Dementia and Neurosyphilis, Are We Honoring the Patient’s Wishes?

Dementia (major neurocognitive disorder) is characterized by a decline in cognition severe enough to interfere with daily function and independence Syphilis is a chronic infection caused by treponema pallidum. Syphilis progresses into four stages if left untreated: primary, secondary, latent and tertiary. Tertiary syphilis is seen 1-30 years after primary infection. This inflammatory disease progresses as neurosyphilis or gummatous syphilis. Cerebrospinal fluid, meninges and vascular structures are involved in the early stages of neurosyphilis, while in the late stage; cerebral tissue and spinal cord are affected.