dementia Flashcards
5 types of dementia
Alzheimer’s (the most common- 60-80% of cases)
Vascular
Temporo-frontal
Lewy Body
Korsakoff
most common form of dementia
alzheimers
alzheimers defintion
Alzheimer’s is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that destroys brain cells, causing thinking ability and memory to decline over time.
brain structures affected by alzheimers
An abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain form a plaque that cause existing healthy neurons to lose connections, stop functioning and die off. This leads to shrinkage of the brain.
-Starts in the hippocampus
-Spreads to Entorhinal cortex (Located in the medial temporal lobe)
proteins that build up during alzheimers
Beta amyloid plaques
Tau protein dangles
progression and symptoms in alzheimers
Early stage (Mild) - Symptoms are mild. A person at this stage is fully aware of their condition and only need minimal assistance. Misplacing items , Forgetting the names of places and objects, Asking questions repetitively
Middle stage (Moderate) - Symptoms more noticeable. More assistance needed to accomplish daily task.
Late stage (Severe) - At this stage, person is unable to communicate verbally. -Memory changes that affect day to day abilities, Changes in language and communication, Disorientation of day and time, Impaired Judgment ,Changes in mood, personality and behavior
End of life - Cognitive decline progressed and needs 24 hour care. Shifts to palliative care.
Early symptoms:
cure for alzheimers?
no, very progressive
vascular dementia defintion
a loss of brain function caused by a series of strokes that affect various areas in the brain (can affect memory, thinking, language, judgment, or behavior)
Changes in the brain for vascular
interruption of blood supply to any parts of the brain > brain cannot get oxygen > brain cells die > atrophy/shrinking of the brain tissue
symptoms in vascular (mild-severe)
Early symptoms include performing cognitive tasks, getting lost on familiar routes, language problems (difficulty with word retrieval), flat affect, misplacing items.
Generalized worsening symptoms can include change in sleep, losing awareness of who you are, hallucinations, difficulties with reading/writing, poor judgment
is vascular progressive and is there a cure
progressive, very dependant on patient, no cure
lewy body defintion
-defined by the intracellular deposition of Lewy bodies in neurons, particularly in the cortex
-The built-up mass of Lewy bodies blocks messages between brain cells, leading to dementia.
-Accounts for between 5 and 10% of all dementia cases.
-The cause of LBD is unknown
-Linked to the alpha-synuclein protein in neurons
progression of lewy body
Stage I: No cognitive decline.
Stage II: Very mild cognitive decline
Stage III: Mild cognitive decline
Stage IV: Moderate cognitive decline (Common stage to be diagnosed)
Stage V: Moderately severe cognitive decline
Stage VI: severe cognitive decline.
Stage VII: Very severe cognitive decline.
two types of lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia: when Lewy bodies first appear in the part of the brain responsible for thinking.
Parkinson’s disease dementia: when the Lewy bodies affect part of the brain responsible for movement.
brain regions affected in lewy body
-cerebral cortex
-limbic cortex
-hippocampus
-midbrain
-brainstem
(areas of the brain involving thinking and movement)
primary symptoms of lewy body
Fluctuating cognitive impairment—this includes decreased executive function, memory loss, behaviour changes, attention and alertness
Visuospatial impairment—this includes having visual hallucinations; auditory hallucinations also possible but less common
Less common symptoms that are closely tied to Parkinson dementia include
-Dystonia (involuntary muscle contraction)
-Akathisia (restlessness/distress caused by medications blocking dopamine receptors )
-muscle rigidity (voluntary muscle contraction)
-Bradykinesia, Tremor, Tardive dyskinsea
korsakoff dementia defintion
Korsakoff syndrome is a type of dementia linked to severe deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) caused by chronic alcohol abuse or malnutrition but can be caused by other conditions as well.
Thiamine helps cells in the brain produce energy from sugar. When thiamine levels become too low, brain cells cannot produce enough energy to function normally.
korsakoff progression/symptoms
Wernicke’s Encephalopathy: Acute, initial stage and is considered a medical emergency.
-Symptoms: Confusion, Ataxia, Ophthalmoplegia (Abnormal eye movements and vision problems)
if not treated can lead to….
Korsakoff Syndrome: Chronic stage and involves long-term memory issues
-Symptoms: Anterograde Amnesia: Difficulty forming new memories
Retrograde Amnesia: Difficulty recalling past memories
Confabulation: Filling memory gaps with fabricated or distorted memories
confabulation is what and found in what demetia
filling memory gaps woth fabicrated memories found in korsakoff dementia
affected structures with korsakoff (movement, memory and congnition)
Movement and Coordination:
Affected: Cerebellum, Peripheral nerves
Neuronal damage impairs balance and motor control
Ataxia (poor muscle coordination causing unsteady gait), increased fall risk
Memory and Cognition:
Affected: Mammillary bodies, Hippocampus, Frontal lobe
Brain atrophy affects memory and reasoning
Anterograde (inability to form new memories) and Retrograde (Loss of past memories) Amnesia
Forgetfulness and poor decision making
Confabulation (fill memory gaps with fabricated or distorted memories)
structures affected in korsakoff (sensory and speech)
Sensory and Proprioception:
Affected: Peripheral nerves, Thalamus
Nerve damage reduces sensory input
Numbness, tingling, difficulty sensing body position
Nystagmus (rapid, involuntary eye movement) blurred vision
Speech and Communication:
Affected: Cerebellum, Wernicke’s area, Cranial nerves
Poor muscle coordination and language comprehension deficits
Dysarthria (Slurred, slow speech)
Difficulty understanding conversations
frontotemporal dementia defintion
A dementia affecting the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, causing changes in behaviour and language.
changes in the brain in frontotemporal
Damaged nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobe causes shrinkage of the brain tissue of the lobes.
Within the nerve cells, structures called pick bodies - a buildup of abnormal proteins, develop.
Pick bodies are an abnormal clump of tau proteins.
This leads to the disconnection between the lobes and other areas of the brain to further break down.
progression of frontotemporal
Duration varies from 2 to over 20 years
Early Stages:
-Behaviour changes or problems with speech can appear separately
-Memory and perception of time are unaffected
Later Stages:
General symptoms of dementia arise such as confusion and forgetfulness, loss in motor skills and swallowing difficulties
which type doesnt have as bad memory deificits
frontotemporal
Wandering
walking or moving around without clear direction, often due to confusion, restlessness, or memory loss.
Sundowning
increased confusion, agitation, or restlessness in the late afternoon or evening
Perseveration
continuation of something (such as an activity or thought) usually to an extreme degree or beyond a desired point
What are the differences and similarities between vascular and Alzheimers
similarities:
Both conditions can cause memory loss, confusion, and difficulty with daily tasks.
Both involve cognitive decline and can affect thinking, planning, and judgment.
differences:
Alzheimer’s is primarily linked to the buildup of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain, while problems with blood flow to the brain cause vascular dementia.
The progression of Alzheimer’s is more gradual, while vascular dementia may have more abrupt changes or can develop in a stepwise fashion due to strokes.
which dementia can be associated with PD
lewy body
