Non-Alzheimer's disease dementias: anatomic, clinical, and molecular correlates.
OBJECTIVE
To review the clinical and molecular features of non-Alzheimer's disease (non-AD) dementias, focusing on disorders associated with tau pathology (that is, frontotemporal lobar degeneration [FTLD], corticobasal ganglionic degeneration [CBD], and progressive supranuclear palsy [PSP]) or on disorders with synuclein pathology (that is, dementia with Lewy bodies [DLB] and multisystem atrophy [MSA]). We also discuss the pharmacologic treatment of these disorders.


METHODS
We report a selective review of the literature on FTLD, CBD, PSP, DLB, and MSA.


RESULTS
The non-AD dementias can present with a wide variety of cognitive and behavioural symptoms. Through common clinical features and shared molecular etiologies, neurodegenerative disorders previously thought to be distinct are now classified into tauopathies and synucleinopathies.


CONCLUSIONS
The unique cognitive and behavioural manifestations of the non-AD dementias can be mistaken for psychiatric disorders. Improved detection of tauopathies and synucleinopathies and their differentiation from AD is possible.
Hou
Craig E
CE
Department of Neurology, University of California at San Francisco, USA. craig.hou@memory.ucsf.edu
Carlin
Danielle
D
Miller
Bruce L
BL
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051843:Synucleins; D024801:Tauopathies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016875:tau Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051843:Synucleins; D016875:tau Proteins