Dementia screening in light of the diversity of the condition.

Dementia is a general term, not a specific diagnosis. There are many different causes of dementia, and the different etiologies are associated with different neuropsychological profiles. This complicates the problem of dementia screening. Detection of dementing conditions at the earliest possible stage requires batteries of tests, rather than a single test. The cognitive domains that must be addressed include the following: visual and verbal memory, sustained attention and complex attention, working memory, processing speed, reaction time, psychomotor speed and executive function.