Subtypes of dementia: a study from a memory clinic in India

Abstract

Background: The clinical syndrome of dementia consists of several subtypes that are distinct in their etiology, clinical profile, management, and outcome. Limited specialized services are available for dementia patients in India. We report the profile of dementia subtypes from a clinic-based dementia registry in India.

Methods: Consecutive dementia patients were investigated with clinical evaluation, neuropsychological tests modified for local use, and brain imaging.

Results: In 347 consecutive dementia patients, Alzheimer's disease was the most common subtype of dementia (38.3%), followed by a high proportion of vascular dementia (25.4%). Frontotemporal dementia syndromes were not uncommon (18.7%). Dementia with Lewy bodies was encountered in 8.9% of the patients, and mixed dementia was found in 8.6%. The mean age of the group at presentation was 66.3 years, nearly a decade younger than in developed countries. The proportion of patients with early-onset dementia was high (49.9%).

Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that the clinical profiles of dementia subtypes in a clinic population are influenced by the population's demographic profile, cardiovascular risk factor burden, sociocultural attitudes about cognitive impairment, and possibly genetic factors.