Symptoms:

Dementia that occurs with metabolic disorders may cause confusion and changes in intellect or reasoning. These changes may be temporary or permanent.

• Decrease in:
  • Feeling (sensation)
  • Hearing
  • Movement
  • Speech
  • Vision
• Difficulty making sense of person, place, or time
• Language difficulties
• Loss of bladder control
• Personality changes
• Slowly worsening loss of:
  • Intellectual function
  • Judgment
  • Memory

Signs and tests:

An examination of the nervous system (neurologic examination) can show different problems, depending on the cause. Abnormal reflexes may be present.

Tests may include:

• Ammonia level in the blood
• Blood chemistry, electrolytes
• Blood glucose level, glucose tolerance tests
• BUN, creatinine
• Electroencephalograph (EEG)
• Head CT scan
• Head MRI scan
• Liver function tests
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)
• Mental status test
• Nutritional assessment
• Thyroid function tests
• Urinalysis
• Vitamin B12 level