Cognitive, Psychiatric, and Motor Symptoms-Based Algorithmic Approach to Differentiate Among Various Types of Dementia Syndromes

Abstract

It may be difficult to distinguish among the various dementia syndromes due to the overlap in many common clinical features across the dementias. Accurate diagnosis of dementia type is increasingly important in an era when promising disease-modifying agents can be marketed soon. In this review, we outline a clinical algorithmic approach particularly tailored to the major forms of dementia in the clinic and refined from our accumulated experience of these patients. We first present an algorithmic approach for patients presenting with predominant deficits in episodic memory, executive function, language, visuospatial, and apraxia. We then consider types of dementia that mainly cause behavioral and psychiatric changes. Finally, we illustrate clinical pearls regarding motor deficits as key associations of each syndrome.