Alzheimers Disease

A progressive, neurodegenerative terminal brain

disorder, affects older and common cause of dementia.
Dementia long term loss of ability to think, memorize
clearly
Alzheimers slowly steals the minds of its victims,
leading to memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment,
personality changes, disorientation, and inability to
communicate.
Caused by atrophy of cortical and subcortical areas.
Associated with the deposition of -amyloid protein in
form of plaques and formation of neurofibrillary
tangles.
 Symptoms
Cognitive:
Memory loss, Aphasia, Apraxia, Agnosia,
Disorientation, Impaired execution function
Non-cognitive:
Depression, Psychotic symptoms
(Hallucination, Delusions), Behavioral
disturbances (Physical & verbal aggression,
Motor hyperactivity, Uncooperativeness)
Functional:
Inability to care for self
 Diagnosis
Diagnosis:
CT or MRI scan
 Alzheimers Disease Stages
Mild Cognitive Impairment
(MCI) Due to
Alzheimers/Prodromal
Individuals with MCI have memory
problems but are able to perform
routine activities. MCI often leads
to Alzheimers, but not all patients
with MCI will develop Alzheimers.
Symptoms may include:
Memory problems noticed by
others
Mood conditions such as
depression, anxiety, irritability, or
apathy
Poor performance on cognitive
tests
Mild (Stage 1)
Slow in their speech and
understanding
Experience minor memory loss
and mood swings
Still perform basic activities but need
assistance with more complicated
tasks
Moderate (Stage 2)
Can recall the distant past, but
difficult to remember recent events.
Difficulty comprehending day, time,
and location.
May invent new words as they lose
old ones.
May not recognize formerly familiar
faces.
Severe (Stage 3)
Are unable to chew and swallow
Become bedridden and vulnerable to
pneumonia and other illnesses
Become more and more
unresponsive
Lose bodily control and need
constant care
 Cause of Alzheimers
Disease
Age
Decreased reserve capacity of brain
(decreased brain size, decreased
mental activity)
Head injury
Risk of vascular disease
( Hypercholestremia, Hypertension,
Obesity, Diabetes)
 Pathophysiology
Lesions in Alzheimers disease are: neuritic plaques
and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) located in cortical
and medial temporal lobe.
Several mechanism involved in pathogenesis of AD :
AP aggregation & deposition leads to plaque formation
Hyperphosporylation of Tau protein leads to NFT
development
Inflammatory processes
Dysfunction of neurovasculature
Oxidative stress
Mitochondrial dysfunction