Brain Injury Resource Center of Wisconsin

• BIRCofWI Resource and Reference Library Database

Alzheimer’s Association

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.
• It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment.
• Alzheimer’s disease involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.
• It can seriously affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities.

What is Dementia?

• Dementia is not a specific disease but is rather a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interfere with doing everyday activities.
• Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia. Though dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal aging.

What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?

Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental ability severe enough to interfere with daily life, while Alzheimer’s is a specific disease. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia.

What is Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)?

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of memory loss or other cognitive ability loss (such as language or visual/spatial perception) in individuals who maintain the ability to independently perform most activities of daily living.