ALZHEIMER’S DISEASEALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

DEREK KENYENSODEREK KENYENSO

MENTOR: MENTOR:

DR. KAREN L. BELLDR. KAREN L. BELL

COLUMBIA PRESBYTARIAN COLUMBIA PRESBYTARIAN HOSPITAL CENTERHOSPITAL CENTER

WHAT IS AD?WHAT IS AD?

It is a progressive, degenerative brain It is a progressive, degenerative brain disease with gradual onset. disease with gradual onset.

Causes a steady decline in the ability to:Causes a steady decline in the ability to: Remember and LearnRemember and Learn Think and ReasonThink and Reason Communicate and RespondCommunicate and Respond Live independentlyLive independently

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease.

AD STATISTICSAD STATISTICS

AD is the most common cause of AD is the most common cause of dementiadementia among people age 65 and among people age 65 and older.older.

Approximately 4.5 million people now Approximately 4.5 million people now have AD.have AD.

By 2050, 13.2 million older Americans By 2050, 13.2 million older Americans are expected to have AD if no preventive are expected to have AD if no preventive treatments become available.treatments become available.

IT’S NEVER TOO SOON

• Forgetfulness, word finding• Problems with shopping, driving, hobbies• Depression, apathy, withdrawal• Problem solving • Calculations

Mild AD

• Poor recent memory, orientation, lack of insight• Requires help with complex activities of daily living• Wandering, getting lost• Difficulty dressing (sequence & selection)• Insomnia• Delusions, agitation

Moderate AD

• Very limited language• Loss of basic skills

•Dressing, bathing, incontinence•Eating, Walking, motor slowing

• Agitation

Severe AD

DISEASE PROGRESSIONDISEASE PROGRESSION

EARLY ALZHEIMER’S DISEASEEARLY ALZHEIMER’S DISEASEIn the earliest stages, before In the earliest stages, before

symptoms can be detected with symptoms can be detected with tests, plaques and tangles begin tests, plaques and tangles begin to form in brain areas involved to form in brain areas involved in:in:

,

LEARNING AND MEMORYLEARNING AND MEMORY

THINKING AND PLANNINGTHINKING AND PLANNING

Neurofibrillary tangles Senile plaque

MILD–TO-MODERATE MILD–TO-MODERATE ALZHEIMER’S DISEASEALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

More plaques & tangles More plaques & tangles occur leading to occur leading to problems with:problems with:

Speaking and Speaking and understanding speechunderstanding speech

Confusing with things and Confusing with things and people around youpeople around you

SEVERE ALZHEIMERS SEVERE ALZHEIMERS DISEASEDISEASE

In advanced Alzheimer’s In advanced Alzheimer’s disease, most of the disease, most of the cortex is seriously cortex is seriously damaged and the brain damaged and the brain shrinks dramatically due shrinks dramatically due to widespread cell death. to widespread cell death.

Individuals lose their Individuals lose their ability to communicate, to ability to communicate, to recognize family and recognize family and loved ones and to care loved ones and to care for themselves. for themselves.

TEN WARNING SIGNSTEN WARNING SIGNS

1.1. Memory lossMemory loss2.2. Difficulty doing familiar tasksDifficulty doing familiar tasks3.3. Problems with languageProblems with language4.4. Disorientation to time and placeDisorientation to time and place5.5. Poor or decreased judgmentPoor or decreased judgment6.6. Problems with abstract thinkingProblems with abstract thinking7.7. Misplacing thingsMisplacing things8.8. Changes in mood or behaviorChanges in mood or behavior9.9. Changes in personalityChanges in personality10.10. Loss of initiativeLoss of initiative

SYMPTOMS AND EFFECTSSYMPTOMS AND EFFECTS

TREATMENT OF ADTREATMENT OF AD• Drugs used to treat mild-to-moderate AD symptoms include:

• ARICEPT (donepezil)• EXELON (rivastigmine)• RAZADYNE, RAZADYNE-ER (galantamine)

• An additional drug, NAMENDA (memantine), has been approved to treat symptoms of moderate-to-severe AD.

• These drugs can help improve some patients’ abilities to carry out activities for a while, but they do not stop or reverse AD.

RESEARCH: CLINICAL TRIALSRESEARCH: CLINICAL TRIALSDrug studies:Drug studies: Only way to find out if Only way to find out if

a treatment is a treatment is effective and safe.effective and safe.

a)a) examine approved examine approved drugs to see if they can drugs to see if they can be used for other be used for other diseasesdiseases

b)b) look at new look at new experimental drugsexperimental drugs

RESEARCH: CLINICAL TRIALSRESEARCH: CLINICAL TRIALS Cholesterol-lowering Cholesterol-lowering

drugs called statinsdrugs called statins

Anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory drugsdrugs

Substances that Substances that prevent formation of prevent formation of --amyloid plaquesamyloid plaques

REFERENCESREFERENCES

http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asphttp://www.alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asp http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimershttp://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers http://www.alzinfo.org/http://www.alzinfo.org/ http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publicathttp://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/Publicat

ions/adfact.htmions/adfact.htm http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asphttp://www.alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asp http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/Warning.asphttp://www.alz.org/AboutAD/Warning.asp http://www.alz.org/AboutAD/Statistics.asphttp://www.alz.org/AboutAD/Statistics.asp

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Dr. Karen L. BellDr. Karen L. Bell Evelyn DominquezEvelyn Dominquez Ruth TajedarRuth Tajedar Sarah DownsSarah Downs Alberto ConnanAlberto Connan Dr. SatsDr. Sats Harlem children SocietyHarlem children Society

THANK YOU VERY MUCHTHANK YOU VERY MUCH