Dementia Flashcards
What is dementia?
Neurodegenerative disorder
Decrease in cognition (memory, judgement, language) over time
What are the 4 main types?
Alzheimers
Vascular
Lewy body
Fronto temporal
What % of people with dementia have Alzheimers?
60%
What is Alzheimers?
Pathology?
Beta amyloid plaques (breakdown product of amyloid precursor protein) + tall neurofibrillary tangles in cerebral cortex, increase cortical scarring + brain atrophy + decrease Ach neurotransmitter
RF of Alzheimers?
Downs (inevitable, APP gene mutation)
ApoE4 allele in familial alzheimers, late onset (1/4 cases)
Sx of Alzheimers?
Agnosia (can’t recognise)
Apraxia (can’t do basic motor skills)
Aphasia (can’t talk as well)
What % of people with dementia have Vascular ?
20%
What is the pathology of vascular dementia?
Cerebrovascular damage eg. stroke, TIA
Sx of vascular dementia?
Hx of TIA/Stroke
UMN signs + general decrease in cognition
What % of people with dementia have Lewy body?
10%
What is the pathology of Lewy body dementia ?
Lewy bodies (alpha synuclein + ubiquitin aggregates) accumulate in cortex Associated with parkinsons
Sx of Lewy body dementia?
Cognitive decline + parkinsonism
What % of people with dementia have Frontotemporal?
5%
RF for frontotemporal?
fHx = Autosomal dominant change tall protein (chromosome 17)
fHx = of MND (TDP-43)
Shows frontotemporal atrophy ?
Speech + language mostly = Temporal
Thinking and memory = frontal
