Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Lecture Notes

Flashcards covering key concepts and definitions related to Alzheimer's disease and dementia from the lecture notes.

Dementia

An umbrella term for loss of memory and other thinking abilities severe enough to interfere with daily life.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

A specific brain disease that accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases, characterized by the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles.

Aphasia

A communication disorder characterized by impaired language abilities, manifesting in difficulty in speaking, writing, or understanding language.

Apraxia

An inability to carry out motor activities despite having intact motor function.

Agnosia

The inability to recognize or identify objects despite intact sensory function.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

An early stage of memory loss or cognitive ability loss which may or may not progress to dementia, typically noticeable by family and friends.

Vascular Dementia

A type of dementia caused by microscopic bleeding and blood vessel blockage in the brain

• Second most common

• Changes in white matter

• Most common symptom is executive functioning

Lewy Body Dementia

A progressive form of dementia characterized by decline in thinking and reasoning, spontaneous changes in attention, and recurrent visual hallucinations

• Slow movement

• Rigidity

Frontotemporal Dementia

A progressive dementia associated with damage to the frontal and temporal lobes, leading to unusual behaviors and communication difficulties.

• Rare and tends to occur at a younger age

What is executive functioning?

Difficulty with planning, initiating, sequencing, monitoring or stopping complex behaviors and occurs in mid stage of dementia

Is it Alzheimer’s or Dementia with Lewy Body?

• Memory loss

• Movement symptoms

• Hallucinations

Alzheimer’s Disease

Is it Alzheimer’s or Dementia with Lewy Body?

• Memory loss in advanced

• Movement symptoms early

• Hallucinations in early stages

• REM sleep disorders

• Disruption of ANS

Dementia with Lewy Body

What stage? The first 2 to 3 years after diagnosis, primarily memory issues, mild difficulty, can function somewhat independently

Early stages of Alzheimer's disease (mild)

What stage? 3 to 6 following diagnosis, longest stage, loss of IADLs, requires more supervision, may have a harder time recognizing loved ones

Middle Stage (moderate)

What stage? 6 to 10 years, severe language disturbances, difficulty communicating, requires around the clock assistance

Late stage (severe)

This is an assessment is used that includes recall, time management and is not typically OT

7 minute screen

Health promotion, remediation, maintenance, and modification are all aspects of what?

OT’s Role

What is included in OT remediation?

Helping with muscle and strength issues and HEP