Which statement best differentiates delirium from dementia?

Which statement best differentiates delirium from dementia?

• A. Delirium generally has a gradual onset with stable attention
• B. Dementia has a slow onset usually with normal attention
• C. Delirium presents with chronic, progressive memory loss
• D. Dementia always includes acute fluctuations

Answer: (B)

Delirium and dementia differ most clearly in how quickly symptoms appear and how attention is affected. Delirium is an acute, sudden change in mental status with impaired attention that often fluctuates throughout the day. Dementia, on the other hand, is a slow, progressive cognitive decline where attention is typically preserved early on and memory loss develops gradually. The statement that dementia has a slow onset usually with normal attention captures this distinction directly: it emphasizes the gradual progression and intact attention early in dementia, which contrasts with delirium’s rapid onset and attention disturbance. The other descriptions misrepresent delirium’s nature or dementia’s course—delirium is not gradual with stable attention, and dementia does not typically involve acute fluctuations.

Delirium and dementia differ most clearly in how quickly symptoms appear and how attention is affected. Delirium is an acute, sudden change in mental status with impaired attention that often fluctuates throughout the day. Dementia, on the other hand, is a slow, progressive cognitive decline where attention is typically preserved early on and memory loss develops gradually.

The statement that dementia has a slow onset usually with normal attention captures this distinction directly: it emphasizes the gradual progression and intact attention early in dementia, which contrasts with delirium’s rapid onset and attention disturbance.

The other descriptions misrepresent delirium’s nature or dementia’s course—delirium is not gradual with stable attention, and dementia does not typically involve acute fluctuations.