Major Neurocognitive Disorders- Dementia specific Flashcards
what is the most common type of dementia (Major Neurocognitive Disorder)
Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases
Alzheimer’s onset and course is generally:
A) sudden onset with progressive decline
B) gradual onset with progressive decline
C) sudden onset, progressive improvement until remission is reached
D) the trajectory depends on the person, it could be any of the above.
B
what age group is most commonly affected by Alzheimers
people age 65+, it is also more common in women
Alzheimers is characterized by a build up of what in the brain
Amyloid Plaques and tangles (Tau).
The presence of these leads to cell death in the brain which causes brain shrinkage
true or false: the first symptom of alzheimers is usually changes in motor function
False. The first symptom is memory loss, though in later stages changes, motor function and sensory processing are usually effected.
Other common symptoms that appear early in the course of the disease are: changes in thinking, reasoning, behaviour, planning, language, etc.
what is vascular dementia caused by?
brain cell death due to hypoxia (could be due to hemorrhage, stroke, narrowing of blood vessels, etc)
the onset and course of disease progression for vascular dementia is most commonly:
A) sudden onset with progressive stepwise decline
B) gradual onset with progressive stepwise decline
C) sudden onset, progressive improvement until remission is reached
D) the trajectory depends on the person, it could be any of the above.
A
but it can also at times be gradual onset with progressive stepwise decline
what is the typical age of onset of vascular dementia?
approximately 60-75 years of age
list 5 lifestyles risk factors for vascular dementia
- poor cardiovascular health
- high cholesterol
- high BP
- diabetes
- smoking
True or false: vascular dementia is characterized by FOCAL neurological deficits.
True. the area of the brain affected by the hypoxic brain injury will result in specific symptom presentation.
describe the most common clinical features of vascular dementia
- *1. focal neurological deficits
- *2. slowed thinking and difficulty problem solving
3. poor concentration, disorganization, impulsiveness.
4. confusion
5. gait disturbance, unsteadiness
6. sudden/frequent urge to urinate, incontenence
7. depression, apathy, emotional liability, personality changes
Dementia with Lewy Bodies commonly co-occurs with which other type of dementia?
Alzheimers
What are the most common clinical symptoms of Lewy Body Dementia?
- hallucinations and delusions
- fluctuating confusion, and alertness
- movement disorders (parkonsonian like)
- malfunctions in autonomic nervous system
- dizziness
- impaired thinking and reasoning
- significant sleep disturbances
Dementia with Lewy Bodies overlaps and can progress to what disease
Parkinson’s disease and parkinson’s dementia
What is the difference in cause in Lewy Body dementia and Alzheimers dementia?
Both are characterized by a buildup of proteins. Lewy Body dementia is caused by a buildup of Lewy Bodies (an abnormal protein) whereas Alzheimers is caused by a build up of amyloid plaque and Tau proteins. Alzheimers and LBD often occur simultaneously, they can also be misdiagnosed as each other.