Mental Health: The Big Three

Flashcards covering key concepts related to mental health, dementia, Alzheimer's and other disorders.

Mental Health

Adequate adjustment and adaptation to the real world without symptoms of psychological pathology.

Dementia

A family of diseases characterized by cognitive and behavioral deficits involving permanent damage to the brain.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Progressive, incurable deterioration of key areas of the brain, characterized by senile plaque and neurofibrillary tangles.

Neurofibrillary tangles

Filaments in neurons that become wrapped around each other, associated with Alzheimer's Disease.

Cognitive reserve

The mind’s resistance to damage of the brain, enhanced by education and cognitively complex occupations.

Vascular Dementia

A type of dementia resulting from numerous small cerebral vascular accidents, limiting cognitive decline to specific abilities.

Parkinson’s Disease

A neurodegenerative disorder characterized by deterioration of dopamine-producing neurons and motor system changes.

Huntington’s Disease

A progressive autosomal dominant disorder with onset typically between ages 30 and 45, with later cognitive impairments.

Delirium

A disturbance of consciousness and change in cognition that develops over a short period, often with preventable causes.

Depression

A mood disorder affecting 5% to 13% of individuals, characterized by dysphoria and physical symptoms lasting over two weeks.

Nonmedical Solutions

Options such as assistive technology and assistance animals for improving mental health.

Sundowning

Worsening of Alzheimer's Disease symptoms in the evening.