应该是她说的这样的。中文“痴呆”分辨不太出状态和症状的区别。

网上字典说Dementia is a chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning.

memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning 是症状，Dementia是状态（长期慢性的症状）。brain disease or injury是原因。alzheimer's应该是brain disease的一种。

但alzheimer's的定义也跟状态有关。（也许状态也可以是原因？比如脑细胞受损凋亡了，也可以说是状态吧。）逻辑上好像有些混乱。