Differential Diagnosis of Dementia

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

- Adanya neurological dysfunction lasting less than 24 hours (5-15 minutes)

- Frequently the result of microembolization from a proximal intracranial arterial lesion

Delirium

- Rapid onset
- Brief duration
- Cognitive impairment fluctuation during the course of the day
- Disturbance of sleep awake cycle
- Prominent disturbances in attention & perception

Schizophrenia

- Although schizophrenia can be associated with intellectual impairment, its symptoms are much less severe than
dementia

Normal Aging

- Normal aging is not necessarily associated with any significant cognitive decline
- Minor memory problem can occur as as a normal part of aging
- These sometimes referred as benign senescent forgetfulness or age-associated memory impairment
- Do not interfere significantly with a person social or occupational behavior

Depression

- Difficult to distinguish from the symptoms of dementia

- Referred to as pseudodementia or depression-related cognitive dysfunction
- Usually have prominent depressive symptoms & often with history of depressive episodes

Complications of Dementia

Dementia can affect the functioning of many body systems and, therefore, the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.
Dementia may lead to problems such as:

Inadequate nutrition.

Nearly everyone who has dementia will at some point reduce or stop eating and drinking. Often, advanced dementia
causes people to lose control of the muscles used to chew and swallow, putting them at risk of choking or aspirating
food into their lungs. If this happens, it can block breathing and cause pneumonia. People with advanced dementia also
lose the feeling of hunger and, with it, the desire to eat. Depression, side effects of medications, constipation, and other
conditions such as infections also can decrease a person's interest in food.

Reduced hygiene.
In the moderate to severe stages of dementia, lose the ability to independently complete daily living tasks. May no
longer be able to bathe, dress, brush your teeth and go to the toilet on your own.

Difficulty taking medications.

Because a person's memory is affected, remembering to take the correct amount of medications at the right time can be
challenging.

Deterioration of emotional health.

Dementia changes behaviors and personality. Some of the changes may be caused by the actual deterioration
happening in a person's brain, while other behavioral and personality changes may be reactions to the emotional
challenges of coping with the deterioration changes. Dementia may lead to depression, aggression, confusion,
frustration, anxiety, a lack of inhibition and disorientation.

Difficulty communicating.

As dementia progresses, the ability to remember the names of people and things may be lost. This makes
communication difficult at all levels, whether to let a caregiver know what you need and how you feel or simply to
communicate socially. Difficulty communicating can lead to feelings of agitation, isolation and depression.

Delirium.

This state is characterized by a decline in attention, awareness and mental clarity. Delirium is common in people with
dementia, especially when admitted to the hospital. It appears that the sudden change in surroundings, activity level
and other routines may be the cause.

Problems sleeping.

Disruption of the normal sleep-wake cycle being up at night and sleeping during the day is very common. Insomnia
is another common complication, as are restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea, which can also interfere with sleep.

Personal safety challenges.

Because of a reduced capacity for decision making and problem solving, some day-to-day situations can present safety
issues for people with dementia. These include driving, cooking, falling and negotiating obstacles.