Brain Neurorehabil.  2015 Mar;8(1):1-10. 10.12786/bn.2015.8.1.1.

Understanding the Role of Neurorehabilitationist in Managing Patients with Dementia

• Kim YH

• KMID: 1788509
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12786/bn.2015.8.1.1

Abstract

Dementia is defined as a primary decline of intellect and/or comportment due to a structural and chemical brain disease to the point that customary activities of daily living (ADLs) become compromised. Korean society is rapidly becoming an aging society where average age increases, and dementia is becoming more prevalent. Therefore, prevention, early detection, and proper management of dementia patients are health- and social-care priorities of Korean society. Neurorehabilitationist means a specialist for rehabilitative care of neurologically compromised patients including stroke, traumatic brain injury, degenerative brain disease, and dementia. However, the role of neurorehabilitationists for the diagnosis and treatment of dementia are not well established compared to that of neurologist and psychiatrist. Therefore, this article deals a role of neurorehabilitationist for proper management of patients with dementia in a way that preventing the functional deterioration as well as reduction of national welfare burden.

Keyword

activity of daily living; dementia; neurorehabilitation; function

MeSH Terms

Activities of Daily Living
Aging
Brain Diseases
Brain Injuries
Dementia*
Diagnosis
Humans
Psychiatry
Specialization
Stroke

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Diagnostic algorithm for mild cognitive impairment.

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  Fig. 2 Hippocampal MRI scans from patients with normal cognition (A) and Alzheimer's dementia (B). The arrows depict the hippocampal formations and (B) shows significant atrophy compared with (A).

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  Fig. 3 Transverse MRI scans of cerebrovascular diseases that cause vascular dementia. (A) Normal aging, (B) Small vessel ischemic disease (also known as subcortical ischemic stroke), (C) Multi-infarct (also known as cortical infarct), (D) Strategic infarct which involved left thalamus.

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  Fig. 4 Algorithm for problem-based rehabilitation approach.

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