Dementia I Flashcards
2 major categories of memory
declarative (explicit) and non-declarative (implicit)
Declarative memory is
recall of facts or event
Non-declarative memory is
stands for non-verbal motor learning such as
playing a musical instrument or riding a bicycle
Declarative memory areas
Medial temporal lobe and associated structures
non-declarative memory areas
Striatum, Amygdala, Neocortex and Cerebellum
Learning vs. memory
Learning involves acquisition of new facts and knowledge, whereas memory refers to the storage and retrieval of learned information
2 memory types (temporally differentiated)
STM and LTM
Short term memory
STM/working memory
ability to hold information for seconds to minutes
Long-term memory
retention of information in a more permanent form
Memory impairment diagnosis is based on…
studies of medical history, neuropsychological testing, neurological/psychiatry examinations and brain imaging
Dementia Definition
- A clinical syndrome characterized by acquired losses of cognitive and emotional abilities severe enough to interfere with daily functioning
- Strictly a clinical diagnosis
Dementia has a fixed level of decline TRUE OR FALSE
FALSE
Rate of cognitive decline varies with
individuals and specific disease
Dementia is caused by dysfunctions in these areas
dysfunction of the cerebral hemisphere, especially cortex, hippocampus and their subcortical nuclei such as caudate nuclei and thalamus
Dementia may be associated with the following domains of consciousness
Dementia may be associated with ANY major domains of cognition
INCLUDES declarative memory, executive function, visuospatial function or language
Co-morbid symptoms in dementia
Psychiatric symptoms are common in dementia: apathy and loss of initiative are always present.
Depression, anxiety and hallucinations are also frequent
Advanced dementia shows issues in
basic daily living activities (bathing, dressing, feeding)
Is dementia fatal?
No, it decreases life expectancy BUT death in dementia is mainly due to sepsis, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism or heart disease
When do dementia patients die (at what stage)
usually die at mild-to-moderate stages
Primary Dementia has 2 categories
non-degenerative diseases and neurodegenerative diseases
Primary dementia
dementia caused by neurodegenerative and non-neurodegenerative diseases
when dementia is the main cause (not secondary to another pathology)
makes up 98% of dementias
Neurodegenerative diseases
AD, Frontotemporal dementia (FTLD), Lewy Body
dementia (LBD), Huntington disease, Prion disease
Non-neurodegenerative diseases
Vascular dementia, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus etc.
___% of dementias are secondary and triggered by ____ and ____ (can/can’t) be resolved if treated
About <2% of dementia may be triggered by infections, metabolic disorders and drug intoxication which if treated early can be resolved completely
Most common causes of dementia
Alzheimer’s (AD–55%), vascular dementia (VaD–20.6%), frontotemporal dementia (FTLD–8.4%), Dementia with Lewy Bodies (LBD-4.5%)
Most dementia patients exhibit…
similar symptoms/pathologies including behavioural/psychological symptoms including delusions, depression, anxiety etc.
Evidence suggests that some people with
pathology similar to AD don’t develop
cognitive deficits–believed to be due to
which is believed to be due to higher cognitive reserve related to brain anatomical modification or
adaptability to overcome cognitive deficit
Most dementia occurs after age ___ and are _____, those before are caused by ____
Most cases of dementia are sporadic and occur after 65yrs of age,
whereas only a small percentage of cases which
appear before 65yrs are caused by genetic abnormalities
Hereditary AD is due to mutations of (3)
amyloid precursor protein (APP), presenilin 1 (PS1) and PS2