Table 2.

Cognitive profiles of common causes of dementia.

Cognitive domain	AD	Lewy body dementia	Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia	Vascular dementia	Depression
Episodic memory
Free recall	+++	++	+/-	+	+
Recognition	+++	-	-	-	-
Prompting	x	✓	✓	✓	✓
Intrusions	+++	+++	+++	+	+
Semantic memory (naming)	++	+	+	+	+/-
Procedural memory	-	+	-	+	+
Working memory	++	+++	+++	++
Insight	+++	+	+++	-	-
Attention	++	+++	++	++	+++
Executive functions	++ typical AD +++ frontal variant	+++	+++	+++	++
Visuospatial skills	++ typical AD +++ PCA	+++	-	+	+

+++ Early and severe impairment.

++ Moderate impairment.

+ Mild impairment.

+/- Impairment in some studies but not others.

- No significant impairment.

x Not helpful.

✓ Helpful.

Note: +++ Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia patients often perform in the normal range on traditional executive functions tests measuring working memory, planning, mental flexibility, response inhibition and concept formation, although this may reflect the difficulty in capturing specific ‘frontal lobe’ functions on standard executive function measures.

AD: Alzheimer's disease; PCA: Posterior cortical atrophy.