Chapter 19

Question 1

Double aging

Answer 1

1. Number of elderly people will increase

2. Life expectancy is increasing

Question 2

Prevalence for dementia and Alzheimers in elderly

Answer 2

6.4% dementia and 4.4% Alzheimer’s

Question 3

Risk factors Alzheimers

Answer 3

1. Age, prevalence doubles with every 5 years of age
2. Women higher chance
3. Genetic predisposition
4. Vascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking)

Question 4

Diagnosis of Alzheimers steps

Answer 4

1. Syndrome diagnosis = dementia present or not
2. Specific diagnosis = probable AD dementia or not
3. Definite diagnosis = post mortem

Question 5

Clinical criteria of dementia

Answer 5

1. Memory impairment
2. Aphasia
3. Apraxia
4. Agnosia
5. Impairment of executive functioning
6. Deterioration of functioning

Question 6

DSM-5 term for dementia

Answer 6

Major Neurocognitive Disorder

Question 7

Prodromal Alzheimers

Answer 7

Mild cognitive impairment

Question 8

Criteria for MCI

Answer 8

1. Memory complaints
2. Objective loss of memory
3. Relatively normal performances in other domains
4. Relatively intact functioning without dementia

Question 9

Types of MCI

Answer 9

1. Amnestic MCI, if memory is involved
2. Non-amnestic MCI, if other domains are impaired
3. MCI in various domains

Question 10

Amyloid cascade hypothesis

Answer 10

Abnormal cleavage of amyloid precursor protein which creates imbalance and breakdown of amyloid beta protein. This forms plaques. At a later stage the tangles of the tau protein are added. The number of tangles correlates with the severity of dementia

Question 11

The vascular hypothesis

Answer 11

Argues that cerebrovascular damage plays an important role in Alzheimers. This is an addition to the AC hypothesis. Vascular risk factors decrease blood circulation which decreases oxygen in the brain.

Question 12

Memory loss Alzheimers progression

Answer 12

1. Anterograde episodic memory

2. Retrograde amnesia

Question 13

Initial stage Alzheimers symptoms

Answer 13

1. Anterograde amnesia
2. Decreased sense of orientation with regard to time and place
3. Language impairments, especially naming things and comprehension
4. Divided attention and mental flexibility
5. Apraxia
6. Visual perception impairments

Question 14

Types of dementia

Answer 14

1. Alzheimers
2. Lewy bodies, less to do with memory
3. Semantic dementia, language impairment
4. Primary progressive aphasia, also language impairment
5. Vascular dementia, slowness and decreased mental flexibility

Question 15

Posterior Cortical Atrophy symptoms

Answer 15

1. Agnosia
2. Optic ataxia
3. Visual field deficits
4. Letter recognition and reading
5. Visual and spatial orientation

Question 16

Biomarkers when looking for Alzheimers

Answer 16

1. Atrophy of the medial temporal lobe

2. Increase in slow waves and decrease of fast waves

Question 17

Drugs for Alzheimers

Answer 17

1. Cholinesterase inhibitors, positive effect on cognitive functioning
2. NMDA-receptor antagonist

Question 18

Things that decline normally with age

Answer 18

1. Certain aspects of memory (free recall, source, prospective)
2. Decrease in white matter density and cortical thinning
3. Processing speed
4. Complex tasks

Question 19

Scaffolding theory of cognitive aging and some protective factors

Answer 19

Our brains compensate for the deterioration of functioning by activating the prefrontal cortex more. This scaffolding can be enhanced by protective factors such as:
1. Active and healthy lifestyle 
2. Cognitive and social 
stimulation 
3. Limit cardiovascular risk

Question 20

Cognitive reserve

Answer 20

Flexibility and adaptability of the brain. This is higher in people with a higher education. Makes it so that cognitive decline starts later. Maybe the decline is quicker though