Lifespan Development

Alzheimers Disease
Nina Deese
 Announcement

Psychology Club is visiting HOPE LODGE

tonight
-Meet in front of Addlestone Library
at 6:00pm
-We will be playing bingo with the
residents
Agenda:

1.What is Dementia? What is Alzheimers

Disease?
2.Statistics for the U.S.
3.Stages of AD
4.The Brain and Alzheimers
5.Causes
6.Risk/Protective Factors
7.Other forms of dementia How are they
different from Alzheimers?
 Development of Dementia
The pathological loss of brain function is known
as dementialiterally out of mind, referring
to severely impaired judgment

dementia
1. irreversible loss of intellectual
functioning caused by organic brain
damage or disease
2. becomes more common with age, but it is
abnormal and pathological even in the very
old
 Alzheimers Disease
First described by German psychiatrist
-Alois Alzheimer (1906)
Generally diagnosed in people over 65 years
of age
-Early-onset (before 65); only 5-10% of patients
-Several genetic causes
4.5+ million Americans suffer from it
-5% of 65-74 years of age
-Nearly 50% of 85+
1 in 6 women over 55; 1 in 10 men over 55
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wv9jrk-gXc
 Symptoms of pre-dementia
Early symptoms similar to age-related or
stress-induced memory loss
Difficulty remembering recently learned
facts
Subtle cognitive difficulties
Executive function of attentiveness
Planning, flexibility
Abstract thinking
Impairment in semantic memory
New memory formation
Mild confusion/Apathy
As early as 5-10 years (some say 20 years)
before official diagnosis
 Mild Alzheimers Disease
Memory loss for recent events
hard time remembering newly learned information
Difficulty with problem solving, complex tasks and
sound judgments
tasks such as planning a family event or balancing a
checkbook become overwhelming, often experience
lapses in judgment
Changes in personality
may become withdrawn, irritable, or angry when
unexpected, decreased attention span
Difficulty organizing and expressing thoughts
Getting lost or misplacing belongings
common to lose or misplace things, trouble finding
way around
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-stages/AZ00041
 Moderate Alzheimers Disease

Showing increasingly poor judgment and deepening

confusion
lose track of where they are, confuse friends and
family members, and often wander
Experience even greater memory loss
may be unable to recall addresses, phone numbers,
stories
Need help with some daily activities
Undergo significant changes in personality and
behavior
not uncommon to develop unfounded suspicions,
hear or see things, grow restless and agitated, may
bite, kick, scream, etc.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-stages/AZ00041
 Severe Alzheimers Disease
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/alzheimers-stages/AZ00041

Lose the ability to communicate coherently

Require daily assistance with personal care
total assistance with dressing, eating, etc.
Experience a decline in physical abilities
unable to walk, get up, or hold up ones head
http://www.alz.org/alzheimers
_disease_4719.asp
The Brain and Alzheimers Disease

Two major structural changes:

1. Neurofibrillary tangles
Bundles of twisted threads that are the product of
collapsed neural structures (contain abnormal forms
of tau protein
2. Amyloid plaques
Dense deposits of deteriorated amyloid protein,
surrounded by clumps of dead nerve and glial cells
tangle

plaques
http://www.alz.org/brain/14.asp
http://www.ahaf.org/alzheimers/about/understanding/brain-with-alzheimers.html
Apple

Pen

Tie

House

Car
 Causes?
Several competing hypotheses:

Cholinergic hypothesis
-Caused by reduced synthesis of acetylcholine
-Destruction of these neurons causes disruptions in
distant neuronal networks (perception, memory,
judgment)
Amyloid hypothesis
-Abnormal breakdown; buildup of amyloid beta
deposits
-Damaged amyloid proteins build to toxic levels,
causing call damage and death
Tau hypothesis
-Caused by tau protein abnormalities
-Formation of neurofibrillary tangles
Risk Factors
Obesity
High blood pressure
Head trauma
High cholesterol
Being American!
Higher rates in
Japanese-Americans than Japanese
African-Americans than Africans
Depression
Lower rates in highly educated
Beneficial consequences of learning and
memory
Possible Protective Factors

Education
The ability of the brain to change suggests to some that
staying mentally active as you age may help to maintain
healthy brain synapses. A 2002 study reported an
association between frequent participation in cognitively
stimulating activities (such as reading, doing crossword
puzzles, visiting museums) and a reduced risk for
Alzheimer's.
Exercise
Lowers risk of high blood pressure and other risk factors
associated with Alzheimers
Alcohol Consumption
Men who consume one to three drinks of alcohol per day cut
their risk of developing the disease by nearly half. Among
women, however, the risk was reduced by only 4%. The type
of alcohol had no effect on the results. But further study is
needed. In the meantime, experts do not recommend
drinking alcohol to fend off Alzheimer's disease.

Source: Harvard Health Publication

 Other forms of Dementia
Subcortical Dementias
Forms of dementia that begin with
impairments in motor ability and produce
cognitive impairment in later stages
Parkinsons disease, Huntingtons disease,
and Multiple Sclerosis are subcortical
dementias
Reversible Dementia
dementia caused by medication, inadequate
nutrition, alcohol abuse (Korsakoffs
Syndrome), depression, or other mental illness
can sometimes be reversed
Self-Quiz: Alzheimers Disease
1. Apple was on the list.
TRUE

1. Home was on the list.

FALSE

2. Which of these were not on the list?

Banana
Pen
Car
House
Tie
Whats Normal Whats Not
Forgetting your ATM Forgetting what an ATM
number or where you card is or what kind of car
parked. you own.

Forgetting what you were Forgetting how to do an

about to say everyday task, like writing
a check.

Forgetting which day of Getting lost in your own

the week you had a dental neighborhood.
appointment

Misplacing of losing your Putting the ice tray in the

keys or phone oven instead of the freezer

Forgetting the name of the Forgetting who your family

person who sits in front of members are
you in class
Thank you!
HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING BREAK!