Is it dementia? Which one?
BACKGROUND
People fear losing their identity or no longer being themselves. It can be devastating to see someone who spent their life with you turn into someone who looks like your loved one but who no longer recognises you and may be frightened, suspicious, hostile or violent.


OBJECTIVE
This article gives practical guidelines with a recognition, definition and differential diagnosis of dementia.


CONCLUSIONS
Dementia may not be obvious to the individual, the family or their family doctor and should not be simply attributed to 'Alzheimer's'. Dementias can be confused with delirium or depression and the different dementias have different prognoses and different interventions.
Popplewell
Phil
P
Service Head, Geriatric Unit Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia.
Phillips
Pat
P
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003693:Delirium / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index