Abstract

Population ageing is a rapidly growing global phenomenon, with forecasts indicating that by 2030 one in six people will be 60 years or older. This process, initially observed in high-income countries, is now evident in low- and middle-income countries, leading to an increase in age-related diseases, including dementia. Worldwide, about 50 million people suffer from dementia, with significant figures also in Italy. The expected increase in cases highlights the need for effective public health interventions. Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential to plan support and care pathways for patients and their caregivers. Differential diagnosis between the various forms of dementia is particularly complex due to overlapping symptoms and clinical variability. The aim of this review was to examine the clinical characteristics of the various forms of dementia and to illustrate the neuropsychological tests that allow a differential diagnosis in the major neurocognitive disorder.

Keywords:Major neurocognitive disorder; Differential diagnosis; Neuropsychological assessment