
Definition
a. Old age memory loss is a condition that causes mild forgetfulness.
b. Alzheimer’s is a condition that causes severe forgetfulness.
Causes
a. Old age memory loss is caused by deterioration of the hippocampus, decline of the hormones and proteins that protect the brain cells, and decreased blood flow to the brain.
b. Alzheimer’s may be caused by plaques and tangles.
Symptoms
a. The symptoms of old age memory loss include occasional difficulty remembering names, appointments, or where they left something, but they may be able to remember these things later and may take longer time to recall information, or they may occasionally forget things.
b. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s may include gradual decline of memory, reasoning and handling of complex tasks, language, understanding visual form and space relationship, behaviour and personality, memory loss that disrupts daily life, difficulty completing familiar tasks, challenges in planning or solving problems, confusion with time or place, new problems with words in speaking or writing, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships, withdrawal from work or social activities, and changes in mood and personality.
Diagnosis
a. Old age memory loss can be diagnosed by medical history, questionnaires, and physical examination.
b. Alzheimer’s can be diagnosed by medical history, neurological examination, physical examination, blood test, urine test, and imaging testings such as brain CT, brain MRI, or positron emission tomography.
Treatment
a. Treatment options for old age memory loss include earning new skills, following a daily routine, planning tasks, putting wallet or purse, key, phone, and glasses in the same place each day, staying involved in activities, volunteering in the community, at school and place of worship, spending time with family and friends, getting enough sleep, exercising and eat well, preventing high blood pressure through medicines, avoiding or limiting alcohol and managing depression.
b. Treatment options for Alzheimer’s include cholinesterase inhibitors, NMDA antagonists, disease-modifying agents such as aducanumab, antidepressants, ant-anxiety drugs, anticonvulsant drugs, antipsychotic drugs, and managing behavioral changes.
The infographic below presents the differences between old age memory loss and Alzheimer’s in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Old Age Memory Loss vs Alzheimer’s
Old age memory loss and Alzheimer’s can both cause memory loss. Both these conditions may have forgetfulness as a symptom. However, old age memory loss is a normal process of aging that involves mild forgetfulness, while Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease that involves significant changes in cognitive abilities that are not a normal part of aging. Thus, this summarizes the difference between old age memory loss and Alzheimer’s.
FAQ: Old Age Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s
1. Is it normal for a 70-year-old to be forgetful?
- Forgetfulness tends to be a normal part of the aging process. Old age causes mild forgetfulness. Some worry that it is the first sign of dementia. However, it’s important to note that not all people with memory problems have dementia problems.
2. How can I stop losing memory in old age?
- Learn new skills, follow a daily routine, plan tasks, place your objects (phone, wallet, key, etc.) in an assigned place each day, stay involved in activities, volunteer in the community, at school and place of worship, spend time with family and friends, getting enough sleep, exercising and eat well, prevent high blood pressure through medicines, avoid or limit alcohol and manage depression.
3. What is Alzheimer’s caused by?
- The abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells is thought to cause Alzheimer’s disease. It is caused by plaques and tangles. Plaques are protein deposits that build up in between nerve cells, whereas tangles are fibers of protein that build up within cells in the brain.
4. What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?
- Alzheimer’s symptoms often include memory loss, difficulty with reasoning and complex tasks, trouble with language, understanding visual relationships, changes in behavior and personality, and challenges in daily life. This can also lead to diminished judgment, difficulty completing tasks, problems with problem-solving and planning, trouble with visual perception, confusion about time or location, misplacing items, and difficulty retracing steps. Mood swings and personality changes are also common.
5. Can you prevent Alzheimer’s?
- There is strong evidence that healthy lifestyle habits such as diet, exercise, and not smoking may play a role in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.
Reference:
1. Melinda Smith, M.A. “Age-Related Memory Loss.” HelpGuide.Org.
2. “Alzheimer’s Disease Fact Sheet.” National Institute on Aging.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Woman in Blue and White Crew Neck Shirt” (CC0) via Pexels
2. “Healthy Brain and Severe AD Brain” By NIH Image Gallery (CC0) via Flickr