Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. People with Alzheimer’s also experience changes in behavior and personality.

More than 6 million Americans, many of them age 65 and older, are estimated to have Alzheimer’s disease. That’s more individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease than the population of a large American city. Many more people experience Alzheimer's in their lives as family members and friends of those with the disease.

The symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease — changes in thinking, remembering, reasoning, and behavior — are known as dementia. That’s why Alzheimer’s is sometimes referred to as “dementia.” Other diseases and conditions can also cause dementia, with Alzheimer’s being the most common cause of dementia in older adults.

Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. It’s the result of complex changes in the brain that start years before symptoms appear and lead to the loss of brain cells and their connections.

What Causes Alzheimer’s?

The causes of Alzheimer’s disease are not yet fully understood, but probably include a combination of:

• Age-related changes in the brain, like shrinking, inflammation, blood vessel damage, and breakdown of energy within cells, which may harm neurons and affect other brain cells.
• Changes or differences in genes, which may be passed down by a family member. Both types of Alzheimer's — the very rare early-onset type occurring between age 30 and mid-60s, and the most common late-onset type occurring after a person’s mid-60s — can be related to a person’s genes in some way. Many people with Down syndrome, a genetic condition, will develop Alzheimer’s as they age and may begin to show symptoms in their 40s.
• Health, environmental, and lifestyle factors that may play a role, such as exposure to pollutants, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s?

Memory problems are often one of the first signs of Alzheimer’s. Symptoms vary from person to person, and may include problems with:

• Word-finding, or having more trouble coming up with words than other people the same age.
• Vision and spatial issues, like awareness of the space around them.
• Impaired reasoning or judgment, which can impact decisions.

Other symptoms may be changes in the person’s behavior, including:

• Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks.
• Repeating questions.
• Trouble handling money and paying bills.
• Wandering and getting lost.
• Losing things or misplacing them in odd places.
• Mood and personality changes.
• Increased anxiety and/or aggression.

How Is Alzheimer’s Diagnosed and Treated?

Doctors may ask questions about health, conduct cognitive tests, and carry out standard medical tests to determine whether to diagnose a person with Alzheimer’s disease. If a doctor thinks a person may have Alzheimer’s, they may refer the person to a specialist, such as a neurologist, for further assessment. Specialists may conduct additional tests, such as brain scans or lab tests of spinal fluid, to help make a diagnosis. These tests measure signs of the disease, such as changes in brain size or levels of certain proteins.

There is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s, though there are several medicines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that can help manage some symptoms of the disease along with coping strategies to manage behavioral symptoms. There are also medications emerging to treat the progression of the disease by targeting its underlying causes. Learn more about how Alzheimer's disease is treated.

Most medicines work best for people in the early or middle stages of Alzheimer’s. Researchers are exploring other drug therapies and nondrug interventions to delay or prevent the disease as well as treat its symptoms.

What Are the Stages of Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s disease slowly gets worse over time. People with this disease progress at different rates and in several stages. Symptoms may get worse and then improve, but until an effective treatment for the disease itself is found, the person’s ability will continue to decline over the course of the disease.

Early-stage Alzheimer’s is when a person begins to experience memory loss and other cognitive difficulties, though the symptoms appear gradual to the person and their family. Alzheimer’s disease is often diagnosed at this stage.

During middle-stage Alzheimer’s, damage occurs in areas of the brain that control language, reasoning, sensory processing, and conscious thought. People at this stage may have more confusion and trouble recognizing family and friends.

In late-stage Alzheimer’s, a person cannot communicate, is completely dependent on others for care, and may be in bed most or all the time as the body shuts down.

How long a person can live with Alzheimer’s disease varies. A person may live as few as three or four years if he or she is older than 80 when diagnosed, to as long as 10 or more years if the person is younger. Older adults with Alzheimer’s disease need to know their end-of-life care options and express their wishes to caregivers as early as possible after a diagnosis, before their thinking and speaking abilities fail.

What Is Mild Cognitive Impairment?

Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, is a condition in which people have more memory problems than normal for their age but are still able to carry out their normal daily activities. A doctor can do thinking, memory, and language tests to see if a person has MCI. People with MCI are at a greater risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, so it’s important to see a doctor or specialist regularly if you have this condition.

What Can You Do?

If you are concerned about memory problems or other symptoms, call your doctor.

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological conditions affecting the brain that worsen over time. It is the loss of the ability to think, remember, and reason to levels that affect daily life and activities. Some people with dementia cannot control their emotions and other behaviors, and their personality may change.

In the past, dementia was sometimes referred to as “senility” and was thought to be a normal part of aging, likely because it is more common as people age. About one-third of all people age 85 or older may have some form of dementia. But dementia is not a normal part of aging and not everyone develops dementia as they grow older. In rare cases, some people develop dementia in midlife.

What Causes Dementia?

Dementia is the result of changes in certain brain regions that cause neurons (nerve cells) and their connections to stop working properly. Researchers have connected changes in the brain to certain forms of dementia, but, in most cases, the underlying causes are unknown. For a small number of people, rare genetic variants that cause dementia have been identified.

Although some people may be diagnosed simply as having “dementia,” to best tailor treatment and prepare for the future, it is ideal to know the specific type.

Types of dementia include:

• Alzheimer’s disease, the most common dementia diagnosis among older adults. Alzheimer’s dementia is typically associated with abnormal buildups of proteins in the brain — known as amyloid plaques and tau tangles — along with a loss of connection among nerve cells. These changes can be seen during life using a PET scan.
• Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which is rare and tends to occur in people younger than 60. FTD is named for the areas of the brain affected. Changes in the frontal lobe lead to behavioral symptoms, whereas changes in the temporal lobe lead to problems with language and emotions. These changes include abnormal amounts or forms of the proteins tau and TDP-43, and the loss of nerve cells.
• Lewy body dementia (LBD), with symptoms that include problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood. People with LBD have abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain, also called Lewy bodies.
• Vascular dementia, a diagnosis of dementia in people who have vascular changes in the brain, such as a stroke or injury to small vessels carrying blood to the brain. People diagnosed with a vascular dementia may also show changes in the brain’s white matter, i.e., the connecting "wires" of the brain that relay messages between regions. These changes can be seen with an MRI.
• Mixed dementia,whichrefers to a diagnosis of dementia that is thought to be connected to a mixture of changes in the brain. For example, a person might have evidence of changes traditionally associated with both Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Researchers are continuing to explore how and why multiple distinct dementia-related brain changes can develop at the same time. This will help them better understand these various disorders and develop personalized prevention and treatment strategies.

Together, the conditions are often referred to as Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias because they share many features and may commonly occur together.

Scientists are investigating how the underlying disease processes in different forms of dementia start and influence each other. They also continue to explore the variety of disorders and disease processes that contribute to dementia, including previously unidentified causes. For example, researchers recently characterized a brain disorder involving the TDP-43 protein called limbic predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, or LATE. LATE causes symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s, including memory loss, but has different underlying causes. Researchers identified LATE based on results of autopsy studies that revealed build-ups of the protein TDP-43. Recent research suggests that LATE can contribute to cognitive decline alone or in combination with other types of dementia and that people over the age of 80 are at the greatest risk. LATE can currently only be diagnosed after death through an autopsy. Researchers are working to further explore the causes of and risk factors for LATE and to identify ways that could help doctors diagnose and treat it.

Many other conditions can cause dementia or dementia-like symptoms, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Huntington's disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, and HIV-associated dementia. In addition, certain medical conditions — and even some medications — can cause serious memory problems like those seen in dementia. Scientists continue to research disorders that cause dementia or similar symptoms.

Treatable Causes of Dementia-Like Symptoms

There are many conditions that can cause dementia-like symptoms that can sometimes be stopped or even reversed with treatment. These conditions include:

• Side effects of certain medicines
• Emotional problems, such as stress, anxiety, or depression
• Certain vitamin deficiencies
• Heavy alcohol use over a long period of time
• Blood clots, tumors, or infections in the brain
• Delirium, a sudden state of confusion and disorientation
• Head injury, such as a concussion from a fall or accident
• Thyroid, kidney, or liver problems
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus, an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain

Talk with your doctor if you experience serious memory problems or other symptoms of dementia. A proper diagnosis is important to getting the right treatment.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Dementia?

Many people associate dementia with memory loss. This is because memory problems are often one of the early symptoms of a dementia disorder, but they are not the only one. The symptoms of dementia can vary, depending on the type of dementia and which areas of the brain are affected. Symptoms may include:

• Memory loss, poor judgment, and confusion
• Changes in the ability to speak, understand, and express thoughts and/or words and to write and read
• Wandering and getting lost in a familiar neighborhood
• Trouble handling money and paying bills
• Repeating questions
• Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects
• Taking longer to complete normal daily tasks
• Loss of interest in normal daily activities or events
• Hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia
• Acting impulsively
• Not caring about other people’s feelings
• Problems with balance and movement

People with dementia and those caring for them can face great challenges, including the person’s ability to handle tasks, changes in family relationships, loss of work, and the need for more care as the underlying disease progresses. People in the earlier stages of dementia may need help with daily activities, while people with advanced dementia may need constant care and supervision.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities can also develop dementia as they age. Recognizing the symptoms can be difficult because they may be attributed to the person's disability. It’s important to consider a person’s existing ability and watch for changes over time that may signal dementia.

How Is Dementia Diagnosed and Treated?

To diagnose dementia, a doctor will complete a medical history, physical exam, and neurological tests that assess balance, sensory response, reflexes, and memory and thinking skills. In addition, a doctor may order brain scans, blood tests, genetic tests, a spinal tap, and a mental health evaluation to help determine a diagnosis.

Because different types of dementia can share similar symptoms, providing an accurate diagnosis can be difficult. In addition, dementia may be difficult to diagnose as a single disease given that a person could have more than one type.

Visiting a primary care doctor is often the first step for people who are experiencing symptoms of dementia. Your doctor may refer you to a neurologist, which is a specialist in disorders of the brain and nervous system. Neurologists generally have the expertise needed to diagnose dementia.

While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s or related dementias, medicines are emerging to treat disease progression. There are also medications that may temporarily improve or stabilize memory and thinking skills in some people and may help manage certain symptoms and behavioral problems. A team of specialists — doctors, nurses, and therapists — can help with maintaining mobility; addressing speech and swallowing problems; and learning new ways to handle loss of skills with everyday tasks, such as feeding oneself.

Through substantial investments from the U.S. federal government and others, researchers continue to advance scientific growth and discovery to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and care of those living with dementia.

What Can You Do?

If you are concerned about memory problems or other symptoms of dementia, call your doctor. If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed, explore the resources on this website and referenced below to find out more about dementia care, support, and research. It is important to educate family, friends, and caregivers about a loved one’s diagnosis. In-person and online support groups offered by nonprofit organizations can provide families and caregivers with additional resources and opportunities to share experiences and express concerns. You may also consider participating in a clinical trial or study.

Vascular dementia is caused by conditions such as stroke that disrupt blood flow to the brain and lead to problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. Vascular dementia is the second most common dementia diagnosis, after Alzheimer’s disease, and can occur alone or alongside another form of dementia.

What Causes Vascular Dementia?

Vascular dementia is caused by conditions that damage blood vessels in the brain and interrupt the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. In the research community, these conditions are known as vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). The brains of people with vascular dementia often show evidence of prior strokes, thickening blood vessel walls, and thinning white matter — the brain’s connecting “wires” that relay messages between regions.

Not everyone who has had a stroke will develop vascular dementia. A person’s risk for dementia after stroke depends on the size and number of strokes and the brain regions affected. Vascular dementia can also result from other conditions that impede blood flow and delivery of oxygen to the brain, such as narrowing of the arteries.

High blood pressure, problems with the heartbeat’s rhythm, diabetes, and high cholesterol can increase a person’s risk of vascular dementia. By controlling or managing risk factors, you may lower your chance of developing cognitive impairment and dementia.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Vascular Dementia?

Symptoms of vascular dementia can appear suddenly and may progress slowly over time. People with vascular dementia may experience:

• Difficulty performing tasks that used to be easy, such as paying bills
• Trouble following instructions or learning new information and routines
• Forgetting current or past events
• Misplacing items
• Getting lost on familiar routes
• Problems with language, such as finding the right word or using the wrong word
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Difficulty reading and writing
• Loss of interest in things or people
• Changes in personality, behavior, and mood, such as depression, agitation, and anger
• Hallucinations or delusions (believing something is real that is not)
• Poor judgment and loss of ability to perceive danger

Symptoms may depend on the size, location, and number of damaged areas of the brain.

How Is Vascular Dementia Diagnosed and Treated?

To diagnose vascular dementia, a doctor may ask about problems with daily activities, conduct memory or thinking tests, and speak with someone who knows the person well to see if symptoms of dementia are present. Medical history, lifestyle, and brain imaging tests are often used to help determine whether vascular dementia is the cause of symptoms.

No treatments are available to reverse brain damage that has been caused by a stroke. Treatment for vascular dementia focuses on preventing future strokes. Medications to prevent strokes, such as blood thinners, may help decrease the risk of further damage to the brain. Medications that help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease might benefit people with early vascular dementia. A doctor may also recommend treating risk factors, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, through medications and lifestyle changes.

What Can You Do?

A healthy lifestyle is important to help reduce risk factors of vascular dementia. This includes eating well, limiting alcohol, not smoking, exercising, and managing stress.

If you are concerned about vascular dementia symptoms, talk with your doctor. 

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a brain disorder that can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood. Visual hallucinations, or seeing things that are not there, are a common symptom, and tend to happen early on.

More than 1 million people in the United States are diagnosed with LBD, which is one of the most common forms of dementia. It is a progressive disease, meaning symptoms start slowly and worsen over time.

Although younger people can have LBD, it typically begins at age 50 or older. People with LBD live on average five to eight years — but may live as few as two years or as long as 20 years — from the time of diagnosis to death. How fast symptoms develop and change varies depending on the person’s overall health, age, and level of symptoms.

What Causes Lewy Body Dementia?

In people with LBD, abnormal clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein accumulate in areas of the brain involved in thinking, memory, and movement. The clumps are called "Lewy bodies" after the doctor who discovered them. They build up inside neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain and cause the neurons not to work well and eventually die. Certain chemicals in the brain that act as messengers between cells are also affected. What causes these changes in the brain is not yet fully understood.

Most cases of LBD are not inherited and rarely does more than one family member have the disease. Certain genetic variants may increase the chance of developing dementia with Lewy bodies, but having a genetic variant does not mean that a person will definitely develop the disease.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia?

The most common symptoms of LBD include changes in thinking abilities, movement, sleep, and behavior. The degree of symptoms can vary widely and people with LBD may not have every symptom. Common symptoms include:

• Trouble with attention, planning, multitasking, problem-solving, and reasoning. Memory problems are also common but may not be noticeable early on.
• Problems with visual and spatial abilities, such as judging distance and depth or misidentifying objects.
• Unpredictable changes in concentration, attention, alertness, and wakefulness.
• Visual hallucinations, which occur in up to 80% of people with LBD, often early on.
• Movement changes, such as tremor or muscle stiffness, known as parkinsonism.
• Sleep disorders, including rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder in which a person seems to act out dreams while asleep, excessive sleep or lack of sleep, and restless leg syndrome.
• Depression, lack of interest, anxiety, ideas not based in reality, and other changes in mental health.
• Sensitivity to heat and cold, dizziness, poor sense of smell, and other changes in automatic functions of the body.

Individuals with mild symptoms can often function close to normally. As the disease progresses and thinking and movement abilities decline, people with LBD will need more help and may depend on caregivers full time.

What Are the Types of Lewy Body Dementia?

The two types of Lewy body dementia — dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease dementia — are caused by the same underlying changes in the brain. Over time, these conditions may result in similar symptoms. The main difference is the timing of when thinking and movement symptoms begin.

In dementia with Lewy bodies, problems with thinking, unpredictable changes in attention and alertness, and visual hallucinations develop early in relation to movement symptoms, such as slow movement, difficulty walking, and muscle stiffness.

In Parkinson's disease dementia, movement symptoms start first and are consistent with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Later, problems with thinking and changes in mood and behavior develop. However, not everyone with Parkinson’s disease will develop dementia.

It's important to know which type of LBD a person has, both to tailor treatment to symptoms and to understand how the disease will likely progress. For example, some people with LBD may not experience significant movement problems, such as frequent falls and shaking, for several years, while others may have them early on. Knowing what to expect can help people with LBD and their families prepare for changes that may need to be made, for example, to help prevent falls.

How Is Lewy Body Dementia Diagnosed and Treated?

Dementia with Lewy bodies is often hard to diagnose early because symptoms may at first look like Alzheimer's or a mental illness such as schizophrenia. LBD can also occur alongside other forms of dementia. Talking to both the patient and family members or caregivers can help doctors make a diagnosis. It is important to tell the doctor about any symptoms involving thinking, movement, sleep, behavior, or mood.

To diagnose LBD, doctors may:

• Ask questions about a person’s medical history and symptoms.
• Perform physical exams and laboratory tests of blood and other fluids.
• Conduct assessments to evaluate memory and other mental functions.
• Do tests to rule out other conditions that could cause similar symptoms. These could include blood tests and brain imaging tests.

Although LBD currently cannot be prevented or cured, treatments may be able to help with some of the symptoms. A treatment plan may involve medications, physical and other types of therapy, and counseling. Changes to make the home safer, equipment to make everyday tasks easier, and social support are also important.

A skilled care team can suggest ways to improve quality of life for both people with LBD and their caregivers. A neurologist should be part of the care team and can help patients and their families work with other types of professionals.

Support groups can also be a valuable resource for people with LBD and their caregivers to share experiences and tips with others in the same situation. Nonprofit organizations and community organizations may provide online or in-person support groups. National Institute on Aging-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers also may offer education and support groups.

What Can You Do?

If you are concerned about symptoms of LBD, talk with your doctor or contact a dementia or movement disorders clinic at an academic medical center to find a specialist. If you or someone you know has been recently diagnosed, explore the resources on this website and linked below to find out more about the disease, care, support, and research. It’s important to plan ahead because symptoms can worsen quickly. Researchers are working to better understand LBD and related disorders to treat and prevent these diseases.

Frontotemporal dementia is caused by a group of disorders that gradually damage the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes. These damages cause changes in thinking and behaviors. Symptoms can include unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, challenges with work, and difficulty with walking.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD), sometimes called frontotemporal disorders, is rare and tends to occur at a younger age than other dementias. About 60% of people with frontotemporal dementia are 45 to 64 years old.

FTD is progressive, meaning symptoms get worse over time. Some people live more than 10 years after diagnosis, while others live less than two years after they are diagnosed. High levels of care, such as 24-hour care, may be needed over time. Once the person is diagnosed, it is important to plan ahead for financial, legal, and care arrangements that may be needed as the disease progresses.

What Are the Types of Frontotemporal Dementia?

There are several disorders that can result in frontotemporal dementia, all of which can affect middle-aged and older adults.

• Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is the most common frontotemporal disorder. It causes changes in personality, behavior, emotions, and judgment.
• Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) involves changes in the ability to communicate — to speak, read, write, and understand what others are saying.
• Movement disorders happen when the parts of the brain that control movement are affected. There are two types of rare movement disorders associated with FTD: corticobasal syndrome and progressive supranuclear palsy. Other movement-related disorders include frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism and frontotemporal dementia with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD-ALS). Symptoms can vary among these movement disorders.

What Causes Frontotemporal Dementia?

The underlying causes of frontotemporal dementia are not yet fully understood. People with FTD have abnormal amounts or forms of proteins called tau and TDP-43 inside nerve cells, or neurons, in their brain. The neurons die because the buildup of these proteins causes damage. In some cases, mutations or changes in genes can be identified as the cause of FTD. For example, about 10% to 30% of bvFTD cases can be attributed to genetic causes. People with a family history of FTD are more likely to have a genetic form of the disease.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Frontotemporal Dementia?

The signs and symptoms of frontotemporal dementia vary from person to person and the order in which they appear can also vary. Changes in the frontal lobe of the brain are generally associated with behavioral symptoms and may also lead to movement symptoms. Changes in the temporal lobe generally lead to disorders of language and emotion.

Symptoms of frontotemporal dementia and associated disorders may include:

• Decreased energy and motivation
• Lack of interest in others
• Inappropriate and impulsive behaviors
• Not acting considerate of others
• Repeating an activity or word over and over again
• Changes in food preferences and compulsive eating
• Increased interest in sex
• Neglect of personal hygiene
• Emotional flatness or excessive emotions
• Difficulty making or understanding speech
• Inability to make common motions, such as using a fork
• Problems with balance and walking
• Increased clumsiness
• Slow movement, falling, body stiffness
• Restricted eye movements
• Shaky hands
• Muscle weakness and loss, fine jerks, wiggling in muscles

How Is Frontotemporal Dementia Diagnosed and Treated?

Frontotemporal dementia can be hard to diagnose because symptoms are similar to other conditions. Also, because these disorders are rare, physicians may be unfamiliar with the signs and symptoms.

Talking with patients, family members, and caregivers can help doctors make a diagnosis. It is important to tell the doctor about any symptoms involving changes in personality and behavior and difficulties with speech or movement.

To diagnose frontotemporal dementia, a doctor may perform an exam and ask about symptoms, look at personal and family medical history, use tests to help rule out other conditions, order genetic testing, conduct an assessment of the mind and behavior, and order imaging of the brain. Only genetic tests in familial cases or a brain autopsy after a person dies can confirm a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia. Researchers are studying ways to diagnose the disorders earlier and more accurately and to distinguish them from other types of dementia.

There is no cure for frontotemporal dementia and no way to slow down or prevent it. However, there are ways to help manage symptoms:

• Maintain a schedule, decrease distractions, and change the environment to help with behavioral issues. For example, if compulsive eating is an issue, consider limiting food choices, locking cabinets and the refrigerator, and distracting the person with other activities.
• Try to recognize it’s the illness “talking” and accept rather than challenge people with behavioral symptoms. Arguing or reasoning will not help because they cannot control their behaviors or even see that they are unusual or upsetting to others.
• Limit choices and offer specific choices, such as “Do you want to go to the park or for a walk?” rather than, “What do you want to do today?”
• If you become frustrated, take a timeout — take deep breaths, count to 10, or leave the room for a few minutes.
• To help with language issues, speak slowly and clearly, use simple sentences, wait for responses, and ask for clarification if you don’t understand something. An album of labeled photos of people and objects, gestures, and drawing may help communicate without talking. A speech-language pathologist can determine the best tools and strategies for a particular person.

Medications, such as antidepressants and antipsychotics, may help treat certain behavioral symptoms. There are also medications that may help with movement problems, and physical and occupational therapy may provide some relief. Contact an academic medical center in your community to find a specialist and learn more about possible treatments. Visit the National Institute on Aging for a list of medical centers where people with frontotemporal dementia and associated disorders can be diagnosed and treated.

Support groups can also be a valuable resource for people with frontotemporal dementias and their caregivers, allowing them to share experiences and tips with others who may be in the same situation.

What Can You Do?

If you have a family history or are concerned about symptoms of frontotemporal dementia, talk with your doctor.

Some older adults have more memory or thinking problems than other adults their age. This condition is called mild cognitive impairment, or MCI.

There is no single cause of MCI. The risk of developing MCI increases as someone gets older. Conditions such as diabetes, depression, and stroke may increase a person’s risk for MCI.

What Are the Symptoms of Mild Cognitive Impairment?

The symptoms of MCI are not as severe as the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease or dementia. For example, people with MCI do not experience the personality changes or other problems that are characteristic of Alzheimer's. People with MCI are still able to take care of themselves and do their normal daily activities.

Signs of MCI may include:

• Losing things often
• Forgetting to go to events or appointments
• Having more trouble coming up with words than other people of the same age

Movement difficulties and problems with the sense of smell have also been linked to MCI.

How Is Mild Cognitive Impairment Diagnosed?

Family and friends may notice memory lapses, and the person with MCI may worry about losing his or her memory. These worries may prompt the person to see a doctor about their memory problems.

In some cases, memory and thinking problems may be caused by conditions that are treatable. A doctor can perform tests and assessments to help understand whether the source of memory problems is something treatable or may be MCI. He or she also may suggest that the person see a specialist for more tests.

How Is Mild Cognitive Impairment Managed?

There currently is no standard treatment or approved medication for MCI, but there are things a person can do that may help them stay healthy and deal with changes in their thinking.

Because MCI may be an early sign of more serious memory problems, it's important to see a doctor or specialist every six to 12 months. A doctor can help track changes in memory and thinking skills over time. Keeping a record of any changes can also be helpful.

People with MCI might also consider participating in clinical trials or studies. Clinical trials are research studies that help test if a treatment, like a new drug, is safe and effective in people. People with and without memory problems can take part in clinical trials, which may help themselves, their families, or future generations.

Does Mild Cognitive Impairment Lead to Dementia?

Researchers have found that more people with MCI than those without it go on to develop Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. An estimated 10 to 20% of people age 65 or older with MCI develop dementia over a one-year period. However, not everyone who has MCI develops dementia. In many cases, the symptoms of MCI may stay the same or even improve.

Research suggests that genetic factors may play a role in who will develop MCI, as they do in Alzheimer's and related dementias. Studies are underway to learn why some people with MCI progress to Alzheimer's and others do not.

Memory often changes as people grow older. Some people notice changes in themselves before anyone else does. For other people, friends and family are the first to see changes in memory, behavior, or abilities. Memory loss that disrupts daily life is not a typical part of aging. People with one or more of these 10 warning signs should see a doctor to find the cause. Early diagnosis gives them a chance to seek treatment and plan for the future.

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life: forgetting events, repeating yourself or relying on more aids to help you remember (like sticky notes or reminders).

2.Challenges in planning or solving problems: having trouble paying bills or cooking recipes you have used for years.

3.Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure: having problems with cooking, driving places, using a cell phone, or shopping.

4.Confusion with time or place: having trouble understanding an event that is happening later, or losing track of dates.

5.Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relations: having more difficulty with balance or judging distance, tripping over things at home, or spilling or dropping things more often.

6.New problems with words in speaking or writing: having trouble following or joining a conversation or struggling to find a word you are looking for (saying “that thing on your wrist that tells time” instead of “watch”).

7.Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps: placing car keys in the washer or dryer or not being able to retrace steps to find something.

8.Decreased or poor judgment: being a victim of a scam, not managing money well, paying less attention to hygiene, or having trouble taking care of a pet.

9.Withdrawal from work or social activities: not wanting to go to church or other activities as you usually do, not being able to follow football games or keep up with what’s happening.

10.Changes in mood and personality: getting easily upset in common situations or being fearful or suspicious.

As you age, you may have concerns about the increased risk of dementia. You may have questions, too. Are there steps I can take to prevent it? Is there anything I can do to reduce my risk? There are currently no approaches that have been proven to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. However, as with many other diseases, there may be steps you can take to help reduce your risk.

What Are Risk Factors?

A risk factor is something that may increase the chance of developing a disease. Some risk factors can be controlled while others cannot. For example, a person is not able to control their age, which is the greatest known risk factor for Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Another uncontrollable risk factor is a person’s genes. Genes are structures in our body’s cells that are passed down from a person’s birth parents. Changes in genes — even small changes — can cause diseases.

Race and gender are also factors that influence risk. Research shows that African Americans, American Indians, and Alaska Natives have the highest rates of dementia, and that risk factors may differ for women and men. Researchers are investigating what’s behind these differences.

However, people do have control over their behavior and lifestyle, which can influence their risk for certain diseases. For example, high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. Lowering blood pressure with lifestyle changes or medication can help reduce a person’s risk for heart disease and heart attack.

To determine which risk factors may prevent a disease or condition, researchers first conduct observational studies to make associations. They then conduct carefully controlled clinical trials. For example, researchers identified an association between high blood pressure and heart attacks and then completed clinical trials to determine that lowering a person’s blood pressure would indeed lower the likelihood of having a heart attack. This is not to say that people who lower their blood pressure definitely won’t have a heart attack. But it significantly lowers the chances.

For Alzheimer’s and related dementias, no behavior or lifestyle factors have risen to the level of researchers being able to say: This will definitely prevent these diseases. But there are promising avenues.

What Do We Know About Reducing Risk for Dementia?

The number of older Americans is rising, so the number of people with dementia is predicted to increase. However, some studies have shown that incidence rates of dementia — meaning new cases in a population over a certain period of time — have decreased in some locations, including in the United States. Based on observational studies, factors such as healthy lifestyle behaviors and higher levels of education may be contributing to such a decline. But the cause and effect is uncertain, and such factors need to be tested in a clinical trial to prove whether they can prevent dementia.

A review of published research evaluated the evidence from clinical trials on behavior and lifestyle changes to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s or age-related cognitive decline. The review found “encouraging but inconclusive” evidence for three types of behavioral changes (called interventions): physical activity, blood pressure control, and cognitive training. The findings mean that interventions in these areas are promising enough that researchers should keep studying them to learn more. Researchers continue to explore these and other interventions to determine whether — and in what amounts or forms — they might prevent dementia.

What Can You Do?

Although there is no effective treatment or proven prevention for Alzheimer’s and related dementias, in general, leading a healthy lifestyle may help address risk factors that have been associated with these diseases.

• Control high blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, has harmful effects on the heart, blood vessels, and brain, and increases the risk of stroke and vascular dementia. Treating high blood pressure with medication and healthy lifestyle changes, such as exercising and quitting smoking, may help reduce the risk of dementia.
• Manage blood sugar. Higher than normal levels of blood sugar, or glucose, can lead to diabetes and may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, cognitive impairment, and dementia. Making healthy food choices, getting regular exercise, stopping smoking, and checking glucose levels can help manage blood sugar.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk for related health problems such as diabetes and heart disease. Being active and choosing healthy foods can help maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat a healthy diet. Aim for a mix of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and seafood, unsaturated fats such as olive oil, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, and limit other fats and sugars.
• Keep physically active. Physical activity has many health benefits, such as helping to prevent being overweight and having obesity, heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Aim to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. 
• Stay mentally active. Lots of activities can help keep your mind active, including reading, playing board games, crafting or taking up a new hobby, learning a new skill, working or volunteering, and socializing.
• Stay connected with family and friends. Connecting with people and engaging in social activities can prevent social isolation and loneliness, which are linked to higher risks for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Treat hearing problems. Hearing loss may affect cognition and dementia risk in older adults and can make it more difficult to interact with others. Protect your ears from loud sounds to help prevent hearing loss and use hearing aids if needed.
• Take care of your mental and physical health. This includes getting your recommended health screenings, managing chronic health issues such as depression or high cholesterol, and regularly checking in with your health care provider.
• Sleep well. Sleeping well is important for both your mind and body. Try to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night. Talk with your doctor if you are not getting enough sleep, sleeping poorly, or think you may have a sleep disorder.
• Prevent head injury. Take steps to prevent falls and head injury, such as fall-proofing your home and wearing shoes with nonskid soles that fully support your feet. Consider participating in fall prevention programs online or in your area. Also, wear seatbelts and helmets to help protect you from concussions and other brain injuries.
• Drink less alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to falls and worsen health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, memory loss, and mood disorders. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, recommends that men should not have more than two drinks a day and women only one. Learn more at NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking website.
• Stop tobacco use. At any age, stopping smoking can improve your health and lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and lung disease.

Researchers cannot say for certain whether making the above lifestyle changes will protect against dementia, but these changes are good for your health and are all part of making healthy choices as you age.

Watch Out for False Alzheimer’s Cures

Although you might see commercials or online advertisements for products promising to improve brain health and prevent dementia, be cautious about such products. There currently is no product that will effectively prevent or treat Alzheimer’s or related dementias. Check with your doctor before trying any new medication or supplement.

What’s Next With Dementia Prevention Research?

More research is needed to find ways to help prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Future research may determine that specific interventions are needed to prevent or delay the disease in some people, but others may need a combination of treatments based on their individual risk factors. Understanding risk factors and choices you can make now is important for both your present and future health. In addition to this website, consider the resources listed below to learn more.

You can also help researchers learn more about preventing dementia by participating in clinical trials and studies.