Normal aging = no change in independent functioning

Mild cognitive impairment = stage between normal aging and dementia

• Subjective reports of cognitive decline
• Objective findings of impairment of cognitive decline
• Loss of independence in daily functioning
• No significant impairment in occupational and social functioning

Dementia = deterioration of cognitive function severe enough to impair occupational and social functioning; biggest risk factor = age

Alzheimer’s disease

• Most common type of dementia
• Insidious development of recent memory loss
• Word finding difficulties early
• Visuospatial dysfunction (getting lost in familiar places)
• Problems with executive function (problem solving ability)
• No role for biomarker testing

Lewy Body dementia

• Dementia precedes Parkinsonian symptoms
• Visual hallucinations

Parkinsons dementia

• Parkinsonian features before onset of dementia
• Symptoms of Parkinsons include = bradykinesis + rigidity, pill-rolling tremor, postural/gait instability

Frontotemporal dementia

• Can occur in younger people
• Change in social behaviors
• Loss of executive functioning and decision making
• Has a genetic component 40% of the time so genetic counseling is beneficial