{"id":33101,"date":"2016-10-12T17:13:11","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T00:13:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?page_id=33101"},"modified":"2016-10-12T17:15:59","modified_gmt":"2016-10-13T00:15:59","slug":"pseudodementia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/pseudodementia\/","title":{"rendered":"Pseudodementia"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SeniorPseudodementia<\/strong> is a type of cognitive impairment<\/a> that mimics dementia but actually occurs due to the presence of a mood-related mental health concern, most often depression. This condition is\u00c2\u00a0typically seen\u00c2\u00a0in older individuals.<\/p>\n

Understanding Pseudodementia<\/h2>\n

The term pseudodementia became widely used following\u00c2\u00a0Leslie Kiloh’s 1961 paper, which described\u00c2\u00a0cases of people in treatment who experienced cognitive deficits similar to those seen in people with dementia<\/a>. The cognitive decline experienced in these cases was actually due to mental health\u00c2\u00a0conditions\u00c2\u00a0rather than those of the central nervous system. Kiloh pointed out the potential reversibility of cognitive impairment in many of these cases, making the\u00c2\u00a0paper significant at a time when dementia was considered a condition that could not be reversed.<\/p>\n

Some professionals and experts in the field\u00c2\u00a0argue against the use of this\u00c2\u00a0term, because it is does not offer\u00c2\u00a0clear, objective criteria\u00c2\u00a0for diagnosis and because the prefix “pseudo-” may lead to the incorrect assumption that the\u00c2\u00a0dementia is not real. However, the term pseudodementia is still considered to be useful in reference to\u00c2\u00a0cognitive decline that results specifically from depression<\/a> and other mental health issues, especially in\u00c2\u00a0the development of\u00c2\u00a0treatment plans.<\/p>\n

Distinguishing between Dementia and Pseudodementia<\/h2>\n

It may\u00c2\u00a0be difficult for medical providers to differentiate between dementia and pseudodementia, partially because\u00c2\u00a0there is significant overlap between the symptoms of each condition and partially because some other forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s disease<\/a> and Parkinson\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s disease dementia, also involve mood<\/a> symptoms similar to those that characterize\u00c2\u00a0depression.

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Correctly identifying the condition is an essential aspect of treatment, as\u00c2\u00a0treatment for pseudodementia, which may be reversible, differs from treatment approaches designed for other types of dementia, which are generally\u00c2\u00a0progressive and often not able to be reversed.\u00c2\u00a0Incorrectly diagnosing pseudodementia as dementia may also\u00c2\u00a0lead to unnecessary neurological tests and procedures.<\/p>\n

People who have pseudodementia are more likely to be aware of and upset by memory issues, while those with dementia may deny having any memory issues and\/or minimize the importance of them.<\/span>The types of specific memory impairments experienced, and an individual\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s response to these difficulties, can help differentiate between dementia and pseudodementia. People who have pseudodementia are more likely to be aware of and upset by any trouble they have remembering things, while those with dementia may deny having memory issues<\/a> and\/or minimize the importance of them. Individuals with dementia typically do not perform well on neuropsychological memory tests, while those with pseudodementia often\u00c2\u00a0show significantly less impairment on tasks involving memory,\u00c2\u00a0even when they doexperience memory difficulties.<\/p>\n

The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is one measure used to differentiate between the two conditions, and it is generally the most useful when it is paired with information about an individual\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s history and current functioning. On the GDS, individuals with dementia may show a wider range of emotions<\/a> and may also display emotions that are not congruent with the situation\u00e2\u20ac\u201dlaughing during a\u00c2\u00a0somber event, such as a memorial, for example.<\/p>\n

Signs, Symptoms, and Risk Factors<\/h2>\n

Pseudodementia typically involves three cognitive components: memory issues, deficits in executive functioning, and deficits in speech and language. Specific cognitive symptoms might\u00c2\u00a0include trouble\u00c2\u00a0recalling words or\u00c2\u00a0remembering things in general, decreased attention and concentration, difficulty completing tasks or making decisions, decreased speed and fluency of speech, and impaired processing speed. People with pseudodementia are typically very distressed about the cognitive impairment they experience.<\/p>\n

Individuals with pseudodementia\u00c2\u00a0might experience symptoms such as\u00c2\u00a0delayed motor response, anxiety<\/a>, and feelings of helplessness<\/a> and hopelessness<\/a>. They may be more likely to wake early and be unable to sleep, and they are also likely to experience\u00c2\u00a0other symptoms of depression. These symptoms may\u00c2\u00a0include:<\/p>\n