ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the concepts in lower urinary tract dysfunction associated with dementia, with particular reference to its prevalence, etiology, mechanism, and management. Urinary incontinence, dementia, and osteoporosis are major concerns in geriatric populations. Of the lower urinary tract dysfunctions in patients with dementia, urinary incontinence and its prevalence have been the focus of most investigators. Functional incontinence is the major cause of urinary incontinence in dementia. It refers to incontinence that is not derived from an abnormality in the lower urinary tract or its innervation, but from immobility, cognitive disability, and decreased motivation. Among the factors, many studies have shown that the severity of immobility and that of dementia are positively correlated with functional incontinence. In particular, treatment will be successful insofar as persons with dementia alert their caregivers to urinary sensation and incontinence.
