Volume 70 Number 1 January 2003	back to contents

From the Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY.

Address all correspondence to Micheline Dugué, M.D., Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, Box 1230, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, One East 100th Street, New York, NY 10029.

This work is based on a presentation at the Geriatric Medicine Update and Board Review at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY on October 5–8, 2001.

ABSTRACT

Elderly persons are at increased risk for developing dementia, and this risk increases with age. It is important to understand the following points: (a) how to diagnose dementia; (b) the etiology of the most common dementias (including Alzheimer’s disease, ischemic vascular dementia, and diffuse Lewy body dementia); (c) some medical conditions which could contribute to symptoms of dementia; (d) the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease; and (e) management problems faced by caregivers for dementia patients. This review aims to educate clinicians to focus on caregivers’ issues and the need for long-term planning.

KEYWORDS

Dementia, elderly, Alzheimer’s disease.

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