Introduction Epileptic seizures are typically short lived and transitory but nonetheless have the potential for considerable disability because of the unpredictable nature of attacks, the risk of injury they bring, and neurologic impairment from repeated seizures and adverse effects of…
Definition and Causes Intellectual disability (ID) is the current term used to describe what in the United Kingdom has been known as learning disability and in the United States as mental retardation. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases…
Introduction Mental illness is common in older adults, and those who have a concurrent physical illness are particularly vulnerable. Although these conditions tend to be underdetected and undertreated, their outcome with appropriate management is often excellent. This chapter reviews the…
Introduction Delirium represents an acute disorder of consciousness. Serially time-ordered, organized, and with reflective awareness of self and the environment, consciousness also represents an experience of graded complexity and quality. It follows that disturbance of consciousness as part of delirium…
Introduction Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a neurodegenerative condition that selectively affects the frontal and anterior temporal lobes of the brain, resulting in progressive shortfalls in behavior and language. More than a century ago Arnold Pick, a Czechoslovakian neurologist and…
The term vascular cognitive disorder (VCD) refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders in which the salient feature is the presence of cognitive impairment primarily attributable to cerebrovascular disease (CVD). The conceptualization of this disorder has had a checkered history,…
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause for dementia affecting older adults. The illness was first described by Alois Alzheimer in 1906 in a 51-year-old woman with well-described features of dementia. After death, her brain was examined and found…
Introduction The aging of the U.S. baby boomer population has given rise to a significant increase in the prevalence of Alzheimer disease, the most common form of dementia in adults older than 65 years. One in three Americans aged 85…
Overview Dementia is a critical public health problem worldwide, especially as populations age. As a consequence, physicians dealing with a range of other age-associated problems can expect to see such problems in patients with dementia. Dementia diagnosis is evolving. Here,…
Respiratory disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, affecting 1 in 10 of the population older than 65 years. The presentation and management of respiratory disease often differs in older adults. This chapter provides some insight into these…