Zusammenfassung der Ressource
alzheimer disease
- When is old age considered
old?
- The United Nations has agreed that 65+ years may be usually
denoted as old age
- the World Health Organization (WHO) set 55 as the beginning of old
age. At the same time, defines old age, not by years, but by new roles,
loss of previous roles, or inability to make active contributions to
society.
- confusion aka
deliruum
- types
- Dementia
- types
- factors effecting
memory
- Physiology of memory
- Anatomy of the limbic
system
- sign and
symptoms
- At first, increasing forgetfulness or mild confusion may be the only
symptoms of Alzheimer's disease that the patient notice. But over
time, the disease robs more of the memory, especially recent
memories.
- The patient may be the first to notice having unusual difficulty remembering
things and organizing thoughts. Or may not recognize that anything is
wrong, even when changes are noticeable to family members, close friends
or co-workers.
- Forget conversations, appointments or events, and not remember them later.
Routinely misplace possessions, often putting them in illogical locations.
Repeat statements and questions over and over, not realizing that they've
asked the question before
- Have trouble finding the right words to identify objects, express thoughts or take
part in conversations
- Changes in personality and
behavior
- Depression... Apathy... Social
withdrawal... Mood swings...
Distrust in others Irritability and
aggressiveness... Delusions, such
as believing something has been
stolen
- causes
- Scientists believe that for most people, Alzheimer's disease is caused by
a combination of genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that affect
the brain over time.
- hallmarks
- beta amyloid
plaques
- These clumps of a protein called beta-amyloid may damage and destroy brain
cells in several ways, including interfering with cell-to-cell communication.
Although the ultimate cause of brain-cell death in Alzheimer's isn't known, the
collection of beta-amyloid on the outside of brain cells is a prime suspec
- tau
tangles
- Brain cells depend on an internal support and transport system to carry
nutrients and other essential materials throughout their long extensions. This
system requires the normal structure and functioning of a protein called tau
- Investigations
- Blood work
up
- Anemia...B12 deficiency... HYPOthyroidism...nfection....
HYPOglycemia
- Genetic:
- Apo-epsilon-4
allele
- Mental status
tests
- Mini-Mental state
examination
- Imaging
- ct scan
- treatment
- Pharmacology
- Acetylcholinesterase
Inhibitors
- Donepezil, Rivastigmine, & Galantamine
Improve cholinergic transmission within
the CNS
- Galantamine has nicotinic
action.
- NMDA-glutamate Antagonist
- Memantine blocks excess Glutamate
transmission, limiting Ca2+ influx.
- Adverse
Effects
- Nausea & Vomiting
Bradycardia & Hypotension
Miosis
- Epidemiology
- Worldwide, nearly 47 million people have Alzheimer’s
or a related dementia.
- Only 1-in-4 people with Alzheimer’s disease have been
diagnosed. Alzheimer’s and dementia is most common
in Western Europe.
- Prognosis
- Most patients die within 8 to 10 years, some live as long as 25
years.
- An accurate, early diagnosis gives affected individuals a greater chance
of benefiting from existing treatments
- Complications
- Infections mainly (UTI & pneumonia... Injuries from falls... Bedsores... Loss
of ability to move joints.. Loss of ability to care for self... Malnutrition &
dehydration... Harmful or violent behavior.