Alzheimer’s can be considered a type of dementia. Whereas dementia is a general term for symptoms, Alzheimer’s is a specific brain disease caused by a build-up of certain proteins in and around brain cells which results in dementia. 

Learn more about dementia and Alzheimer’s, including causes, signs and symptoms, and treatments.

Cognitive impairment may be mild, with preservation of everyday functionality and autonomy (Mild Cognitive Impairment). The term dementia refers to more severe cognitive impairment that can result in loss of everyday function and autonomy. Mild Cognitive Impairment may be due to the same underlying conditions – diseases that cause dementia and may worsen – become dementia in the future.

Most people with dementia do not have a hereditary type, which is when it can be passed down through families. However, some types of dementia can be caused by inherited genetic mutations. They include dementia associated with Huntington’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, and rare forms of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Learn more about dementia, including the different types, causes and risk factors, and management options.

Multiple sclerosis is not a hereditary condition. Just because someone in your family has multiple sclerosis, this does not mean you or other family members will also develop the condition. Multiple sclerosis is a complex condition, and the precise cause is unclear. Though genetics may contribute to your overall risk of developing multiple sclerosis, there are also several other contributing factors, such as lifestyle and environment. 

Learn more about possible causes of multiple sclerosis, as well as symptoms, types and how we can help you manage your condition.

Seizures are caused by a sudden spike in electrical activity in the brain. There are several types of seizures depending on where they start in the brain. They often look and feel different. People with epilepsy may have one or more of the following seizures: 

• Focal seizures
• Tonic-clonic seizures
• Absence seizures
• Myoclonic seizures
• Tonic seizures
• Atonic seizures 

Explore more about epilepsy, including how epileptic seizures can affect you and management plans.

Unfortunately, we don’t know what causes migraines. There are several triggers which can sometimes cause a migraine. They can be stress, low blood sugar, alcohol, lack of sleep, and hormonal changes. Migraines triggered by hormonal changes can happen during the menstruation cycle. They’re called menstrual migraines. Not all migraines follow a menstrual pattern, and it’s common to have migraines in between menstruation. 

Discover other types of migraines, potential causes, and how we can help you manage them.

For some people with epilepsy, certain activities may be restricted for their safety, such as driving. If you have epilepsy, you may need to be seizure-free for at least one year before you can legally drive a car. For commercial driving, this can be at least five years. As long as seizures are well-controlled, epilepsy should not stop you from working. However, some high-risk jobs may have restrictions for safety reasons, such as pilots or jobs involving heavy machinery. 

Your neurologist is the best person to ask for advice. They know you and your condition well enough to guide you through any concerns you may have. 

Read more about how epilepsy might affect you and ways we can help you manage it.

There is only one type of Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s is also called idiopathic Parkinson’s, which means the cause is unknown. Parkinsonism is the term used to describe a group of conditions that have similar symptoms to Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s is the most common form of parkinsonism. Others include vascular parkinsonism, drug-induced parkinsonism, and multiple system atrophy (MSA). 

Parkinson’s is a type of movement disorder. Other conditions affecting movement include dystonia, essential tremor, Huntington’s, and Tourette syndrome. Learn more about movement disorders, including signs and symptoms and how we can help you manage your condition.