Chapter 14: Late Life And Neurocognitive Disorders

Question 1

Discuss dementia

Answer 1

Dementia is a broad term to capture cohnitive decline, most commonly a decline in memory for recent events. There are many types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s frontotemporal, vascular, dementia with Lewy bodies, and dementia from other medical causes.

Question 2

Discuss Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 2

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by plaques and tangles in the brain. The risk of developing the disease is higher among those with at least one ApoE-4 allele. The expression of genetic vulnerability is influenced by lifestyle and psychological factors such as depression, exercise, and cognitive engagement.

Question 3

Discussed frontal temporal dementia

Answer 3

It is characterized by neuronal deterioration in the frontal and temporal lobe’s. Picks disease is one form of FTD. The primary symptoms of FTD include marked changes in social and emotional behavior, including problems with empathy, executive function, disinhibition , compulsive behavior, hyperorality, and apathy.

Question 4

Discuss vascular dementia

Answer 4

It often occurs after a stroke genetic factors does not play a direct role in vascular dementia

Question 5

Discuss dementia with Lewy bodies

Answer 5

It is characterized by visual hallucinations, fluctuations in cognitive functioning, supersensitivity to side effects of antipsychotic medications, and intense dreams during which the person moves and talks. It is common among people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Question 6

What are the possible treatments for dementia?

Answer 6

Exercise appears to improve cognitive functioning for people with mild cognitive impairment as well as those with Alzheimer’s disease. Antidepressants and behavioral treatments can help relieve comorbid symptoms of depression

Question 7

Discuss delirium

Answer 7

It is a neurocignitive disorder characterized by clouded consciousness. The person can seem unaware of and unable to attend to the environment. Symptoms tend to come acutely and varied throughout the day. Delirium is most likely to affect children and older adults; among the elderly, it is particularly common in hospitals and nursing homes. By definition, delirium is secondary to an underlying medical condition. If the underlying medical condition is treated, full recovery from delirium can be expected. Delirium is often not detected and the risk of further cognitive decline and even death is quite high when symptoms are not addressed.