Psychological aspects of aging: when does memory loss signal dementia?
With aging comes a normal decline in intelligence and specific cognitive functions such as memory. Distinguishing age-related memory loss from that due to a disease process such as dementia, especially in its early stages, can be difficult. Neuropsychological assessment is probably the most sensitive method of making this determination. A diagnosis of dementia requires impairment in memory plus impairment in at least one more area of cognitive function, such as language or conceptualization. Once the diagnosis of dementia is established, your role is to carefully explain it to the patient and family and answer their questions about causes and possible interventions.
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Henry L. Schwartz Department of Geriatrics and Adult Development, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York.
D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D014342:Truth Disclosure