ot6- alzheimer's disease

7/30/2019 OT6- Alzheimer's Disease

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Alzheimers Disease


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Alzheimers Disease

The most common form of dementia

A neurologic disease characterized by loss ofmental ability severe enough to interfere withnormal activities of daily living, lasting at leastsix months, and not present from birth.

AD usually occurs in old age

Marked by a decline in cognitive functionssuch as remembering, reasoning, andplanning.


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Alzheimers Disease

There is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, nor

any proven ways to prevent its onset.

Treatment focuses on support and managingsymptoms.

The condition is ultimately fatal.


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Pathophysiology

Initial damage of neurons in temporal lobes and later in

neocortex

Loss of synapses, in association with shrinkage of the

dendritic arbor of large neurons, is the criticalpathological substrate.

The death of cholinergic neurons in the basalis nucleus of

Meynert leads to a deficit in acetylcholine (Ach), a major

transmitter believed to be involved with memory.

In addition, loss of serotoninergic neurons in the median

raphe and adrenergic neurons in the locus ceruleus lead

to deficits in serotonin and norepinephrine, respectively.


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Pathophysiology

The neuropathologic hallmarks of AD are

neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles .


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Pathophysiology

Amyloid Plaques

Contain forms of -amyloid protein (A) found inextracellular deposits throughout the central nervoussystem (CNS). A is believed to interfere with neuronalactivity because of its stimulatory effect on production offree radicals, resulting in oxidative stress and neuronalcell death.

Neurofibrillary Tangles

Neurofibrillary tangles are paired helical filamentscomposed of tau protein, which in normal cells isessential for axonal growth and development. Leads tocell death when hyperphosphorylated.


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Pathophysiology

Plaque buildup induces inflammation causing

injury in hippocampus and cerebral cortex


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Pathophysiology


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Pathophysiology

The brain of a patient with AD often showsmarked atrophy, with widened sulci and

shrinkage of the gyri Every part of the cerebral cortex is involved;

however, the occipital pole is often relativelyspared.

The cortical ribbon may be thinned andventricular dilatation apparent, especially in thetemporal horn, due to atrophy of the amygdalaand hippocampus.


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Signs and Symptoms

ALZHEIMERS DISEASE HAS A GRADUAL ONSET

THE FIRST CLUE IS A CHANGE IN THE PERSONS BEHAVIOR

MILD FORGETFULLNESS

PROBLEMS FINDING THE RIGHT WORD

INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE OBJECTS

INABILITY TO USE SIMPLE OBJECTS


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Signs and Symptoms

AT FIRST, THE ONLY SYMPTOM MAY BE MILD FORGETFULLNESS

PEOPLE WITH AD MAY HAVE TROUBLE REMEMBERING: RECENT EVENTS

NAMES OF FAMILIAR PEOPLE

MATH PROBLEMS

THE PERSON MAY BE ABLE TO HIDE THE PROBLEM FROM FAMILY

AT THIS POINT


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Signs and Symptoms

IT MAY TAKE MONTHS FOR THE FAMILY TO NOTICE SOMETHING IS WRONG

EVENTUALLY FRIENDS, FAMILY, OR CO-WORKERS START TO NOTICE THINGS LIKE:

INCREASING AND PERSISTENT FORGETFULLNESS

MILD PERSONALITY CHANGES

MINOR DISORIENTATION

FREQUENTLY LOSES OR MISPLACES FAMILIAR ITEMS

HAS MILD DIFFICULTIES FINDING THE RIGHT WORD

HAS MILD DIFFICULTY PERFORMING FAMILIAR TASKS

DISORIENTATION OF TIME AND PLACE

POOR OR DECREASED JUDGEMENT

LOSS OF INITIATIVE

DIFFICULTIES PERFORMING ARITHMETIC CALCULATIONS


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Stages of Alzheimers Disease

Early Stage

Middle Stage

Late Stage


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Early Stage

THIS STAGE CAN LAST FOR TWO

TO FOUR YEARS

A PERSON IN THIS STAGE MAY BE

AWARE OF THE DIAGNOSIS OR

KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS

WRONG

A PERSON IN THE EARLY STAGE

MAY STILL BE ABLE TO

PARTICIPATE IN DECISIONS

AFFECTING THEIR FUTURE

MEDICATIONS GIVEN FOR

ALZHEIMERS DISEASE TRY TO

PROLONG THE EARLY STAGE OF

THE DISEASE RATHER THAN CURE

IT


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Early Stage

Behaviors associated:

MILD FORGETFULLNESS

NAMES

WHAT HAS BEEN SAIDRECENT EVENTS

DIFFICULTY PROCESSING NEW

INFORMATION

LEARNING NEW THINGS

FOLLOWING CONVERSATIONS

PROBLEMS WITH ORIENTATION

BECOMES EASILY LOST

TROUBLE FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS

DATE AND TIME


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Early Stage

COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES

FINDING THE RIGHT WORDS

USING PROPER GRAMMER

PRONOUNCING WORDS DISINTEREST IN GROOMING

OVERREACTION TO STRESS


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Middle Stage

THIS STAGE MAY LAST FROM TWO

TO TEN YEARS

THIS IS THE STAGE WHERE SOME

PEOPLE WITH AD BECOMERESTLESS AND PACE OR WANDER

PEOPLE IN THIS STAGE MAY NEED

HELP WITH MANY DAILY TASKS

DRESSING, BATHING, USING THETOLIET

CAREGIVER MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY

AS CARE BECOMES MORE DIFFICULT


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Middle Stage


CONTINUED MEMORY LAPSES

FORGETFULLNESS ABOUT

PERSONAL HISTORY INABILITY TO RECOGNIZE FRIENDS

AND FAMILY

PERSONALITY CHANGES

CONFUSION

ANXIETY

SUSPICIONS

SADNESS/DEPRESSION

HOSTILITY


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Middle Stage

DECLINING

CONCENTRATION ABILITIES

RESTLESSNESS

PACING

WANDERING

REPETITION

DELUSIONS AGGRESSION

ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FOR

DAILY TASKS

APPETITE FLUCTUATIONS


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Late Stage

THIS STAGE USUALLY LASTS

FROM ONE TO THREE

YEARS

THE PERSON WILL NEED

24-HOUR A DAY CARE

THE PERSON WILL

EVENTUALLY BECOME

BEDRIDDEN AND BECOME

INCONTINENT


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Late Stage


LOSS OF ABILITY TO REMEMBER,

COMMUNICATE OR FUNCTION

INABILITY TO PROCESS

INFORMATION

SEVERE DISORIENTATION ABOUT

TIME, PLACE AND PEOPLE

WITHDRAWAL

MUST USE NON-VERBALMETHODS TO COMMUNICATE

MAY RESPOND TO MUSIC OR

TOUCH

BECOMES BED-RIDDEN


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Late Stage

LOSES ABILITY TO SPEAK

BECOMES INCONTINENT INABILITY TO SWALLOW

MAY BECOME

UNRESPONSIVE ( COMA )

ENDS IN DEATH


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THANK YOU!

Alzheimers disease is never an accident in a marriage. It

falls under the purview of Gods sovereignty. In the case of

someone with Alzheimers, this means Gods unconditional

and sacrificial love has an opportunity to be even more

gloriously displayed in a life together.

- Joni Eareckson Tada

ot6- alzheimer's disease

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