The Difference Between Alzheimer's and Dementia: Being Patient Talks to Brad Dickerson

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[JohnSandblom]

While informative, it is worth noting some of the atypical types of Alzheimer's like mine. It is now thought I have atypical Alzheimer's as that is what autopsy showed took my father which is a frontal variant type that starts in the frontal lobe making it more confusing to a diagnostician. With this type if caught in an early stage, memory is not usually among the symptoms. It is usually things to do with executive function. Until the autopsy of my father, two separate behavioral neurologists were not sure what type of dementia that I had, only that it was certain that I had dementia because my scans were so atypical. I was 48 when first diagnosed and now almost 10 years after diagnosis. Both my father (posthumously) and I participate in research through providing biological materials to N.C. R. A. D. at Indiana University which I encourage to others living with a diagnosis (if you are in the US). All it takes is a blood draw however if you are willing to donate your brain after death, they will usually pay the costs to obtain it and eventually family receives a brain autopsy. They are a clearing house that provides research materials to many researchers all over the country.