title: The neuropsychiatric examination of the young-onset dementias.
abstract: Young-onset dementias frequently present with prominent behavioral features and constitute a diagnostic challenge. Most cases are secondary to neurodegenerative conditions, including the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia, which has overlapping symptoms with many primary psychiatric disorders. This article reviews the differential diagnosis and neuropsychiatric assessment of young-onset dementia, which includes detailed history taking, family history, mental status examination, office-based cognitive tests, and a focused neurologic examination. The clinical examination serves to establish the presence of a dementia and the specific clinical syndrome. Biomarkers can be subsequently integrated in a probabilistic model to determine the most likely neuropathological process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre and Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada; McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B4, Canada. Electronic address: simon.ducharme@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ducharme
authors.affiliation: MGH FTD Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th Street, Suite 2691, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA; Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Bradford C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Dickerson
mesh_terms: D017668:Age of Onset; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001526:Behavioral Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D016743:Mental Competency; D008875:Middle Aged; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
keywords: Alzheimer disease; Biomarkers; Differential diagnosis; Early onset dementia; Frontotemporal dementia; Neuropsychiatry; Young-onset dementia