Q: I often hear people use the terms “dementia” and “Alzheimer Disease” in the same breath- are these really the same condition?

A: While they are often used interchangeably, dementia refers to a group of symptoms related to memory loss that leads to a disruption in one’s daily life. Alzheimer Disease is the most common type of dementia, accounting for approximately three quarters of all incidents. Other types of dementia include Vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson disease, and others.