title: Dementia.
abstract: Dementia often is defined as a progressive cognitive disturbance leading to a loss of independent function. Most clinicians are familiar with the typical pattern of amnestic Alzheimer's disease, the most common neurodegenerative presentation of dementia. Atypical dementia presentations, including atypical Alzheimer's variants, however, may pose a diagnostic challenge for even experienced clinicians. In this article the authors discuss clinical "pearls" for the diagnosis of various neurodegenerative dementia syndromes. When considering the causes of dementia, the mnemonic VITAMINS can be helpful in considering various etiologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ljubenkov
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Memory and Aging Center, San Francisco, California.
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Geschwind
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans