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Differential diagnosis

Since pseudodementia does not cause deterioration of the brain, brain scans can be used to visualize potential deterioration associated with dementia. Investigations such as PET and SPECT imaging of the brain show reduced blood flow in areas of the brain in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common type of dementia, compared with a more normal blood flow in those with pseudodementia. Reduced blood flow leads to an inadequate oxygen supply that reaches the brain, causing irreversible cell damage and cell death. In addition, MRI results show medial temporal lobe atrophy, which causes impaired recall of facts and events (declarative memory), in individuals with AD.