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Review
. 2017 Jan;15(1):4-12.
doi: 10.1176/appi.focus.20160030. Epub 2017 Jan 11.

Overview of Neurocognitive Disorders

William M McDonald  1
Affiliations
Review

Overview of Neurocognitive Disorders

William M McDonald. Focus (Am Psychiatr Publ). 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Cognitive function is a major determinant of an individual's quality of life. However, the number of individuals developing a neurocognitive disorder (NCD) is increasing as the population ages: the number of individuals with dementia is doubling every 20 years and will reach over 115 million worldwide by 2050. There is a need to identify vulnerable individuals early, understand the trajectory of their NCD, and intervene with effective treatments. The DSM-5 outlines criteria to identify patients with mild NCD and distinguish them from patients with major NCD. Identifying patients early in the course of a dementing disorder can improve the opportunity to develop effective interventions to change the course of the NCD. Research is needed to identify biomarkers and risk factors that indicate an individual's potential for developing an NCD.

Keywords: Cognitive Disorders; Dementia; Diagnosis and Classification in Neuropsychiatry; Geriatric Neuropsychiatry; Neuropsychiatry/neurobiology.

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