NR546 Exam 5 Flashcard
Early (1-3 years) signs of AD - short term memory deficits
disoriented to date
diminished recall of recent events
mild language and decision-making deficits
mild problem copying figures (clock drawing)
social withdrawal
mood change
personality changes
problems with managing finances
Middle (2-8 years) stage of AD - disoriented to date and place
may get lost in familiar places
impaired learning new skills
agitation, aggression, restlessness, or anxiety
difficulty with ADLs such as cooking and grooming
Late (6-12 years) stage of AD - disoriented to person, time, or place
non-verbal
long term memory diminished
unable to groom or dress
progress to need for total care at end stage
incontinent
motor or verbal agitation
Alzheimer's disease (AD) demographic - most prevalent in people over age 65
African American (13.8%),
Hispanics (12.2%),
non-Hispanic whites (10.3%),
American Indian and Alaska Natives (9.1%),
Asian and Pacific Islanders (8.4%)
Genetics r/t AD - Genes appear to play a strong role, with late-onset AD showing
heritability of 58-79% and early-onset AD showing over 90%
Neuroanatomy r/t AD - amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.
atrophy of hippocampus and cerebral cortex.
Neural Networks r/t AD - damage to synapses, mitochondrial abnormalities, and
inflammatory processes
Neural Signaling r/t AD - decreased acetylcholinesterase activity and a permanent
loss of cholinergic neurons
Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter necessary for processing memory and
learning.
Diagnosis of AD - comprehensive health history is key to gather clues
Rule out other causes of dementia
