Alzheimer's Flashcards
Dr. Alois Alzheimer determined that __ __ creates __ __ by patient Auguste Deter
structural changes, clinical consequences
Define Alzheimer’s disease
a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain and results in dementia – impaired memory, thinking and behavior
What are the clinical symptoms of AD?
the disease progresses slowly from mild forgetfulness to confusion and dementia
What is the histopathology of AD?
extensive neurofibrillary changes in the brain in the form of neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic (senile) plaques and neuropil threads
What are 10 warning signs of AD?
- memory loss that interferes with daily life
- difficulty planning or solving problems
- trouble completing familiar tasks
- confused about time or place
- changes in vision and depth perception
- trouble writing or saying words
- losing things and trouble retracing their steps
- impaired judgement
- withdrawing from work or social activities
- noticeable changes in mood or personality
What are the primary causes of senile dementia and their percentages?
55% - AD
15% - AD + Multi-Infarct
22% Multi-Infarct Dementia
8% other
T/F: AD is a form of dementia
true; dementia is an umbrella
Despite the accumulation of __ __ and __ __, there is a loss of as much as __ of the brain mass
plaque amyloid, neurofibrillary tangles, 1/3
T/F: Neuronal loss alone can account for 1/3 brain loss in AD
false
In addition to neuronal loss, there is an extensive retrograde degeneration which is…
where the neuronal cell bodies with a minimal neuritic arborization is present but has lost most of the neurites
What are some of the theories for AD?
environment + genes (APOE, others) + aging
T/F: prevalence of AD doubles with every decade after 60
true
AD is more common in __ and is __ for relatives of affected individuals
females, higherW
What are three life exposure factors of AD?
head trauma, high cholesterol, and lack of mental stimulation
AD mutations found in __ genes
presenilin
Define penetrance
% chance of getting disease when gene mutation is inherited
Define prevalence
% of disease cases caused by the gene mutations
Describe the Genetic See-Saw effect of AD
Penetrance v. prevalence, when one is high the other is low and vice versa
Early onset AD genes including _, _, and _ suggest __ and yield a high __ risk
APP, PSEN1, PSEN2
penetrance(low), prevalence high
familial
Late onset AD genes includes _ and more, suggest __ which may yield a __ familial risk
APOE
prevalence (low), penetrance high
modest to moderate
Normal aging and HCHWA-D suggest __
beta-amyloidosis
FTDP-17 which leads to __ mutations, suggests __ __ which leads to __
Tau
neurofibrillary degeneration
dementia
What are the two types of treatments approved for AD by the FDA? What does it treat?
cholinesterase inhibitors (Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne)
memantine (Namenda) to treat the cognitive symptoms of AD
What is the newly approved drug for AD?
lecanemab
