Types of dementia

There are a large number of conditions which cause the symptoms of dementia, as a result of changes that happen on the brain and the ultimate loss of nerve cells (neurons). The most common causes are:

• Alzheimer's disease
• Vascular dementia
• Dementia with Lewy bodies
• Fronto-temporal dementia (including Pick's disease)

The boundaries between the different types are not necessarily distinct. Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia are responsible for up to 90% of cases of dementia.