DOMINIC W. MASSARO, editor
University of California, Santa Cruz

Impaired and Intact Cognitive Functions in Alzheimer's Disease

Cognitive Neuropsychology of Alzheimer's Disease (2nd ed.)
Edited by Robin G. Morris and James T. Becker. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. 421 pp. Cloth, $125.00.

I started reading this book on my way to a conference organized by the German Leopoldina academy on the theme of opportunities and problems of an aging society. Dementia disorders clearly are of central relevance in such a context, although the word opportunities may not be strongly associated with conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, as pointed out by Robin Morris and James Becker in their preface to the book, AD is not characterized by a global impairment but by distinct patterns of cognitive dysfunction. The core of this book provides an update on what is currently known about various neuropsychological functions in AD. It also includes chapters that address treatment and management of AD. The book is intended for people with research or clinical interest in the disease.