Abstract
If you are reading this book, you probably have some knowledge of dementia and its warning signs. However, much more awareness is needed, including in the medical community. Unfortunately, patients are very often not diagnosed with dementia or referred to dementia specialists until 2–3 years after the onset of their symptoms [1]. Not only laypeople, but many medical professionals, continue to hold a mistaken and outmoded viewpoint that nothing can be done for dementia. This nihilism is unwarranted and can even be harmful in delaying or preventing appropriate intervention or resulting in inappropriate or deleterious treatment. Earlier detection of dementia often allays anxieties about unnamed and undiagnosed problems and allows a chance to capitalize on planning, treatment, and research opportunities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Jost BC, Grossberg GT. The natural history of Alzheimer’s disease: a brain bank study. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1995;43(11):1248–55.
Weiner MF, Lipton AM, editors. The American psychiatric publishing textbook of Alzheimer disease and other dementias. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.; 2009.
Weiner MF, Lipton AM, editors. Clinical manual of Alzheimer disease and other dementias. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.; 2012.
McKhann GM, Knopman DS, Chertkow H, Hyman BT, Jack Jr CR, Kawas CH, et al. The diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association workgroup. Alzheimers Dement. 2011;7(3):263–9.
Morris JC. Differential diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Clin Geriatr Med. 1994;10(2): 257–76.
Albert M, DeKosky ST, Dickson D, Dubois B, Feldman H, Fox NC, et al. The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease: report of the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’sAssociation workgroup. Alzheimers Dement. 2011;7(3):270–9.
Petersen RC. Conversion. Neurology. 2006;67:S12–3.
Morris JC. Mild cognitive impairment is early-stage Alzheimer disease: time to revise diagnostic criteria. Arch Neurol. 2006;63:15–6.
Roman GC, Tatemichi TK, Erkinjuntti T, Cummings JL, Masdeu JC, Garcia JH, et al. Vascular dementia: diagnostic criteria for research studies: report of the NINDS-AIREN International Workshop. Neurology. 1993;43:250–60.
Debette S, Seshadri S, Beiser A, Au R, Himali JJ, Palumbo C, Wolf PA, Decarli C. Midlife vascular risk factor exposure accelerates structural brain aging and cognitive decline. Neurology. 2011;77(5):461–8.
Aarsland D, Zaccai J, Brayne C. A systematic review of prevalence studies of dementia in Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2005;20:1255–63.
Aarsland D, Andersen K, Larsen JP, Lolk A. Prevalence and characteristics of dementia in Parkinson disease: an 8-year prospective study. Arch Neurol. 2003;60:387–92.
McKeith IG, Dickson DW, Lowe J, Emre M, O’Brien JT, Feldman H, et al. Diagnosis and management of dementia with Lewy bodies: third report of the DLB Consortium. Neurology. 2005;65:1863–72.
Knopman DS, Petersen RC, Edland SD, et al. The incidence of frontotemporal lobar degeneration in Rochester, Minnesota, 1990 through 1994. Neurology. 2004;62:506–8.
Ratnavalli E, Brayne C, Dawson K, Hodges JR. The prevalence of frontotemporal dementia. Neurology. 2002;58:1615–21.
Rosso SM, Donker Kaat L, Baks T, et al. Frontotemporal dementia in The Netherlands: patient characteristics and prevalence estimates from a population-based study. Brain. 2003;126: 2016–22.
Neary D, Snowden JS, Gustafson L, Passant U, Stuss D, Black S, et al. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration: a consensus on clinical diagnostic criteria. Neurology. 1998;51:1546–54.
McKhann GM, Albert MS, Grossman M, Miller B, Dickson D, Trojanowski JQ. Clinical and pathological diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia: report of the Work Group on Frontotemporal Dementia and Pick’s Disease. Arch Neurol. 2001;58:1803–9.
Rascovsky K, Hodges JR, Kipps CM, Johnson JK, Seeley WW, Mendez MF, et al. Diagnostic criteria for the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD): current limitations and future directions. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2007;21:S14–8.
Mehta KM, Ott A, Kalmijn S, Slooter AJ, van Duijn CM, Hofman A, Breteler MM. Head trauma and risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease: the Rotterdam Study. Neurology. 1999;53(9):1959–62.
Omalu B, Bailes J, Hamilton RL, Kamboh MI, Hammers J, Case M, Fitzsimmons R. Emerging histomorphologic phenotypes of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in American athletes. Neurosurgery. 2011;69(1):173–83.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Lipton, A.M., Marshall, C.D. (2013). Signposts: What to Look for and When to Seek Help. In: The Common Sense Guide to Dementia For Clinicians and Caregivers. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4163-2_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4163-2_2
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-4162-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-4163-2
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)