An overview of common non-alzheimer dementias

The major non-AD dementias present different challenges to caregivers and health care providers than AD. Although AD, cerebrovascular disease, and Lewy body pathology overlap, the peculiarities of the non-AD dementias may not be sufficiently familiar to practitioners. A better understanding of these disorders can be facilitated by a firm grounding in the understanding of the breadth of cerebrovascular disease, in an understanding of the physical findings that are characteristic of Parkinson's disease, and in an understanding of the cognitive distinctions between memory and executive functions.