Differential diagnosis of dementing diseases

The prevalence of dementia in the aging population is reaching epidemic proportions. Normal aging alone does not result in intellectual decline. The author observes that the clinical presentation of cognitive dysfunction involves a complex array of differential diagnoses, illustrated by the first six months' experience in the UMC Geriatric Assessment Clinic. He notes that dementias may be grouped into static, reversible, or progressive types, and he outlines a classification system for dementing illnesses as an aid in clinical evaluation.