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Related Concept Videos

Dementia l: Introduction01:22

Dementia l: Introduction

Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
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The progression of dementia is generally gradual.
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Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
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Symmetric Bihemispheric Postmortem Brain Cutting to Study Healthy and Pathological Brain Conditions in Humans
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Published on: December 18, 2016

Dementia: continuum or distinct entity?

Glenn D Walters1

  • 1Federal Correctional Institution-Schuylkill, Psychology Services, Minersville, PA 17954-0700, USA. gwalters@bop.gov

Psychology and Aging
|August 4, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Dementia appears to be a dimensional construct, varying along a continuum rather than being a distinct category. Cognitive deficits in dementia differ quantitatively, not qualitatively, from normal aging.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuropsychology
  • Gerontology
  • Psychometrics

Background:

  • Dementia is often viewed as a distinct diagnostic category.
  • Understanding the underlying structure of dementia is crucial for accurate classification and assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the latent structure of dementia using taxometric analysis.
  • To determine if dementia is best conceptualized as a dimensional or categorical construct.

Main Methods:

  • Taxometric analysis, including mean above minus below a cut (MABC), maximum covariance (MAXCOV), and latent mode factor analysis.
  • Analysis of neuropsychological test data from two large adult samples (n=10,775 older adults, n=2,375 younger/middle-aged adults).

Main Results:

  • Findings were more consistent with dementia as a dimensional construct (continuum) than a categorical one (distinct entity).
  • Cognitive deficits associated with dementia (episodic memory, attention, executive function, language) showed quantitative, not qualitative, differences compared to non-demented adults.

Conclusions:

  • Dementia's latent structure suggests it lies on a continuum with normal cognitive aging.
  • This dimensional view has implications for dementia classification, assessment, understanding etiology, and developing prevention strategies.