Dementia

Question 1

What is dementia?

Answer 1

Irreversible, progressive decline and impairment of more than one aspect of higher brain function

Question 2

What are the 4 different types of dementia?

Answer 2

• Vascular dementia
• Lewy body dementia
• Alzheimers dementia
• Frontotemporal dementia

Question 3

What is the most common type of dementia?

Answer 3

Alzheimer’s dementia

Question 4

What histological features will you see in alzheimer’s dementia?

Answer 4

amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

Question 5

What impact does the formation of amyloid plaques in alzheimers dementia have?

Answer 5

Causes a reduction in the information transmission, which leads to brain cell death

Question 6

What age does alzheimers dementia usually tend to present from?

Answer 6

60 years old

Question 7

How does vascular dementia usually progress?

Answer 7

In a stepwise fashion

Question 8

What areas of the brain are mostly effected in vascular dementia?

Answer 8

The white matter

Question 9

What is a common feature of vascular dementia?

Answer 9

Mood disorders and disturbances

Question 10

What sex is more at risk of developing vascular dementia?

Answer 10

Males

Question 11

Name some risk factors for developing vascular dementia

Answer 11

Smoking, strokes, HTN, diabetes

Question 12

Is lewy body dementia usually rapidly progressing?

Answer 12

Yes, death usually occurs around 7 years after diagnosis

Question 13

What sex does Lewy Body usually effect?

Answer 13

Males

Question 14

What is deposited in the brain in Lewy Body dementia?

Answer 14

Spherical Lewy Body proteins

Question 15

What is a common symptom of Lewy body dementia?

Answer 15

Visual Hallucinations

Question 16

What is a common presenting complaint of Lewy Body dementia?

Answer 16

Problems multi-tasking and performing complex cognitive actions

Question 17

What disease can Lewy Body dementia mimic?

Answer 17

Parkinson’s Disease

Question 18

What is the rarest form of dementia?

Answer 18

Frontotemporal dementia

Question 19

What age is Frontotemporal dementia usually diagnosed?

Answer 19

Under 65 years old

Question 20

What causes the atrophy in Frontotemporal dementia?

Answer 20

The deposition of abnormal proteins

Question 21

What are the 3 ways that Frontotemporal dementia can present?

Answer 21

1. Behavioural changes
2. Sematic presentation
3. Non-fluent presentation

Question 22

What do you need to rule out before proceeding with a dementia diagnosis?

Answer 22

Things such as delirium, infection, cognitive impairment and electrolyte imbalances