Ch07_neurocognitive_disorders_to_post

Neurocognitive Disorder

A condition involving impairments in areas such as thinking, remembering, and/or reasoning, which affect a person's function and safety.

Dementia

Formerly a term for cognitive decline, now replaced by 'neurocognitive disorder' in DSM-5 due to criticisms of prior criteria.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

A progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

A decline in thinking abilities more than normal but not sufficient to cause impairment in functional abilities.

Vascular Dementia

The second leading cause of dementia, accounting for 15–20% of all dementia cases, often resulting from strokes.

Frontotemporal Dementia

A form of dementia that affects the front and side parts of the brain, typically occurring before age 65.

Lewy Body Dementia

A common type of dementia characterized by protein deposits in nerve cells, often leading to visual hallucinations.

Delirium

An acute deterioration of mental status resulting in deficits in attention and altered levels of consciousness.

Neurofibrillary Tangles

Aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Amyloid Plaques

Clumps of beta-amyloid protein that disrupt cell function and are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.

Stigma in Alzheimer's Disease

The negative effects of living with Alzheimer's, including shame and diminished self-worth.

Informal Caregiving

Care provided by family or friends, accounting for more than 80% of care needed by people with long-term conditions.

Driving in Alzheimer's Disease

Challenges faced by individuals with Alzheimer's when driving, such as confusion and disorientation.

Clinical Features of Alzheimer's Disease

Loss of memory, language problems, disorientation, and behavioral changes.

Risk Factors for Alzheimer's Disease

Age, gender (being a woman), genetic predisposition, and lifestyle factors that increase the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's.

Major neurocognitive disorder

cognitive impairment plus functional impairment – the diagnosis pertaining more to dementia

Alzheimer’s timeline

early brain changes → subtle decline in thinking → memory changes, confusion → inability to perform basic activities → loss of ability to recognize and communicate with loved ones

Parkinson’s disease dementia

caused by advanced PD, same symptoms as Lewy body dementia