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1st February 2024

Classification/Classifying dementia

There are different ways to classify dementia:

  1. Based on aetiology
  2. Based on the progress of dementia
  3. Based on how common dementia is
  4. Based on Degenerative or non-degenerative
  5. Based on cortical or non-cortical
Based on aetiology
  1. Neurodegenerative disorders
  2. Cerebrovascular disorders
  3. Neurogenetic disorders
  4. Prion-associated disorders
  5. Infections
  6. Toxins
  7. Metabolic encephalopathies

Table 1: Classification of dementia based on aetiology. Dementia Pathology: Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Vascular Dementia. (2020). eMedicine. [online] Available at: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2003174-overview#a1

Metabolic Encephalopathy – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/metabolic-encephalopathy#:~:text=Metabolic%20encephalopathy%20may%20then%20be%20difficult%20to%20distinguish[Accessed 15 May 2023].
Based on the progress of dementia
  1. Slow progressive dementia
  2. Rapid progressive dementia
  3. Fixed memory loss

Table 2: Classification of Dementia based on the progress of Dementia. Geschwind, M.D., Haman, A. and Miller, B.L. (2007). Rapidly Progressive Dementia. Neurologic Clinics, [online] 25(3), pp.783–807. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ncl.2007.04.001.
Based on Degenerative or non-degenerative
  1. Degenerative diseases
    1. Alzheimer’s dementia
    2. Lewy Body Dementia
    3. Fronto-temporal Dementia
    4. Parkinson’s Disease Dementia
    5. Huntington’s Disease
    6. Progressive Supranuclear palsy
    7. Corticobasal Degeneration
    8. Wilsons Disease, Kearns-Sayre Disease
  2. Non-Degenerative diseases
    1. Vascular Dementia
    2. Infections- HIV, Syphilis, Lymes, tuberculosis, Meningitis, Encephalitis
    3. Prion disease- Creutzfeldt Jacobs, Gerstmann
    4. Tumours- Brain tumours
    5. Toxins- Alcohol, drugs, Heavy metals, Carbon monoxide poisoning
    6. Metabolic – Thyroid disease, Cushing’s, Vitamin deficiency
    7. Trauma- Head Injury
    8. Depression, Hydrocephalus, NPH Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis

Table 3: Classification of Dementia based on Degeneration Rone-Adams, S., Stern, D.F., Olivier, T.W. and Blodgett, M.G. (2013). Understanding Dementia. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 35(4), pp.88–98. doi:https://doi.org/10.1519/ssc.0b013e31829ed301.
Based on how common dementia is
  1. Alzheimer’s Dementia
  2. Vascular Dementia
  3. Lewy Body dementia
  4. Frontotemporal Dementia
  5. Mixed Dementia
  6. Alcohol-related brain damage
  7. Rarer types
    • Posterior Cortical atrophy
    • Huntington’s Disease
    • Parkinson’s Dementia

Table 4: Classification of Dementia based on how common Dementia is. Robinson, L., Tang, E. and Taylor, J.-P. . (2015). Dementia: timely diagnosis and early intervention. BMJ, [online] 350(jun15 14), pp.h3029–h3029. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h3029.

Based on Cortical vs non-Cortical
Cortical Dementia Non-Cortical Dementia
Cortical dementia is the involvement of the outer cortex- there is generalised cortical atrophy, especially involving frontal and temporal lobes. Subcortical grey matter is affected in the subcortical type of dementia- the lesions occur predominantly in the basal ganglia, the brainstem nuclei and the cerebellum.
Examples include Alzheimer’s dementia, Frontotemporal dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jacob. Examples include Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and AIDS Dementia complex.
Individuals with the cortical type of dementia are generally alert and attentive, and their personality is preserved. However, they experience memory loss and can be aphasic and apraxic. In the subcortical type of dementia, attention and executive function are both impaired, and they can be apathetic. Whilst these patients can be forgetful with poor language, they are not apraxic.
Perception and visuospatial difficulties can be noticed in both types of Dementia.

Table 5: Classification of Dementia based Cortical vs Non-Cortical. Contributors, W.E. (n.d.). What Is Dementia? [online] WebMD. Available at: https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/types-dementia#:~:text=Alzheimer%27s%20and%20Creutzfeldt-Jakob%20disease%20are%20two%20forms%20of[Accessed 15 May 2023].

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