The Impact of Alzheimer's on Older People and the Effects on their Memory Flashcards
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
A progressive, degenerative, neurological disorder associated with ageing
How many people does Alzheimers effect?
Around one in twenty people, although the risk of development increases with age
What is Alzheimers the most common form of?
The most common form of dementia
When does Alzheimers most typically occur?
Typically occurs after 65 years of age but can occur as early as 40
What is Alzheimers characterised by?
Characterised by memory loss, concentration loss, confusion, and changes in mood that progressively become worse
Initially what does Alzheimers deteriorate?
Initially deteriorates the memory system for new events and information whereas older information is preserved
How does Alzheimers affect working memory?
Central executive functioning becomes impaired, making complex tasks more difficult to coordinates and visuospatial processing becomes impaired
What is a major characteristic of Alzheimers disease?
The inability to recall autobiographical information from episodic memory thus it affects both short-term and long-term memory recall
What is the extent of the memory loss associated with?
Associated with the depletion of brain matter, particularly in the hippocampus and temporal cortex
The greater the brain damage, the more significant the impairment
