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Quiz: Understanding Different Types of Dementia

Test your understanding of major dementia types and their distinguishing features with these 10 review questions. Click "Show Answer" to check your work.

1. Which type of dementia accounts for the largest percentage of all dementia cases?

  1. Vascular dementia
  2. Alzheimer's disease
  3. Lewy body dementia
  4. Frontotemporal dementia
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of all dementia cases, making it by far the most common cause. Vascular dementia is second most common at 10-20%, followed by Lewy body and frontotemporal dementia at 5-10% each. Understanding the relative prevalence helps caregivers and families appreciate which conditions they are most likely to encounter.

Concept Tested: Alzheimer's Disease

2. Which two types of abnormal protein deposits are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease?

  1. Lewy bodies and prion proteins
  2. Amyloid plaques and tau tangles
  3. Myelin clumps and dopamine deposits
  4. Beta-glucose crystals and insulin fibers
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The correct answer is B. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by amyloid plaques (sticky clumps of beta-amyloid protein that build up between neurons) and neurofibrillary tangles (twisted fibers of tau protein inside dying cells). These protein deposits damage and kill neurons, especially in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Lewy bodies are found in a different dementia type.

Concept Tested: Alzheimer's Disease

3. Vascular dementia is caused by what underlying problem?

  1. Abnormal protein deposits in the brain
  2. Reduced blood flow and damage to blood vessels supplying the brain
  3. Viral infection of the cerebral cortex
  4. Genetic mutations in tau protein
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The correct answer is B. Vascular dementia results from damage to the blood vessels that supply the brain with oxygen and nutrients. This can happen through a major stroke, multiple mini-strokes, or small vessel disease. Because risk factors overlap with heart disease, controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes can help prevent or slow vascular dementia.

Concept Tested: Vascular Dementia

4. A person experiences visual hallucinations, fluctuating alertness, and movement problems similar to Parkinson's disease. Which type of dementia is most likely?

  1. Alzheimer's disease
  2. Frontotemporal dementia
  3. Lewy body dementia
  4. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
Show Answer

The correct answer is C. Lewy body dementia is characterized by visual hallucinations, day-to-day fluctuations in alertness and attention, and Parkinson's-like motor symptoms including tremor and stiffness. These distinctive features help distinguish it from Alzheimer's disease, which typically begins with memory loss rather than hallucinations or movement changes.

Concept Tested: Lewy body Dementia

5. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is most likely to first affect which of the following?

  1. Short-term memory for recent events
  2. Personality, behavior, and language
  3. Visual processing and recognition
  4. Balance and coordination
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The correct answer is B. Frontotemporal dementia damages the frontal and temporal lobes first, leading to dramatic changes in personality, social behavior, judgment, and language before memory problems appear. FTD is more common in people under 65 than other dementias, and families often notice the behavior changes before memory loss.

Concept Tested: Frontotemporal Dementia

6. What is mixed dementia?

  1. A dementia with unknown cause
  2. A condition where a person has two or more types of dementia at the same time
  3. A temporary form of dementia that comes and goes
  4. Dementia that occurs only in people with multiple medical conditions
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Mixed dementia occurs when a person has two or more types of dementia simultaneously, most commonly Alzheimer's disease together with vascular dementia. As diagnostic techniques improve, doctors are finding that mixed dementia is more common than once thought, which has important implications for treatment and care planning.

Concept Tested: Mixed Dementia

7. Mini-strokes, also called transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), can contribute to dementia by:

  1. Causing small areas of brain damage that accumulate over time
  2. Releasing toxic proteins into the bloodstream
  3. Triggering an immune response that destroys neurons
  4. Preventing the brain from producing new neurotransmitters
Show Answer

The correct answer is A. Mini-strokes briefly block blood flow to small areas of the brain, each causing minor damage. Over time, multiple mini-strokes can accumulate enough damage to cause cognitive decline and vascular dementia. Mini-strokes are warning signs that should prompt medical evaluation, as treating the underlying causes can prevent further events.

Concept Tested: Mini-Strokes

8. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a rare form of dementia, is most commonly caused by:

  1. A viral infection
  2. Chronic severe alcohol use leading to thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency
  3. Genetic inheritance
  4. Long-term exposure to air pollution
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The correct answer is B. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome typically results from severe thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, most often caused by chronic alcohol abuse and poor nutrition. Unlike most dementias, it can sometimes be partially reversed if caught early and treated with thiamine. It causes severe memory problems and a tendency to confabulate (make up stories to fill memory gaps).

Concept Tested: Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

9. Normal pressure hydrocephalus is distinctive among dementia causes because:

  1. It only affects people under age 40
  2. It is sometimes treatable with a surgical shunt that drains excess fluid
  3. It is always caused by genetic factors
  4. It affects only memory but no other functions
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The correct answer is B. Normal pressure hydrocephalus involves excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles. It classically causes a triad of symptoms: gait problems, urinary incontinence, and cognitive decline. Unlike most dementias, it can sometimes be treated with a surgical shunt that drains the excess fluid, potentially reversing symptoms. This is why accurate diagnosis matters.

Concept Tested: Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

10. A caregiver asks why it matters to identify which type of dementia her mother has, since "dementia is dementia." What is the best response?

  1. It does not matter because all dementias are treated the same way
  2. Different types have different causes, progression rates, and treatments, so knowing the type guides care and planning
  3. It only matters for research purposes, not for families
  4. Knowing the type will cure the disease
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The correct answer is B. Different dementia types have distinct causes, affect different brain regions, progress at different rates, and respond to different treatments. For example, cholinesterase inhibitors work well for Alzheimer's but can worsen Lewy body dementia. Knowing the type helps families plan care, set realistic expectations, and pursue appropriate treatments. Mixed dementia further complicates this picture.

Concept Tested: Mixed Dementia