Movement disorders with dementia in older adults

Abstract

Dementias associated with movement disorders are the second most common form of dementia in old age after Alzheimer's disease. This chapter outlines the key neurological, neuropathological, neuroimaging, and neuropsychological features of two synucleinopathies (Parkinson's disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies) and two tauopathies (corticobasal syndrome and progressive supranuclear palsy). Neuropsychological evaluation of patients with movement disorders can be challenging, and some common pitfalls and suggestions for avoiding them are presented. Particular attention is paid to the type of information that must be elicited from medical records and the interview to plan an effective evaluation. Recommended instruments for the assessment and screening of cognition and psychiatric conditions, such as apathy and depression, are identified and some compensatory techniques are described. A case study is presented to illustrate the application of such instruments in the clinical setting.