Dementia due to metabolic causes

Symptoms:

• dementia
  • slowly progressive, may occur over years
  • loss of memory, judgment, intellectual functioning
  • personality changes
  • decreases of movement, sensation, speech, hearing, vision, or other brain functions
  • confusion, disorientation to person, place, time

Note: Additional symptoms associated with the causative disorder may also be present.

Signs and tests:

A neurologic examination shows various abnormalities depending on the cause. Abnormal reflexes may be present.

Tests for suspected causes may include, but are not limited to:

• thyroid function tests
• blood glucose level, glucose tolerance tests
• blood chemistry, electrolytes
• liver function tests
• ammonia level
• BUN, creatinine (to test for kidney disorders)
• nutritional assessment
• B-12 level
• urinalysis
• EEG, electroencephalograph
• head CT scan
• head MRI scan
• other tests, sometimes including lumbar puncture (spinal tap)