Alzheimer's Disease
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Created by:
efroisland on November 26, 2010
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13 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Stage 1: No impairment (normal function). | The person does not experience any memory problems. An interview with a medical professional does not show any evidence of symptoms |
| Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline (may be normal age-related changes or earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease) | The person may feel as if he or she is having memory lapses — forgetting familiar words or the location of everyday objects. But no symptoms can be detected during a medical examination or by friends, family or co-workers. |
| Stage 3: Mild cognitive decline (early-stage Alzheimer's can be diagnosed in some, but not all, individuals with these symptoms) | Friends, family or co-workers begin to notice difficulties. During a detailed medical interview, doctors may be able to detect problems in memory or concentration. |
| Common stage 3 difficulties include: | •Noticeable problems coming up with the right word or name •Trouble remembering names when introduced to new people •Having noticeably greater difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings Forgetting material that one has just read •Losing or misplacing a valuable object •Increasing trouble with planning or organizing |
| Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline (Mild or early-stage Alzheimer's disease) | A careful medical interview should be able to detect clear-cut problems in several areas: •Forgetfulness of recent events •Impaired ability to perform challenging mental arithmetic —for example, counting backward from 100 by 7s •Greater difficulty performing complex tasks, such as planning dinner for guests, paying bills or managing finances •Forgetfulness about one's own personal history •Becoming moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations |
| Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline (Moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease) | Gaps in memory and thinking are noticeable, and individuals begin to need help with day-to-day activities. At this stage, those with Alzheimer's may: •Be unable to recall their own address or telephone number or the high school or college from which they graduated •Become confused about where they are or what day it is •Have trouble with less challenging mental arithmetic; such as counting backward from 40 by subtracting 4s or from 20 by 2s •Need help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion •Still remember significant details about themselves and their family •Still require no assistance with eating or using the toilet |
| Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline (Moderately severe or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease) | Memory continues to worsen, personality changes may take place and individuals need extensive help with daily activities. |
| Stage 6 Alzheimer's patients may... | •Lose awareness of recent experiences as well as of their surroundings •Remember their own name but have difficulty with their personal history •Distinguish familiar and unfamiliar faces but have trouble remembering the name of a spouse or caregiver •Need help dressing properly and may, without supervision, make mistakes such as putting pajamas over daytime clothes or shoes on the wrong feet •Experience major changes in sleep patterns — sleeping during the day and becoming restless at night •Need help handling details of toileting (for example, flushing the toilet, wiping or disposing of tissue properly) •Have increasingly frequent trouble controlling their bladder or bowels •Experience major personality and behavioral changes, including suspiciousness and delusions (such as believing that their caregiver is an impostor)or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or tissue shredding •Tend to wander or become lost |
| Stage 7: Very severe cognitive decline (Severe or late-stage Alzheimer's disease) | In the final stage of this disease, individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement. They may still say words or phrases. |
| Stage 7 Alzheimer's patients may need help with ...... | At this stage, individuals need help with much of their daily personal care, including eating or using the toilet. They may also lose the ability to smile, to sit without support and to hold their heads up. Reflexes become abnormal. Muscles grow rigid. Swallowing impaired. |
| What part of the brain is attacked first with Alzheimer's. | The hippocampus |
| What is the etiology of Alzheimer's | Sticky placques form between nerve cells and inhibit communication. Synapses are lost. Fewer and fewer new thoughts are able to be formed. As the placques and tangles continue to spread, neurons die and the brain begins to shrink. Areas of the brain that control emotion are damaged - personality changes appear. Eventually long term memories disappear. 8-20 years between diagnosis and death. |
| What are the 10 signs of Alzheimer's | Memory loss that disrupts daily life, Challenges in planning or solving problems, Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure, Confusion with time or place, Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships, New problems with words in speaking or writing, Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, Decreased or poor judgment, Withdrawal from work or social activities, Changes in mood and personality. |
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