title: Dementia: A complex disease with multiple etiologies and multiple treatments.
abstract: As the population of the United States ages, the rates of dementia are also likely to increase. Clinicians will, therefore, likely be asked to evaluate and treat an escalating number of patients experiencing a decline in multiple domains of cognitive function, which is the hallmark of neurocognitive disorders. It is also probable that clinicians will be confronted with management dilemmas related to the myriad of psychological and behavioral problems that often occur as a consequence of the neurocognitive impairment. In fact, these behavioral and psychological issues might be the initial symptoms that lead the patient to present to the clinician. Dementia has multiple potential etiologies, and a careful diagnostic assessment is imperative to best characterize the specific type of dementia impacting the patient. This is important, as knowing the type of dementia helps the clinician choose the most effective treatment. Potential treatments should be interdisciplinary in scope, patient/family-centered, and may include both nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
authors.forename: Travis J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Heather N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Greenspan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA theinric@mcw.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Heinrich
mesh_terms: D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Dementia; Lewy body dementia; acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; antipsychotics; frontotemporal dementia