Table 1: Distinguishing Dementia From Delirium, ical Feature Delirium Dementia Onset Sudden, abrupt, depends on cause; often Insidious/slow and often unrecognized; occurs at twilight depends on cause Course Short, diurnal fluctuations in symptoms; worse | Long, no divmal effects; symptoms progres: ‘atnight, in darkness, ond upon awakening —_ sive yet relatvely stable over time, may see deficits with increased stress Duration Hours to less thon 1 month; longer if Months to years unrecognized and untrected Orientation Generally impaired; disoriented to time and Generally normal place, should net be disoriented to person Memory Recent and immediate impairment; unable to | Recent and remote impairment recall events of hospitlization and current illness, forgettul, uncble fo recall instructions ‘doped from Reference 6, Mild Cognitive Mild Moderate Severe Impairment Alzheimer’s Alzheimer's Alzheimer’s Duration: 7 years Duration: 2 years Duration: 2 years Duration: 8 years Disease begins in Disease spreads to Disease spreads to Disease spreads to Medial Temporal Lobe Lateral Temporal & Frontal Lobe Occipital Lobe Parietal Lobes Symptoms: Symptoms include: ‘Symptoms include: ‘Symptoms include: Short-term Reading problems Poor judgment Visual problems memory loss Poor abject recognition Implasivity Poor direction sense Short attention