Alzheimer's Disease Flashcards
What is the definition of cognition?
Mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
What are the consequences of cognitive impairment?
- Increased risk for injury
- Complicates disease management
- Decreased functional ability including capacity for independent living and normal social interaction
- Increased need for assistive services
- Financial hardship
- Caregiver burden
What are the risk factors of cognitive impairment?
- Elderly people
- Environmental exposure
- Congenital factors
- Genetic conditions
- Health-related conditions: acute or chronic
What are the congenital factors for cognitive impairment?
Maternal substance abuse
Birth injuries
What personal behaviors are the risk factors for cognitive impairment?
Substance abuse
Participation in high-risk activities
Accidental injuries
The type and degree of impairment depend on the type of problem and its severity. What are the types of problems?
- Memory
- Language
- Visuospatial ability
- Calculation
- Abstract reasoning
- Thought process and content
What are laboratory tests used for when it comes to cognitive impairment?
To rule out other medical problems
What are the two types of diagnostic tests used for identifying cognitive impairment?
Neuropsychometric testing
Brain imaging techniques
What types of brain imaging techniques could be used for diagnosing cognitive impairment?
- Neuroimaging
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Positron emission tomography (PET)
What can the Brain Imaging Techniques detect?
Intracranial tumors
Infarcts (vascular dementia)
Frontotemporal lobe atrophy
Alzheimer’s disease is a common what?
Degenerative neurological disorder
When does Alzheimer’s usually manifest?
after age 65
Half of the population over the age of what has alzheimer’s
85
What do patients with Alzheimer’s die from?
Comorbidities
What types of demands associated with Alzheimer’s disease can be devastating?
Personal, economic, and societal demands.
What are the two basic types of Alzheimer’s Disease?
Familial and Sporadic
What progressive degenerative changes are associated with Alzheimer’s?
Gross atrophy of cerebral cortex
What is Alzheimer’s caused by?
- Neurofibrillary tangles
- Amyloid plaques
- Loss of communication between neurons
- Death of neurons
The death of neurons follows this specific pattern.
Limbic system to center for emotion and memory. Hippocampus to recent memory
Death of neurons causes what?
Motor changes
Loss of ability to think, remember, and reason.
Changes in behavior that interfere with life
Can exhibit delusions or hallucinations.
What is the gist of the etiology of Alzheimer’s?
- Blood flow to affected areas decreases
- Atrophy of cortical area of brain
- Structural, chemical changes
- Having the structural changes and showing symptoms of Alzheimer’s may differ
What are the risk factors of Alzheimer’s?
Over 65
Family history
Gender
Head Injury
The following as all associated with Alzheimer’s.
- Anoxia (after cardiac arrest)
- Infectious disease (HIV)
- Depression
- Poisoning
- Substance abuse
- Down Syndrome
- Diabetes
- Atherosclerosis
- Hypertension
- Smoking
- Inflammation
What are the ways to limit your risk for Alzheimer’s?
- Weight control
- Regular exercise
- Consume protective foods
- Use of drugs and alcohol
- Mentally and socially active