Einteilung, Diagnostik und Therapie von Demenzen und demenziell bedingten Sprachstörungen

Abstract

„Dementia” is a collective term for a lot of different reversible and irreversible diseases with various cognitive disturbances. Language functions are affected especially in degenerative cortical dementias such as Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), Semantic Dementia (SD) and Logopenic Progressive Aphasia (LPA). In other forms as in degenerative subcortical or vascular dementias executive, attentional and mnemonic dysfunctions lower the efficiency of language processing. The following paper presents a general view of classification and symptoms of different forms of dementia and related language disorders. It will give helpful information for establishing a differential diagnosis among “language dementias” and in comparison with aphasias. In addition the article gives relevant links about treatment: patients with non-degenerative dementias can benefit from symptom-oriented training, whereas in patients with degenerative dementias an inverse symptom-oriented training is indicated.