Neuropsychological aspects of dementia diagnosis

Abstract

In the interdisciplinary diagnostics of dementia neuropsychology is applied in early detection, in differential diagnostics and in progressive course assessment. With standardized neuropsychological testing severity and nature of cognitive dysfunction is assessed. In particular memory disorders, aphasia, apraxia, agnosia and disorders of executive functions are assessed by these methods. In early stage of Alzheimer's Disease episodic and semantic memory as well as certain language functions are affected. Apractic and agnostic disorders often appear only in the later course of the disease. Depending on localization and nature of lesion cognitive dysfunction patterns tend to be more lateralized in vascular dementia (e.g. aphasic, apractic or visual-constructive disorders). In the various forms of fronto-temporal dementia executive functions and/or personality are mainly affected.