Pseudodementia

Pseudodementia is a disorder in which a person experiences the cognitive symptoms that manifest many of due to dementia, Alzheimer's disease or stroke. However, these changes actually have to do with emotional changes such as depression. It is difficult to discern pseudodementia from dementia as the reported changes in thinking are similar, and the person may not present with typical symptoms of depression, such as tearfulness or overt sadness. A neuropsychological evaluation can determine the reason for the changes in thinking. This is especially important as pseudodementia can be reversible with treatment.

Someone with Pseudodementia may experience some or all of these symptoms:

• Memory Loss
• Word finding difficulties
• Fogginess
• Feeling slowed down
• Sluggish
• Feeling blue or down
• Losing his/her train of thought
• Having a hard time staying on task