Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia
Abstract The prevalence of dementia increases significantly from the age of 65 years, doubling every five years thereafter. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) constitute the two main dementia types. Differentiating them encompasses anamnesis, neurological examination, laborato...
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Associação Neurologia Cognitiva e do Comportamento
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doaj-0e219cb4440c4b218e0789ef6eb6c5f92020-11-24T22:34:35ZengAssociação Neurologia Cognitiva e do ComportamentoDementia & Neuropsychologia1980-57643321422110.1590/S1980-57642009DN30300007S1980-57642009000300214Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementiaÉrica Maria Lima PimentelAbstract The prevalence of dementia increases significantly from the age of 65 years, doubling every five years thereafter. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) constitute the two main dementia types. Differentiating them encompasses anamnesis, neurological examination, laboratory and neuroimaging exams and neuropsychological assessment. Neuropsychological assessment produces different findings for each dementia type, and reveals those areas most impaired as well as those most preserved. The aim of the present article was to describe the role of neuropsychology in diagnosing dementia and achieving a differential diagnosis between AD and VaD. A general overview follows of the most widely known instruments used to assess cognitive function in dementia, and the cognitive changes seen in AD and VaD. The conclusion drawn was that there is significant overlap in cognitive changes between both these dementia types, while each type has its own specific characteristics which are identifiable and quantifiable on neuropsychological assessments and provide the basis for reaching a differential diagnosis.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1980-57642009000300214&lng=en&tlng=enAlzheimer's diseasevascular dementianeuropsychologydiagnosis. |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Érica Maria Lima Pimentel |
spellingShingle |
Érica Maria Lima Pimentel Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia Dementia & Neuropsychologia Alzheimer's disease vascular dementia neuropsychology diagnosis. |
author_facet |
Érica Maria Lima Pimentel |
author_sort |
Érica Maria Lima Pimentel |
title |
Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia |
title_short |
Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia |
title_full |
Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia |
title_fullStr |
Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia |
title_full_unstemmed |
Role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia |
title_sort |
role of neuropsychological assessment in the differential diagnosis of alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia |
publisher |
Associação Neurologia Cognitiva e do Comportamento |
series |
Dementia & Neuropsychologia |
issn |
1980-5764 |
description |
Abstract The prevalence of dementia increases significantly from the age of 65 years, doubling every five years thereafter. Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) constitute the two main dementia types. Differentiating them encompasses anamnesis, neurological examination, laboratory and neuroimaging exams and neuropsychological assessment. Neuropsychological assessment produces different findings for each dementia type, and reveals those areas most impaired as well as those most preserved. The aim of the present article was to describe the role of neuropsychology in diagnosing dementia and achieving a differential diagnosis between AD and VaD. A general overview follows of the most widely known instruments used to assess cognitive function in dementia, and the cognitive changes seen in AD and VaD. The conclusion drawn was that there is significant overlap in cognitive changes between both these dementia types, while each type has its own specific characteristics which are identifiable and quantifiable on neuropsychological assessments and provide the basis for reaching a differential diagnosis. |
topic |
Alzheimer's disease vascular dementia neuropsychology diagnosis. |
url |
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1980-57642009000300214&lng=en&tlng=en |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT ericamarialimapimentel roleofneuropsychologicalassessmentinthedifferentialdiagnosisofalzheimersdiseaseandvasculardementia |
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