6b. Dementia Flashcards
what are 3 causes of dementia?
- neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease)
- vascular (multi-infarct) dementia
- reversible causes
what are 4 characteristics of Alzheimer’s
- cognitive deficits
- behavioral deficits
- no sensory or motor deficits
- age of onset: 70s-80s
what are 3 cognitive deficits of AD?
- profound memory loss
- language - anomic, empty, circumlocutory
- visuospatial disturbance
what are 3 behavioral deficits of AD?
- no significant early changes in personality
- unawareness/denial of illness
- psychosis
what are 2 types of pathology of Alzheimer’s?
- neurofibrillary tangles (tau protein)
2. amyloid plaques (beta amyloid)
what region can show atrophy during Alzheimer’s?
hippocampus
what are 2 types of treatment of Alzheimer’s disease?
- cholinergic replacement
2. anti-amyloid agents
what specific nuclei can show degeneration?
basal forebrain nuclei
what is degeneration of the basal forebrain nuclei due to?
loss of acetylcholine
what are 5 genes linked to Alzheimers?
- APP
- PS
- Down’s Trisomy 21
- APoE4
- MTAP
what are some factors of Alzheimer’s?
- causal genes
- risk genes
- head trauma
- cerebrovascular disease
- education
- neuronal number
- synapse number
- NTs
what are 4 characteristics of Pick’s disease? (frontal dementias)
- cognitive deficits
- behavioral deficits
- frontal release signs on neurological exam but no sensory/motor deficits
- age of onset 50s-60s
what re 2 cognitive deficits of PIck’s disease?
- profound executive dysfunction
2. good memory, language problems (aphasia), visuospatial skills preserved early on
what are 2 behavioral deficits of Pick’s disease?
- early prominent personality changes
2. poor judgement, insight, disinhibited, labile, euphoric, socially inappropriate, sexual indescretions
what is the pathology of Pick’s disease?
Pick’s bodies (dark spots)
