[Medical evaluation of dementia].

A careful medical evaluation of each dementia patient from any age group is necessary. Dementia targeted questioning of the patients and their relatives should be accompanied by a quantitative dementia rating like the NOSGER-scale. The essential neuropsychological evaluation should be followed by a nosological differential diagnosis including a row of laboratory tests. Brain imaging is necessary only if one of the Dietch-criteria is met. Pharmaco-therapy should be considered for non-cognitive symptoms of dementia and a cholinergic therapy in cases of Alzheimer's disease. Considering the axiome of dementia: one dementia = two in need of help, the care-giver burden has to be eased by proposing sets of medico-social interventions, optimally at a family conference.