Rapid-onset Alzheimer's: Could it be something else?

Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease, which usually implies a slow progression. However, rarely Alzheimer's can progress more rapidly — over weeks or months instead of years.

A rapid progression may also suggest that a second type of dementia is complicating the Alzheimer's — such as vascular dementia or Lewy body disease. In addition, rapid progression of dementia may indicate another condition that mimics the symptoms of Alzheimer's, such as:

• Infections that affect the central nervous system, such as HIV and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
• A side effect of certain medications, such as anticholinergic drugs and narcotic pain relievers
• Vitamin B-12 deficiency
• Depression
• Hypothyroidism

A prompt and thorough medical evaluation is important to determine the exact cause of rapidly progressing dementia. Some causes are treatable.