The human world has somewhat unlocked an era of suffering. Diseases are found in abundance. A diseased person has to deal with discomfort and sometimes pain. Two very unique diseases are Amnesia and Alzheimer’s. They have been happening to people for a long time now. Only recently have the causes and treatments been found. The two diseases are often considered to be similar. However, the main difference lies in the fact that having amnesia is quite sudden. At the same time, Alzheimer’s comes with aging.
Amnesia vs Alzheimer’s
The main difference between Amnesia and Alzheimer’s is that an issue of amnesia, it can strike at any time. After birth, an individual can develop amnesia due to various factors. However, Alzheimer’s occurs to people when they reach a specific period of their life.
Amnesia is a disease that has no age limit. It can strike anytime. When a person is born, they are not born with amnesia, but slowly, they get this condition. Certain factors are responsible for this condition. Its symptoms include a loss of memory of things that have just happened recently. Sometimes accidents, getting hurt in the head, having a traumatic breakdown can cause it. However, the one hope which exists is that it is curable. It has certain medications and procedures as treatment.
Alzheimer’s is quite a different thing. People get it at a ripe age. Also, as they get older, their memory gets hazier. This condition is permanent and incurable. Many people in their old age get this, and it is quite a common condition. This disease doesn’t have any type. But the major problem is that this disease affects both the physical and mental health of a person and causes their degradation.
Comparison Table Between Amnesia and Alzheimer’s
| Parameters of Comparison | Amnesia | Alzheimer’s |
| Age of affecting | It can affect a person at any time. | It can affect a person only at a certain age. |
| Cure | It has certain procedures to cure it. | It is incurable. |
| How it works | It remains constant throughout its duration. | It worsens with ageing. |
| Types | It is divided into four different types. | It only has one type. |
| Body affected | It affects only the memory power. | It affects both physical and mental health. |
What is Amnesia?
The term ‘amnesia’ is often heard while people refer to a loss of memory. Though this disease isn’t innate, it might take a toll on us later. People who suffer from this have a somewhat hard life. They forget things that they have heard, read, or known about just recently. Also, when asked about it out of the blue, they are unable to tell about it. Several factors slowly birth this is rarer than Alzheimer’s and doesn’t usually happen normally.
The factors or causes that might lead to these conditions are many. In case when a specific part of the human mind gets some damage, this condition arises. Dementia causes a loss of memories, depletion of oxygen levels, severe injuries on the head, traumatic experiences in the past, intake of intoxicants, and even medicines eaten during the therapeutic course.
Its symptoms include not being able to remember things that have just happened and not putting new learning into the brain. This disease is of four major types, which include retrograde, followed by the anterograde, next comes the TGA, and finally the infantile category of amnesia. Each one has a different symptom associated with it. This disease is curable at times by frequent therapy, learning support, and in case it occurs due to drug use, the drug is extracted from the system.
What is Alzheimer’s?
This disease mainly affects people at an old age. It is widespread as old folks usually tend to start forgetting even the most familiar faces. The cause of this disease hasn’t been scientists. The only explanation as to why it happens is that, at an old age, the amino acids fail to function, and this slowly damages the neurons of the human mind, and they gradually fall prey to this disease. Another rare cause is a mutation of a gene that might give rise to this condition.
The main symptoms of this include forgetting conversations that have just taken place, forgetting family members and friends, have trouble reaching a specific destination, having difficulty while paying cash, and making such important transactions. Also, there might be a change in the personality of a person suffering from this condition. They might get frequent changes in their mood and even blame others for taking their important stuff.
This disease worsens as the individual enters more into old age. Even a moment finally comes when they are incapable of recalling and recognize anything or anyone. A record of this disease in the household, MCI, trauma, air deterioration, bad lifestyle can also direct to this.
It slowly influences the entire body of the person. They might fall, lose balance, break bones, be unable to swallow, and many others. This disease goes through three major phases. The first one is mild, the second is moderate, and the final one is severe. No remedies for this disease have been found toast.
Main Differences Between Amnesia and Alzheimer’s
- There is no specific age limit by which a person can be affected with amnesia. However, Alzheimer’s primarily affects older adults.
- Amnesia has specific procedures and therapy that can cure it. There are various medical procedures to fix it. However, Alzheimer’s is incurable.
- Amnesia doesn’t deteriorate with time. However, Alzheimer’s worsened with age. It may be problematic for persons as their age worsens. The symptoms become severe, which causes problems.
- Amnesia is of four different categories. However, Alzheimer’s is only of one single type.
- Amnesia only affects the memory of a person. However, Alzheimer’s affects both physical functioning as well as mental health.
Conclusion
Human life often isn’t easy. They have to deal with stress, trauma, and other such conditions that can even give rise to incurable mental diseases—two of such being amnesia and Alzheimer’s. At present, it’s not uncommon to meet people suffering from any one of the two. They are quick to affect the memory power and make people forget stuff.
However, due to advancements in medicinal fields, specific cures of amnesia have come forth. Alzheimer’s, on the other hand, has remained somewhat incurable.
The people having any of these two diseases need care, support, and help from the surrounding. Through this, they can make their lives comfortable. Also, consult a doctor as soon as the symptoms are visible will help prevent further worsening of these conditions.
References
- https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/downloadpdf/10.1093/oso/9780190070557.001.0001/oso-9780190070557-chapter-5.pdf
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197458088800484