---
title: "Differential Diagnosis of Dementia & Cognitive Impairment"
description: "--- ## [Cortical Dementias](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/cortical-dementia/) ### [Alzheimer's Disease Dementia](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology-category/neuropsychology-of-alzheimers-disease/) - [Amnestic variant](https://neuro.vip/neuroby/dementia-neuropsychology/alzheimers-disease-dementia-clinical-manifestations-diagnostic-criteria/) - [Posterior cortical atrophy / Posterior variant (PCA)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/neuropsychology-of-alzheimers-disease/posterior-cortical-atrophy-differential-diagnosis-in-neuropsychology/) - [Logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA) (Atypical Alzheimer's)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/neuropsychology-of-alzheimers-disease/logopenic-variant-primary-progressive-aphasia-lvppa/) ### [Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/frontotemporal-dementia/) #### Language Variant - [Primary progressive aphasia (PPA)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/primary-progressive-aphasia/)…"
url: "https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/differential-diagnosis-of-dementia-cognitive-impairment/"
updated: "2025-08-28"
category: Dementia Neuropsychology
tags:
  - Cognitive Impairment
  - Dementia
  - Differential Diagnosis
  - Neuropsychological Assessment
---

# Differential Diagnosis of Dementia & Cognitive Impairment

---

## [Cortical Dementias](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/cortical-dementia/)

### [Alzheimer's Disease Dementia](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology-category/neuropsychology-of-alzheimers-disease/)

- [Amnestic variant](https://neuro.vip/neuroby/dementia-neuropsychology/alzheimers-disease-dementia-clinical-manifestations-diagnostic-criteria/)
- [Posterior cortical atrophy / Posterior variant (PCA)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/neuropsychology-of-alzheimers-disease/posterior-cortical-atrophy-differential-diagnosis-in-neuropsychology/)
- [Logopenic variant primary progressive aphasia (lvPPA) (Atypical Alzheimer's)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/neuropsychology-of-alzheimers-disease/logopenic-variant-primary-progressive-aphasia-lvppa/)

### [Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/frontotemporal-dementia/)

#### Language Variant

- [Primary progressive aphasia (PPA)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/primary-progressive-aphasia/)
  - [Semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/semantic-variant-primary-progressive-aphasia-svppa/)
  - [Nonfluent agrammatic primary progressive aphasia (nfaPPA)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/nonfluent-agrammatic-primary-progressive-aphasia-nfappa/)

#### Behavioural Variant

- [Behavioural variant fronto-temporal dementia (bvFTD)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/behavioural-variant-fronto-temporal-dementia-bvftd/)

---

## [Subcortical Dementias](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/subcortical-dementia/)

- [Vascular cognitive impairment](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/vascular-cognitive-impairment/)
- [Parkinson's disease dementia](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/parkinsons-disease-dementia/)
- [Huntington's disease dementia](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/huntingtons-disease-dementia/)

#### Atypical Parkinsonian Syndromes

- [Progressive supra-nuclear palsy (PSP)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/progressive-supranuclear-palsy/)
- [Multiple system atrophy (MSA)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/multiple-system-atrophy/)

---

## Cortico-subcortical Dementias

- [Corticobasal degeneration (CBD)](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/corticobasal-degeneration/)
- [Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease dementia](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-cjd/)
- [Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)](https://neuro.vip/neuroby/dementia-neuropsychology/dementia-with-lewy-bodies/)

---

### Other differential diagnoses

- [Accelerated long-term forgetting](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/memory-neuropsychology/accelerated-long-term-forgetting/)
- [Delirium](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/neuropsychological-disorders/differential-diagnosis-of-delirium-in-neurocognitive-disorders/)
- Mild Cognitive Impairment (temporary or prodromal to a dementia syndrome)
- [Pseudodementia](https://neuro.vip/neuropsychology/dementia-neuropsychology/pseudodementia-and-the-role-of-clinical-neuropsychology-in-assessment/)
- Cognitive impairment due to:
  - alcohol toxicity
  - anaesthesia
  - genetic and developmental disorders
  - hydrocephalus
  - multiple sclerosis
  - stroke
  - traumatic brain injury
  - pharmacotherapies
  - radiation treatment
  - surgery
  - toxic chemicals
  - and more!