Neurological and Neurosurgical Intensive Care, 4th Edition

Abstract

The rapid growth in neuroscience and in knowledge about dementia disorders creates a need, for both specialists and nonspecialists involved in the care of cognitively impaired patients, for a single reference that provides a comprehensive summary of diagnosis and treatment-related information. This volume on the dementias nicely fills this niche. Now in its third edition and with a new coauthor (Dr Lipton), this volume provides a comprehensive summary of critical issues important to those caring for patients with dementia syndromes. Half of the chapters have Dr Weiner or Dr Lipton as authors or coauthors; for other chapters, specific experts have provided comprehensive evaluations of their area of expertise. Chapters address clinical diagnosis, evaluation of cognitive function and differential diagnosis, neuroimaging, legal and ethical issues, community resources, nursing and environmental issues, drug treatment for cognitive and behavioral symptoms, and a summary of the discoveries in the molecular and genetic bases of Alzheimer disease. A series of 12 appendices provide valuable rating scales and a list of resources useful to patients and caregivers. The invited experts include individuals with substantial experience in their respective fields, such as Eric Reiman (neuroimaging), Linda Terri (psychological and behavioral treatment), Lon Schneider (pharmacologic treatment), Dan Marson (legal and ethical issues), Cornelia Beck (nursing care), Roger Rosenberg (molecular and genetic aspects of Alzheimer disease), and Ken Davis (treatment of Alzheimer disease). Several unique aspects of this volume stand out when compared with other books addressing dementia. Chapter 2, by Dr Weiner, presents dementia as a psychobiological process and uniquely integrates a psychological perspective with the advances in understanding dementia as a neurobiological disorder. Although the medical evaluation of patients with dementia is often underemphasized, it is given a chapterlength treatment in this text. The chapter on differential diagnosis provides an updated if brief commentary on disorders that must be considered in the patient with progressive cognitive impairment. The discussion of cholinesterase inhibitors in the chapter on treatment is comprehensive and up-to-date. No book is without its weaknesses. This volume gives relatively slight attention to mild cognitive impairment, a topic of emerging clinical importance. Likewise, the discussion of dementia with Lewy bodies is brief. Some information necessarily is already out of date such as the discussion of estrogens, which when administered in conjunction with progesterone now appear to provide no protective effect against the emergence of Alzheimer disease. Rare metabolic disorders are not presented in this book, and information regarding these uncommon conditions will have to be sought in other references. However, these shortcomings do not detract from the overall high quality of the volume. Drs Weiner and Lipton have produced an excellent text, bringing together a strong group of contributors. The third edition continues the trajectory of this book as a standard dementia reference and one that can readily be recommended to physicians and students alike.