Dementia

Dementia is a devastating condition with increasing prevalence. It has a dramatic impact on the family of the patient as well as on society as a whole. For example, in the United States, the direct and indirect healthcare costs for Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia, are greater than the costs associated with stroke, heart disease and cancer combined. Impairments in cognition, judgment and impulse control due to dementia often lead to the need for forensic evaluation in civil or criminal proceedings, such as assessments of decision-making capacities, competence to stand trial, or criminal responsibility. As our understanding of the pathophysiology of the dementias increases, structural and functional neuroimaging modalities, including new techniques for mapping white matter pathways, will play an increasingly important role in the forensic evaluation of individuals with dementia.