Korean J Geriatr Gerontol.
2013 Jun;14(1):11-19.
Clinical Approach to Dementia
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Neurology, Catholic University of Daegu School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
Abstract
- Dementia, which is a disorder of cognition, interferes with daily functioning and results in loss of independence. The majority of dementias are of gradual onset, are progressive in course, and occur in persons with previously normal cognition. However, none of these features are necessary aspects of the definition of dementia. A more generic term that is less diagnostically constricting is encephalopathy. Encephalopathy can be acute, subacute, or chronic, and there are reversible and irreversible etiologies. Dementia is a type of chronic encephalopathy that can have many causes, including irreversible degenerative and potentially reversible nondegenerative causes. The most important diagnostic step in evaluating dementias is to determine whether a chronic encephalopathy results from a degenerative or other potentially reversible cause. Laboratory evaluation should be directed toward common medical conditions. If a degenerative disease is ultimately diagnosed, then it must be realized that an incurable, invariably progressive, and ultimately fatal condition has been diagnosed.
