Dementia & Alzheimer's Dementia Flashcards
The number of people with this disorder is growing because more people now survive into the high-risk period for dementia, which is middle age and beyond.
Dementia statistics
Neurocognitive disorders are disorders in which a clinically significant deficit in cognition or memory exists, representing a significant change from a previous level of functioning.
Dementia
Living longer
Middle-aged and beyond
Memory is the 1st thing to see affected
Dementia
A mental state characterized by a disturbance in level of awareness and a change in cognition
- Dementia is not a normal process of aging.
- Develops rapidly over a short period.
Delirium
- difficulty sustaining and shifting attention
- extreme distractibility
- disorganized thinking
- speech that is rambling, irrelevant, pressured, and incoherent
- impaired reasoning ability and goal-directed behavior
- disorientation to time and place
symptoms of delirium
confusion excitement disorientation clouding of consciousness -time & place hypervigulance hyperawarness happening stupor/semi-coma
Symptoms of delirium
- Impairment of recent memory
- Misperceptions about the environment, including illusions and hallucinations
- Disturbance in level of consciousness, with interuption of the sleep-wake cycle
- psychomotor activity that fluctuates between agitation and restlessness and a vegetative state
- emotional instability
Symptoms of Delirium
- Tachycardia
- Sweating/diaphoresis
- Flushed face
- Dilated pupils
- Elevated blood pressure
- Usually begins abruptly; type of underline problem. polypharmacy, could be a UTI
- Can have a slower onset if underlying etiology i systemic illness or metabolic imbalance
- Duration is usually brief and subsides completely for underlying
Symptoms include autonomic manifestations
Infections, febrile illness, metabolic disorders, head trauma, seizures, migraine headaches, brain abscess, stroke, electrolyte imbalance, others;
-Never chronic; must be treated, underlying problem.
Delirium due to a general medical condition
Predisposing Factors
Maybe caused by intoxication o withdrawal from certain substances, such as
_Anticholingergics, antihypertensives, corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, analgesics and others
_Alcohol, amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, hallucinogens, inhalants, and others
_Toxins, including organic solvents and fuels, lead, mercury, arsenic, carbon monoxide, and others
(Smallest dose given so toxic levels aren’t reached)
Substance-Induced Delirium
Impairment in the cognitive functions of thinking, reasoning, memory, learning, and speaking.
Neurocognitive Disorder
Neurocognitive disorder (NCD) may be classified as mild or major, depending on severity of symptoms. Mild NCD has also been called Mild Cognitive Impairment. Major NCD constitutes what was previously described in the DSM as dementia.
Neurocognitive disorder
those in which the disorder itself is the major sign of some organic brain disease not directly related to any other organic illness (Alzheimer’s disease)
Primary NCD’s
caused by or related to another disease or condition (ie. HIV, or cerebral trauma) AIDS dementia; opportunistic disease happens
Secondary NCD’s
- Impairment exists in abstract thinking, judgement, and impulse control
- Conventional rules of social conduct are disregarded
- Personal appearance and hygiene are neglected
- Language may or may not be affected; asphasia
- Personality change is common
Neurocognitive Disorder
Symptoms
Reversible NCD may be more appropriately termed
-It can occur as a result of
Stroke
Depression
Side effects of medications
nutritional deficiencies; ie. alcoholics forget to eat.
metabolic disorders
temporary dementia
As the disease progresses, symptoms may include;
- aphasia
- apraxia
- irritability and moodiness, with sudden outbursts over trivial issues
- inability to care for personal needs independently
- wandering away from the home
- incontinence
Symptoms of Neurocognitive Disorder
unable to vocalize what they want
aphasia
inability to carry out motor activities
apraxia
AD; accounts for 50 to 60% of all cases of NCD
-Alzheimers’s Disease can be described in stages:
Stage 1, 2 and 3
Alzheimer’s Disease
No apparent symptoms. AD
Stage I AD
Forgetfulness; loss things, forget names; embarrassed of it. Maybe depressed from it. AD
Stage II AD
Mild cognitive decline AD
Stage III AD
Mild-to-moderate cognitive decline; Very noticeable; Confabulations. Ad
Stage 4; AD
Moderate cognitive decline; AD; unable to recognize family members. Immobility; ROM exercises need to be performed.
Stage 5; AD
Moderate-to-severe cognitive decline; sun-downing common. AD
Stage 6; AD
Severe cognitive decline
Stage 7; AD
Onset is slow and insidious;
Course of the disorder is generally progressive and deteriorating.
NCD due to Alzheimer’s Disease
Acetylcholine alterations; enzyme required
Plagues and tangles
Head trauma
Genetic Factors
Etiologies may include; AD
predisposing factors
NCD occurs as a result of significant cerebrovascular disease.
There is a more abrupt onset than is seen in association with AD, and the course is more variable.
-etiologies include;
hypertension; not being cared for adequately
cerebral emboli, cerebral thrombosis
Vascular NCD
Predisposing factors
-Occurs as a result of shrinking of the frontal and temporal anterior lobes of the brain.
-Previously called Pick’s disease
-Exact cause is unknown, but genetic appears to be a factor
lose ability with spoken & written language.
Frontotemporal NCD
predisposing factors
Amnesia is the most common neurobehavioral symptom following head trauma
Dementia due to traumatic brain injury
Repeated head trauma can result in Dementia Pugilistica with symptoms of
-emotional lability!
-dysarthria
-ataxia
-impulsivity
problems with speech due to lack of muscle control
Dementia Puglistica
dementia due to traumatic brain injury
Similar to Alzheimer’s disease, but progresses more rapidly.
Appearance of Lewy bodies in the cerebral cortex and brainstem
Progressive and irreversible
May account for 25% of all NCD cases
-manifested early
visual hallucinations; symptoms similar to EPS, Parkinsons
Dementia due to Lewy body disease
-Caused by a loss of nerve cells located in the substantia nigra and a decrease in dopamine activity.(in dopamine)
-Cerebral changes in NCD due to Parkinson’s disease sometimes resembles those of Alzheimer’s disease.
tremors @ rest
Dysphasia (monitor for)
Parkinson’s disease
Caused by brain infections with opportunistic organisms or by the HIV-1 virus directly. (secondary)
- Symptoms may range from barely perceptible changes to acute delirium to profound cognitive impairment.
- confusion psychosis
Dementia Due to HIV infection
Occurs as a result of reactions to, or the overuse or abuse of, substances such as
- alcohol
- inhalants
- sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics
- medications that cause anticholinergic side effects
- toxins, such as lead and mercury
Substance-Induced Dementia
- This disease is transmitted as a Mendelian dominant gene
- Damage occurs in the areas of the basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex
- The client usually declines into a profound state of dementia and ataxia.
- Average course of the disease is based on age at onset, with juvenile-onset and late-onset having the shortest duration.
NCD due to Huntington’s disease