Dementia Flashcards
DSM-5 criteria (A)
Significant cognitive decline in 1 or more cognitive domain:
- Learning and memory
- Language
- Executive function
- Complex attention
- Perceptual-motor
- Social cognition
DSM-5 criteria (B)
The cognitive deficits interfere with independence in everyday activities.
DSM-5 criteria (C)
The cognitive deficits do not occur exclusively in the context of a delirium.
DSM-5 criteria (D)
The cognitive deficits are not better explained by another mental disorder.
Areas of manifestation of dementia
Cognitive
Psychological
Behavioural
Sleep
Physical
MMSE score for mild AD
20-24 (out of 30)
MMSE score for moderate AD
10-19 (out of 30)
MMSE score for severe AD
<10 (out of 30)
MMSE score for severe AD
Types of dementia
- AD
- Vascular dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Mixed type
Modifiable risk factors
- Age (5-10% >65y/o, 50% >85y/o)
- Female
- Ethnicity: black, Hispanic
- Genetics: APOE*4
Non-modifiable risk factors
- HTN
- DM
- Binge drinking
- Smoking
- Limited physical activity
- Obesity
- Hearing loss
- Depression
Clinical evaluations
- Medical history (both patient and family/friend/caregiver)
- Functional deficits
- Cognitive deficits
- Absence of alternative conditions
- Labs (not routine)
- Imaging (adjunct)
Laboratory testing (rule out)
Thyroid & Vitamin B12
Structural brain imaging (AD)
Generalised or focal cortical atrophy, often asymmetrical
Structural brain imaging (vascular)
Brain infarcts or white matter lesion
Structural brain imaging (frontotemporal)
Frontal lobe or anterior temporal lbe atrophy
Structural brain imaging (others)
Brain mass (tumour), hydrocephalus
MoCA scoring (mild)
18-25
MoCA scoring (moderate)
10-17
MoCA scoring (severe)
<10
Pathophysiology of AD
- Senile plagues
- Neurofibillary tangles (NFTs)
- Cholinergic deficits
Major constituent of senile plaques
Aggregates of b-amyloid peptide
How is Ab peptides derived?
Cleavage of amyloid precursor proteins (APP) via action of b- and γ-secretases
What is the alternative pathway of Ab peptides?
a- and γ- secretases