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The Neuropsychology of Alzheimer’s Disease

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Alzheimer’s Disease

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Neurology ((CCNEU))

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Abstract

Neuropsychology is the study of the higher-order cerebral functioning, that is, of the relationship between the brain and cognitive and affective behavior. The neuropsychological examination is thus essential in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), whose cardinal symptom is an impairment of memory. The focus of current neuropsychological research is early detection of the AD patient. The primary goal is to implement symptomatic treatments at an early stage in the disease process in order to achieve the greatest possible benefit. Great strides have been made in delineating the earliest cognitive changes associated with AD and in developing tools and methods for their detection. These can be implemented in a two-step approach composed of screening of suspected AD patients by the general practitioner (to be considered as step 1) and referral to a specialist center for an interdisciplinary diagnostic workup (step 2).

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Authors
  1. Kirsten I. Taylor
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  2. Andreas U. Monsch
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, USA

    Ralph W. Richter MD, FACP (Clinical Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Director) (Clinical Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Director)

  2. Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit, St. John Medical Center, Tulsa, OK, USA

    Ralph W. Richter MD, FACP (Clinical Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Director) (Clinical Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, Director)

  3. Tulsa, OK, USA

    Brigitte Zoeller Richter DiplPharm (Pharmacist, Publicist) (Pharmacist, Publicist)

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© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Taylor, K.I., Monsch, A.U. (2004). The Neuropsychology of Alzheimer’s Disease. In: Richter, R.W., Richter, B.Z. (eds) Alzheimer’s Disease. Current Clinical Neurology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-661-4_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-661-4_11

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-4485-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-661-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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