What is the Difference Between Cortical and Subcortical Dementia?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The distinction between cortical and subcortical dementia is controversial, but they are broadly classified based on the affected part of the brain. Cortical dementia refers to dementias that damage the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for higher mental capabilities, such as memory, problem-solving, social skills, and language. Subcortical dementia, on the other hand, affects the layer of the brain directly underneath the cortex.
Clinical reports suggest that subcortical syndromes, such as Parkinson's disease, involve less severe intellectual and memory dysfunction and lack the aphasia, agnosia, and apraxia typical of cortical dementias, such as Alzheimer's disease. However, some studies have failed to confirm this distinction.
Examples of cortical dementias include:
- Alzheimer's disease
- frontotemporal lobe dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
- posterior cortical atrophy
Examples of subcortical dementias include:
- progressive supranuclear palsy
- Huntington's disease
- Parkinson's disease
Neuropsychological differences may be observed between cortical and subcortical dementias, such as the presence of aphasia, agnosia, and apraxia in cortical dementias and the absence of these symptoms in subcortical dementias. However, further research is needed to establish clear distinctions between these two types of dementia and to better understand their clinical implications.
Comparative Table: Cortical vs Subcortical Dementia
Cortical and subcortical dementia are two types of dementia that affect different regions of the brain. Here is a table summarizing the differences between them:
| Feature | Cortical Dementia | Subcortical Dementia |
|---|---|---|
| Affected Region | Cerebral cortex, which consists mainly of gray matter | Subcortex area of the brain, which comprises white matter and includes several regions such as the striatum, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra |
| Neural Damage | Damages neural cell bodies, axon terminals, and dendrites (gray matter) | Damages axons or white matter |
| Symptoms | Memory loss, problems in language, defects in problem-solving, and other problems in thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life | Same as cortical dementia, but may also include additional symptoms depending on the specific subcortical region affected |
Cortical dementia, such as Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia, affects the brain's cerebral cortex, which consists mainly of gray matter. On the other hand, subcortical dementia affects the subcortex area of the brain, which consists primarily of white matter and includes several regions such as the striatum, globus pallidus, and substantia nigra.
- Alzheimer’s vs Dementia
- Alzheimers vs Dementia
- Frontotemporal Dementia vs Vascular Dementia
- Delirium vs Dementia
- Delirium vs Dementia
- Lewy Body Dementia vs Vascular Dementia
- Amnesia Dementia vs Alzheimer’s
- Senile vs Presenile Dementia
- Amnesia vs Dementia
- Dementia vs Psychosis
- Cerebrum vs Cerebral Cortex
- Alzheimer’s vs Senility
- Schizophrenia vs Alzheimer’s
- Huntington’s Disease vs Alzheimer’s
- Subdural vs Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Alzheimer’s vs CTE
- Epidural vs Subdural
- Neurodevelopmental vs Neurocognitive Disorders
- Renal Cortex vs Renal Medulla