title: An update on the diagnosis and management of dementing conditions.
abstract: Worsening memory is a common complaint in the elderly and predictably causes         affected individuals and their families to wonder whether the underlying cause is         Alzheimer disease, the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer disease is a         devastating illness that unavoidably leads to a complete loss of independence and, as         a result, substantial emotional, physical, and financial distress for patients and their         families. The causes and severity of memory impairment in the elderly are diverse,         however, so any given case might not necessarily be secondary to a neurodegenerative         disorder such as Alzheimer disease. Consequently, it is critical to rule out potentially         reversible causes of dementia and to initiate treatment while cognitive and functional         deficits are still mild and more likely to respond to treatment. Furthermore, identifying         the etiology and defining a suitable treatment plan early in the course of dementia         allows patients to be more actively involved in the management of their disease and is         more likely to improve quality of life for both patients and caregivers. This review         presents the etiology of dementia in the elderly, describes the diagnostic process,         and discusses current therapeutic strategies, including pharmacological agents,         nonpharmacological interventions, safety assessments, legal issues, and caregiver needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Marwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maalouf
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ringman
authors.forename: Jiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D019468:Disease Management; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests