© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Islington study of dementia subtypes in the community
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School and Camden and Islington Community Services NHS Trust, London
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London
Correspondence: Tim Stevens, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Royal Free and University College Medical School, 2nd Floor, Wolfson Building, Riding House Street, London WIN 8AA, UK. Tel: 020 7288 5931; Fax: 020 7530 2304; e-mail: tim.stevens{at}ucl.ac.uk
Background Epidemiological studies of dementia subtypes have revealed widely varying distribution rates. There are almost no published community prevalence data for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) or the frontal lobe dementias (FLD).
Aims To identify the distribution of dementia subtypes in a representative community population of older people.
Method People aged 
65 years in randomised enumeration districts
in Islington, north London, were screened using a reliable and valid
questionnaire. People screened as having dementia were assessed in detail and
diagnoses were made according to standard diagnostic criteria.
Results Of 1085 people interviewed, 107 (9.86%) met screening criteria for dementia. Diagnoses were made for 72 people (67.3%). Distribution of subtypes varied according to the criteria used; the best-validated criteria yielding: Alzheimer's disease 31.3%; vascular dementia 21.9%; DLB 10.9%; and FLD 7.8%.
Conclusions Alzheimer's disease is confirmed as the most common cause of dementia in older people, followed by vascular dementia. However, DLB and FLD occur sufficiently often to be seen frequently in clinical practice and should be incorporated into future editions of standard diagnostic criteria.
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