Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorders and Delirium

Vocabulary flashcards covering diagnostic criteria, symptoms, brain abnormalities, genetics, neurotransmitters, and treatments for Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorders, Alzheimer's disease, Vascular NCD, and Delirium.

Major Neurocognitive Disorder (Major NCD)

A condition commonly known as dementia, characterized by evidence of significant cognitive decline from a previous level of performance that interferes with independence in everyday activities.

Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (Mild NCD)

A milder version of neurocognitive disorder characterized by cognitive declines from previous levels, but without significant impairments in daily functioning.

Cognitive Domains

The six categories evaluated for cognitive decline in DSM-5-TR: complex attention, executive function, learning and memory, language, perceptual-motor, and social cognition.

Major NCD Symptoms

Cognitive and behavioral manifestations including memory lapses, aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, loss of executive functions, altered impulse control, declines in judgment, and emotional/personality changes.

Neurocognitive Disorder Due to Alzheimer's Disease

The most common neurocognitive disorder worldwide; it is chronic and incurable, typically begins after age 65, involves significant declines in memory and learning, and usually leads to death within 8-10 years of diagnosis.

Neurofibrillary Tangles

Protein deposit build-ups within neurons that represent one of the characteristic structural brain abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease.

Beta-Amyloid Plaques

Protein deposits that build up in the brain and form extracellular plaques, serving as a signature abnormality in Alzheimer's disease.

ApoE Gene (e4 Version)

A specific genetic variant associated with the high heritability and increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Chromosome 21

The chromosome containing a gene implicated as a genetic cause of Alzheimer's disease.

Impacted Neurotransmitters in Alzheimer's Disease

Brain chemicals that display deficits in individuals with Alzheimer's disease, specifically acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, somatostatin, and peptide Y.

Vascular Neurocognitive Disorder

A common type of NCD whose most prominent symptoms include significant declines in processing speed, executive functioning, and attention, requiring evidence of cerebrovascular disease or a recent vascular event for diagnosis.

Pharmacological NCD Treatments

Medications used to treat cognitive symptoms of NCD, consisting of drugs that prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine and drugs that regulate glutamate activity.

Delirium

A disorder characterized by a disturbance in attention and environmental awareness that develops over a short period of time (hours to a few days), fluctuates in severity, and involves cognitive disturbances like disorientation, memory loss, and hallucinations.

Acetylcholine Disruption in Delirium

The central neurotransmitter mechanism wherein brain levels of acetylcholine are disrupted by a medical condition, toxic substance, or drug, causing delirium.

Antipsychotic Medications in Delirium

Medications utilized during delirium treatment specifically to manage and treat symptoms of confusion and agitation.