Alzheimer's disease and related dementia: Alzheimer's Disease Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Lewy Body Dementia Pick's Disease Vascular Dementia Down Syndrome For more information about Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, click here.

Dementia is a syndrome characterized by a number of symptoms that typically include loss of memory, judgment and reasoning, as well as changes in mood or behaviour.

Whether these symptoms stem from a treatable condition, such as depression, or a non-treatable and progressive disorder like Alzheimer's disease, dementia may affect a person's ability to function at work, in social relationships, or to perform regular daily activities.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of irreversible dementia, accounting for 64 per cent of all dementia in Canada.

When a person has Alzheimer's disease, several physical changes occur in the brain. Brain cells shrink - or disappear - and are replaced by dense, irregularly shaped spots called plaques.

Threadlike tangles will also develop within existing brain cells, and will eventually choke and destroy these healthy cells.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and degenerative disease.
There is no known cause or cure. Click here for more information.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a rare and fatal form of progressive dementia that usually produces "sponge-like" microscopic holes in the brain's neurons that appear "sponge-like".

While there are several types of Creutzfeldt-Jakob, one type - Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob - is believed to be caused by exposure to contaminated meat from cows suffering from Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, or "Mad Cow" disease. Click here for more information.

Lewy body dementia shares characteristics with both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. It is identified by abnormal structures in the brain cells called "Lewy bodies". This type of dementia can occur by itself, or together with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Click here for more information.

Frontotemporal Dementia (Pick's Disease) disease is a progressive dementia that affects specific areas of the brain - the frontal and temporal lobes. Sometimes, brain cells in these areas can shrink or die; other times, the brain cells get larger, containing round, silver "Pick's bodies". Typically, memory remains intact in the early stages, but peronality and behaviour are affected. Click here for more information.

Vascular Dementia (VaD) is the result of one or multiple strokes, and usually has a sudden onset immediately following a stroke. VaD may follow a stepped progression - deteriorating, stabilizing, and then deteriorating again. Cognitive symptoms may vary, affecting some areas of the brain more than others. Click here for more information.

Down Syndrome, which causes delays and limitations in physical and intellectual development, is not a form of dementia. However, people with Down Syndrome are at particular risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in adult life. Click here for more information.