Types of Dementia Depression dementia (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022)
• Lethargy • May or may not appear depressed • Person may not realize that they are depressed • Person can be in denial about opportunity to get better • Person can realize that they are slow moving and uninspired • Person can recognize their memory loss • Person may accept that they have dementia, even before they are diagnosed • Mild memory loss • Can present as exhaustion • Mild confusion • Person can be aware of their symptoms • MCI may be a symptom of another illness
• Also known as pseudodementia • Outcome of a lack of stimulation • Person can improve if they respond to help • Engaging activities, exercise, cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication can all help person recover • Person can return to their prior intellect • Standalone diagnosis • Person can be engaged in their life, can still work • Various reasons for MCI • Can be a precursor to another diagnosis • Can be a side effect of a urinary tract infection (UTI) • Should be monitored by a physician • Root cause is important for improvement or for planning for more severe situation • Person should have medication evaluated/monitored/managed • Frontal variant Alzheimer’s disease • Posterior cortical atrophy
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (Alzheimer’s Society UK, 2022)
Atypical Alzheimer’s disease (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022)
• Amnestic problems • Unusually early symptoms impacting executive and motor functioning
Other Dementias (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022) Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) Creuzteldt–Jakob disease (CJD) HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) Huntington’s disease
Self-Assessment Quiz Question #2 How does Lewy body dementia often present?
a. Blindness. b. Flexibility. c. Claustrophobia. d. Hallucinations, paranoia.
Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)
Self-Assessment Quiz Question #3 Mild cognitive impairment (MCI): a. Is a precursor to other types of dementia. b. May be reversible. c. Is a reliable way to verify an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. d. Both a and b.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
• Age • Limited physical activity • Poor diet and nutrition • Gene mutation • Poor cardiovascular health • Alcohol intake • Lack of social connection • Isolation • Poor sleep
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that affects people primarily age 65 and over. AD is accountable for 60%–80% of confirmed cases of dementia (Zhou, 2021). This disease may vary, and symptoms include personality and behavior changes such as apathy, disorientation, memory loss, and/or cognitive impairment. In the final stages cognitive and physical decline will render the person unable to live independently. AD is a leading cause of death for people over age 65 in the U.S. According to the World Health Organization (Zhou, 2021) there are approximately 50 million people globally living with dementia. The WHO projects that these numbers will almost double by 2050. The causes of AD vary and are impacted by environmental factors. The following lifestyle factors are linked to the development of the disease:
Alzheimer’s disease results from the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tau tangles (NFT) that present and impede normal cognitive functioning. The plaques and tangles develop in the affected brain 15–20 years prior to presenting AD symptoms. Early detection and a healthy lifestyle may allay the progress of the disease while addressing symptoms.
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Book Code: SWUS1525
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