Dementia Flashcards
What is the prevalence of dementia at 85+ years of age?
40%
T/F Our population is getting older & therefore our population of demented patients is getting larger.
Yeah, true.
What is dementia?
a syndrome of acquired, persistent intellectual impairment that is due to brain dysfunction.
Do patients with Down’s Syndrome have dementia?
No. It must be acquired. Those with congenital mental & developmental delays do not have dementia.
T/F Delirium & dementia are the same.
False. They are different. one of the main distinguishing characteristics of dementia is that it is persistent. Delirium is not.
If you have amnesia or aphasia & nothing else—>do you have dementia?
No. b/c dementia does not consist of isolated deficits, but of multiple deficits. A syndrome.
The diagnosis of dementia requires diminishment in 3 or more domains of mental capacity. What are some options for domains?
**there are 9 domains memory language: receptive & expressive perception praxis calculations semantic knowledge: conceptual knowledge executive functions personality emotional expression/awareness
What is praxis?
knowledge of how to do things–>use a screwdriver
Name 4 common dementia syndromes.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Vascular Dementia
Frontotemporal Dementia
What is the usual age of onset of Alzheimer’s disease? Which deficit usu occurs first? What are the other losses that often happen?
usual age of onset–>age 65
usu memory goes first.
slowly progressive decline in recent memory, language, visuospatial impairment, executive dysfunction
Describe what happens in dementia with lewy bodies.
fluctuating course
dementia followed by spontaneous parkinsonism
visual hallucinosis and/or psychosis
neuroleptic sensitivity
What are the signs of vascular dementia?
abrupt cognitive loss, stepwise decline
Infarcts and/or vascular disease by imaging
focal neurologic signs
What is the usual age of onset for frontotemporal dementia? What are the beginning losses? What is eventually lost?
age of onset less than age 65
prominent impairment of behavior, social conduct, judgment
early disturbance of language, progressive aphasia
begins with language loss or behavioral control loss or loss of concepts.
What is the difference b/w dementia & mild cognitive impairment?
Dementia: memory loss & loss of at least 2 cognitive domains; diminished ADL
Mild Cognitive Impairment: memory loss but persevered condition & ADL
T/F If you can do activities of daily living–you are NOT demented.
True.
Does mild cognitive impairment ever progress to dementia?
Yes-1/3 of the time
1/3 of the time you remain at mild cognitive impairment
1/3 of the time you get better! yay!
What is the onset, duration, and course of delirium like?
acute onset.
duration of hours–days
fluctuating course
What is the onset, duration, and course of dementia like?
can’t really notice when it starts (insidious)
duration of months to years
usually a constant course
What is the arousal, attention, and memory like for patients with delirium?
Arousal: lethargic–agitated
Attention: prominent distractibility
Memory: impaired by inattention
What is the arousal, attention, and memory like for patients with dementia?
Arousal: normal
Attention: normal or mildly abnormal
Memory: amnesia present, but attentional function intact
What is speech/language, perception & affect like for patients with delirium?
Language: dysarthric, incoherent, dysgraphia prominent
Perception: frequent misperceptions
Affect: fearful or suspicious
What is speech/language, perception & affect like for patients with delirium?
Language: dysnomic, aphasia
Perception: normal or mildly abnormal
Affect: normal or mildly abnormal
What are the motor signs of delirium? What does the EEG show?
postural tremor
myoclonus-occurs late in the game
maybe asterixis (tremor of hand when wrist extended)
EEG: diffusely slow
What are the motor signs of dementia? What does the EEG show?
usually none until late progression of dementia
EEG: normal or mildly slow
When old people get lost while driving should you report them? Is this a motor problem or memory problem?
usu a memory problem
only if it is a motor problem are they really endangering other people & needed to be reported to the DMV
What does normal aging look like?
of cognitive and behavioral changes
Most consistently manifests as a generalized slowing of both intellectual and physical performance
preserved crystalline intelligence (old solutions)
decreased fluid intelligence
stable verbal IQ
decreased working memory
What is praxis?
Integration and performance of learned, complex motor act
What is a normal median score for the MMSE for a person with these stats?
>85 years and >12 years of education
28
What is a normal median score for the MMSE for a person with these stats?
70-74 and >12 years of education
29