Uncommon causes of dementia
What uncommon causes of dementia must be considered in the differential diagnosis of every patient with dementia ?
- Toxins (lead, organic mercury)
- Vitamin deficiencies (B12, B1, and B6, in particular)
- Endocrine disturbances (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, Cushing’s disease, and Addison’s disease)
- Chronic metabolic conditions (hyponatremia, hypercalcemia, chronic hepatic failure, and renal failure)
- Vasculopathies affecting the brain
- Structural abnormalities (chronic subdural hematomas, normal pressure hydrocephalus, and slow-growing tumors)
- Central nervous system (CNS) infections (including human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]), Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, and cryptococcal or tuberculous meningitis
