Clinical Aspects of Dementia Flashcards
What is the standard test done in most psychiatry of old age departments?
ACE - III
Aside from the ACE-III, what other forms of cognitive testing may be done? When?
MoCA (montreal cognitive assessment)
Shorter, several versions, validated in many languages
FAB – frontal assessment battery
What kind of history is very important in someone with cognitive impairment?
Collateral history
What is given to the person you are taking a collateral history from?
Short Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly
What does the OT assessment involve?
Cognitive performance testing
Describe cognitive performance testing.
- Observation of activities – washing, dressing, using phone, shopping, making toast, travelling
- Estimates cognitive level and level of supervision required for daily living
Sometimes, someone may not have dementia but just a….
Mild cognitive impairment
There are many reversible causes of cognitive impairment
TRUE
List some causes of reversible cognitive impairment?
Basically anything that causes a physical disturbance can cause a cognitive impairment
What is mild cognitive impairment?
Noticeable cognitive impairment with little deterioration of function
What is the common score for someone with a mild cognitive impairment using ACE-III?
80-90
What is the common score for someone with a mild cognitive impairment using MoCA?
24-26
What is the annual conversion rate of mild cognitive impairment to dementia?
10-15%
How should patients with mild cognitive impairment be managed?
With yearly cognitive testing.
What are the 4 key symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia?
- Memory loss, particularly short term.
- Dysphasia.
- Dyspraxia.
- Agnosia. (inability to interpret sensations/recognise things)
What may be seen on CT/MRI of a patient with Alzheimers?
May be normal, or there may be medial temporal lobe atrophy or temporoparietal atrophy
What are the 2 variants of Alzheimers?
- Frontal.
* Posterior cortical atrophy.
What symptoms are more common in vascular dementia than Alzheimers?
Dysphasia, dyscalculia, frontal lobe and affective sx
Give an example of an affective symptom that is more common in vascular dementia then Alzheimers?
Depression
What type of signs might vascular dementia be associated with?
Focal neurological signs
What kind of risk factors do those with vascular dementia have?
Vascular risk factors
What type of decline is vascular dementia associated with?
Step-wise
Describe step-wise decline?
Symptoms stay the same for a while then suddenly get really bad
- Like a set of stairs going down