Neurocognitive Disorders Differential Diagnosis
How is a differential diagnosis of Neurocognitive Disorder made?
The diagnosis is usually made through careful history and examination. Each etiopathology leading to cognitive impairment has a characteristic neurobehavioral pattern, which usually starts focally and then spreads to adjacent brain areas.
A careful history and neuropsychological evaluation (by formal testing or quantified clinical assessment) will reveal which cognitive domains are affected.
Structural (MRI) and functional imaging (PET or SPECT) scan can also be helpful in determining affected brain regions.
Amyloid PET scans have revolutionized our ability to delineate the diagnosis of AD from other causes of cognitive impairment.
