Neurocognitive Disorders Flashcards
What are the diagnostic criteria / domains for neurocognitive decline? (6)
Decline in:
- Language
- Complex attention
- Perceptual motor
- Executive function
- Learning and memory
- Social cognition
-(LAPELS)
What is the difference between major and minor cognitive decline?
Major = significant impairment
Minor = modest decline
Dementia is unusual to see prior to what age?
65
True or false: very few cases of dementia are reversible
True
What is the most common cause of dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease
What areas of the brain (lobes) are affected with AD?
Parietal and temporal lobes
True or false: dementia is a normal part of aging
False
What are the genes that are associated with AD?
Presenilin 1 and 2
amyloid precursor protein
What is the gene that is associated with early onset AD?
ApoE4
What is the gene that is protective against AD?
Apo E2
True or false: early onset AD has a strong genetic component
True
What is the natural h/o AD?
Gradual onset and progression
What are the two major questions that are used to screen for AD?
- lost in a well known area
- Cannot pay bills
What is the neurotransmitter that is changed with AD?
Decreased ACh
What are the histological findings of AD?
- Neurofibrillary tangles
- Neuritic plaques
- Excess amyloid
What is the average survival rate of AD?
8-10 years
What is the function of the Tau proteins?
Maintaining neuronal function (microtubule associated proteins)
What areas of the brain are particularly affected with AD?
Hippocampus
What is Binswanger’s disease? Which part of the brain is usually affected?
Multi Infarct dementia that is usually subcortical, but progresses to cortical dementia
What disease usually coexists with AD?
Vascular disease
What is the second most common type of dementia?
Vascular disease
What are the psychosis s/sx of lewy body dementia?
-Visual hallucinations/ delusions
What are the s/sx of PD? (TRAP)
- Tremor (resting)
- Rigidity
- Akinesia
- Postural instability
What is the treatment for lewy body disease? What should never be used?
Cholinesterase inhibitors
Never use antipsychotics
What is Pick’s disease?
Frontotemporal dementia–selective atrophy that involved the temporal and/or frontal lobes of the brain
When does frontotemporal dementia usually present, relative to AD?
50s as opposed to 70s for AD
What are the first s/sx of frontotemporal dementia?
Disinhibition and language problems
When do s/sx of CTE usually present?
8-10 years following repeated concussions
What are the usual s/sx of CTE?
- Disorientation, HA
- Memory loss, poor judgement
- Progressive dementia
What is the major difference between cortical and subcortical dementia?
Cortical = global loss
Subcortical is not
What are the four types of subcortical dementia?
- PD
- MS
- HD
- Vascular disease
What is the inheritance pattern of HD?
AD
What is the trinucleotide repeat in HD? What chromosome? What gene?
- CAG
- Chromosome 4
- BDNF gene
What part of the brain is specifically affected with HD? What happens to neurotransmitters here?
Caudate loses ACh and GABA
“Hunt 4 an animal and put it in a CAGe”