S2. Ch 30: Cognitive: Delirium, Dementia, and Alzheimer's Flashcards
the reversible alteration in cognition caused by acute conditions
delirium
the irreversible impairment in cognition caused by disease or injury to the brain.
dementia
Cause: Disruption in brain function due to medication side effect, circulatory disturbance, dehydration, low or high blood pressure, low or high thyroid activity, low or high blood glucose, surgery, stress, etc.
delirium
Cause: Damage to brain tissue due to Alzheimer’s or other degenerative diseases, circulatory problems, lack of oxygen, infection, trauma, hydrocephalus, tumor, alcoholism, etc.
Dementia
Which disorder is rapid? Which is slow?
rapid: delirium
slow: dementia
Short-term memory impaired more than long-term, disoriented, confused, distorted thinking, incoherent speech, may be suspicious of others, see or hear things that are not there (illusions, hallucinations), exaggeration of personality features
delirium
Poor short- and long-term memory, disoriented, confused, difficulty finding proper word to use, impaired judgment, problems with arithmetic and problem-solving, personality changes
dementia
hallucinations and illusions occur in which disease?
delirium
During the initial acute stage of delirium, __ and ___ are primary goals.
establishing medical stability and minimizing stimulation
an irreversible, progressive impairment in cognitive function affecting memory, orientation, judgment, reasoning, attention, language, and problem-solving.
dementia
An estimated _% older adults suffer some form of dementia.
5%
____ is the most common form of dementia
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by two changes in the brain. The first is the presence of ___
neuritic plaques, which contain deposits of β-amyloid protein
Alzheimers: β-Amyloid protein is a fragment of amyloid precursor protein that helps _______.
the neurons grow and repair.
Alzheimers: The β-amyloid fragments clump together into plaques that ____
impair the function of nerve cells in the brain.
Alzheimers: The second characteristic brain change is ___
neurofibrillary tangles in the cortex.
Microtubules, structures within healthy neurons, are normally stabilized by a special protein called ___
tau
In Alzheimer’s disease, tau is changed and begins to pair with___. This causes the microtubules to disintegrate and collapse the neuron’s transport system.
other threads of tau that become tangled
Alzheimers: The 2 brain changes lead to a ___, especially within the neocortex and hippocampus
loss or degeneration of neurons and synapses
There are also changes in neurotransmitter systems associated with Alzheimer’s disease, including reductions in __ receptors, serotonin uptake into __, production of __ in the areas of the brain in which plaque and tangles are found, ___ (which breaks down acetylcholine), and choline ____.
serotonin platelets acetylcholine acetylcholinesterase acetyltransferase
The transitional stage between normal cognitive aging and dementia in which the person has short-term memory impairment and challenges with complex cognitive functions is referred to as a ___
mild cognitive impairment.
the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is higher in families with __
Down’s syndrome
An altered chromosome 21 in people with Alzheimer’s disease causes production of an abnormal ___
amyloid precursor protein
There is some investigation into the role of ___ in the development of Alzheimer’s disease
free radicals
