Lecture Six: Alzheimer's Disease

Question 1

Alzheimer’s is classed under what major umbrella term?

Answer 1

Under the umbrella term of “Dementia” (classifies multiple causes of brain disease)

Question 2

How common is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Answer 2

70% of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease

Question 3

What kind of treatment/cures exist for Alzheimer’s Disease?

Answer 3

No known cure or prevention. Few treatments may slow progression temporarily at best

Question 4

What is the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 4

Age, 30% of people over 85 have dementia

Question 5

Can Alzheimer’s be present in individuals under the age of 65?

Answer 5

Yes

Question 6

Clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s only appear after what

Answer 6

Clinical symptoms only appear after a threshold number of neuritic plaques have been exceeded.

Question 7

Is the development of plaques and tangles part of normal or abnormal aging?

Answer 7

BOTH

Question 8

Neuronal cell loss in what area of the brain shows patterns indicative of AD vs normal aging?

Answer 8

Hippocampus

Question 9

How many cognitive domains must show significant decline before the DSM-V can diagnose someone with Alzheimer’s Disease?

Answer 9

2 or more

Question 10

Does Alzheimer’s disease involve rapid or steady progression?

Answer 10

Steady progression with no plateaus

Question 11

What are the 4 types of atypical Alzheimer’s Disease?

Answer 11

• Posterior variant AD
• Logopenic variant AD
• Frontal variant AD
• Down’s syndrome variant AD

Question 12

What is the defining characteristic of atypical AD?

Answer 12

Impaired memory is NOT the primary symptom

Question 13

What are the 5 characteristics of Posterior Variant AD?

Answer 13

• Characterised by prominent difficulties with visual perception
• Difficulties with identifying objects, symbols, words or faces
• Difficulties with reading, writing or maths
• Difficulties viewing more than one thing at a time
• Difficulties coordinating eye/hand movements towards objects

Question 14

What are the 4 characteristics of Logopenic Variant AD?

Answer 14

• Characterised by early and progressive language changes
• Difficulties with word-finding
• Difficulties with naming
• Difficulties with repetition of phrases

Question 15

What are the 4 characteristics of Frontal Variant AD?

Answer 15

• Early and progressive changes in behaviour
• Apathy
• Behavioural disinhibition
• Prominent executive dysfunction on testing

Question 16

Frontal variant AD is often confused with …….

Answer 16

Frontal variant AD is very similar to behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia

Question 17

What are the 2 characteristics of Down’s syndrome variant AD?

Answer 17

• Occurrence of dementia characterised by behavioural changes and executive dysfunction
• Occurs in people with pre-existing Down’s syndrome

Question 18

continue from slide

Answer 18

14