The signs and symptoms of<unk>  are essentially the same as the symptoms present in other types of dementia, making<unk>  difficult to diagnose. There are very few qualitative differences between<unk>  dementia and Alzheimer's disease and it is therefore difficult to distinguish between the two. Some of these warning signs may include memory loss, difficulty performing familiar tasks, poor or impaired judgment and problems with language. However the biggest indicator is friends or family members reporting changes in personality. A simple test for intellectual function, like the Folstein Mini-Mental Status Examination, is the minimum screen for dementia. The test requires 15–20 minutes to administer and is available in mental health centers. Diagnosing<unk>  can be difficult due to the wide range of symptoms and a lack of specific brain pathology. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) is a guide to aid doctors in diagnosing a range of psychiatric disorders, and may be helpful in diagnosing dementia. Diagnostic criteria The existence of<unk>  is widely acknowledged but not often used as a diagnosis, due to a lack of widely accepted, non-subjective diagnostic criteria; more research is needed. Criteria for<unk> -induced persistent dementia in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) include the following: :A. The development of multiple cognitive deficits manifested by both: :# Memory impairment (impaired ability to learn new information or to recall previously learned information) :# One (or more) of the following cognitive disturbances: ::*(a) Aphasia (language disturbance) ::*(b) Apraxia (impaired ability to carry out motor activities despite intact motor function) ::*(c) Agnosia (failure to recognize or identify objects despite intact sensory function) ::*(d) Disturbance in executive functioning (i.e. planning, organizing, sequencing, abstracting) :B. The cognitive deficits in criteria A1 and A2 each cause significant impairment in social or occupational functioning and represent a significant decline from a previous level of functioning. :C. The deficits do not occur exclusively during the course of a delirium and persist beyond the usual duration of substance intoxication or withdrawal. :D. There is evidence from the history, physical examination, or laboratory findings that deficits are etiologically<unk>  to the persisting effects of substance use. There are problems with DSM diagnostic criteria. First, they are vague and subjective. Furthermore, the criteria for diagnosis of dementia were inspired by the clinical presentation of Alzheimer's disease and are poorly adapted to the diagnosis of other dementias. This has led to efforts to develop better diagnostic models. Oslin (Int J Geriatr Psychiatry 1998) proposed alternative clinical diagnostic criteria which were validated. The criteria include a clinical diagnosis of dementia at least 60 days after last exposure to<unk> , significant<unk>  use (i.e. minimum 35 standard drinks/week for males and 28 for women) for more than five years, and significant<unk>  use occurring within three years of the initial onset of cognitive deficits. Oslin proposed the new and refined diagnostic criteria for<unk>  because he hoped that the redefined classification system would bring more awareness and clarity to the relationship between<unk>  use and dementia. Oslin's proposed classification of<unk> : *Definite<unk>  At the current time there are no acceptable criteria to definitively define<unk> . *Probable<unk>  :A. The criteria for the clinical diagnosis of probable<unk>  include the following: :# A clinical diagnosis of dementia at least 60 days after the last exposure to<unk> . :# Significant<unk>  use as defined by a minimum average of 35 standard drinks per week for men (28 for women) for greater than a period of five years. The period of significant<unk>  use must occur within three years of the initial onset of dementia. :B. The diagnosis of<unk>  is supported by the presence of any of the following :#<unk><unk>  hepatic, pancreatic, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, or renal disease i.e. other end-organ damage. :# Ataxia or peripheral sensory polyneuropathy (not attributed to other causes). :# Beyond 60 days of abstinence, the cognitive impairment stabilizes or improves. :# After 60 days of abstinence, any neuroimaging evidence of ventricular or sulcal dilatation improves. :# Neuroimaging evidence of cerebellar atrophy, especially in the vermis. :C. The following clinical features cast doubt on the diagnosis of<unk>  :# The presence of language impairment, especially dysnomia or anomia. :# the presence of focal neurologic signs or symptoms (except ataxia or peripheral sensory polyneuropathy). :# Neuroimaging evidence for cortical or subcortical infarction, subdural hematoma, or other focal brain pathology. :# Elevated Hachinski Ischemia Scale score. :D. Clinical features that are neither supportive nor cast doubt on the diagnosis of<unk>  included: :# Neuroimaging evidence of cortical atrophy. :# The presence of periventricular or deep white matter lesions on neuroimaging in the absence of focal infarct(s). :# The presence of the Apolipoprotein c4 allele.
Alcohol-related dementia
Depression of Alzheimer disease
Vascular dementia
Steroid dementia syndrome
Early-onset Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders
Alzheimer's disease
Subcortical dementia