[Diagnosis of dementia].
OBJECTIVE
The high prevalence of dementia, particularly of Alzheimer's disease, the increase of their incidence with age, and the population aging make this group of diseases a major problem for public health. Nevertheless, diagnosis is difficult because it depends on evolution of disturbances that patients often cannot precisely relate, on complex neuropsychological explorations, and on pathological examination difficult to obtain. Today in France, geriatricians are fully implicated in the diagnosis of dementia and all the physicians who give care to elderly, should lead easily a diagnosis of dementia.


BACKGROUND
In February 2000 ANAES (French governmental agency for accreditation and evaluation of health system) published recommendations called "practical recommendations for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease". These recommendations allow physicians to standardize their practices and consist of a rigorous clinical history and examination, a neuropsychological analysis, standard investigations and application of diagnostic criteria already widely diffused and used.


CONCLUSIONS
Deepening of knowledge, in particular in the domains of neuropsychology and functional cerebral imagery, should allow physicians to diagnose early dementia. These early diagnosis should allow to initiate a multidisciplinary, preventive and effective care for patients. Specific drugs, that will be available, will be intended mostly for patients with early diagnosis, ideally at a pre-dementia state.
Lechowski
L
L
Service de gérontologie II, AP-HP, hôpital Sainte-Périne, 11, rue Chardon-Lagache, 75781 Paris cedex 16, France. laurent.lechowski@spr.ap-hop-paris.fr
Forette
B
B
Teillet
L
L
D000368:Aged; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010808:Physical Examination; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic