Alzheimers-Test 2 Flashcards
What are the types of dementia?
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Vascular Dementia Lewy Body Dementia –Parkinson’s Dementia Frontal Lobe Dementia (Frontotemporal Dementia) Mixed Dementia --Vascular Dementia and AD
What are s/s of delirium?
–Sudden alterations in cognitive function, Hours to days
–Fluctuations in cognition during day
–Attention span impaired, Rarely aware of cognitive deficits
–Often accompanied by disturbances in sleep-wake cycle and psychomotor disturbances
What are some potential causes of delirium?
–underlying pathology
UTI, MI, pneumonia, pain
–May be drug induced
Benzodiazepines, anticholinergics, antihistamines, anticonvulsants, beta blockers, sympathomimetics, lithium, diuretics
What are the s/s of depression?
–Short and long-term memory are selectively impaired
–No progression/worsening of cognitive dysfunction
–Pt usually aware of deficits (often disturbed by dysfunction)
What is the most common form of dementia?
Alzheimers
What is Alzheimers?
Neurodegenerative disease characterized by non-reversible, progressive cognitive deterioration, together with declining activities of daily living and by neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes
What are risk factors for AD?
- Age
- Dementia in close family member
- E4 allele of the ApoE gene
- History of psychiatric illness
- other: Down’s Syndrome, exposure to anesthetic agents, head injury, diabetes
What are the gene mutations that play a role in early onset AD?
1) Prensilin 1 on Chromosome 21
2) Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) on Chromosome 1
3) Presenilin 2 on Chromosome 1
What do the above mutations lead to?
an increase in B-A4 peptide fragments of APP which forms neuritic plaques
What gene is involved in late onset AD?
Apolipoprotein E (Apo E) on Chromosome 19
What is the neuropathology of AD?
Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and Neuritic plaque lesions with insoluble B-amyloid peptide core
What forms the NFT? What happens to these tangels?
abnormally phosphorylated tau protein … this protein is essential for axonal transport and stabilizes the neuron, with the abnormal tau the neurons become unstable and die
What presents around the areas of plaque formation in the brain?
Glial cells, cytokines (IL-1 and IL-6), and complement cascade
What does destruction of neuronal pathways from accumulation of plaques lead to?
to shortage of Acetylcholine
What is glutamate involved in?
neuronal pathways essential to learning & memory
What can B amyloid aggregation lead to?
disrupt transmission of glutamate and lead to excess stimulation of NMDA receptors
What does excess stimulation of NMDA receptors lead to?
high intracellular Ca++ concentration and excitotoxicity neuronal death
What are the earlu symptoms of AD?
is loss of memory (amnesia), which usually manifests as minor forgetfulness that becomes steadily more pronounced with the progression of the illness, with relative preservation of older memories.
What are the s/s as AD progresses?
cognitive impairment extends to domains of language (aphasia), skilled movements (apraxia), recognition (agnosia), and functions related to frontal and temporal lobes (decision-making and planning)
What is the average duration of AD?
7-10 years
What are the stages of AD?
Stage 1: No cognitive impairment Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline Stage 7: Very severe cognitive decline
What typically results in death from elderly affected by AD?
Choking, aspiration and infection
How is the diagnosis of AD made?
Only conclusive test post-mortem
basis of history, clinical observation, memory tests and intellectual functioning over weeks or months; blood tests and neuroimaging (PET and SPECT scans) to R/O alternative diagnoses
What score on the MMSE classifies mild-mod AD?
10-26
What score on the MMSE classifies mod-severe AD?
3-14