General Dementia Facts
Dementia is best defined as a progressive decline in _________ and ________ abilities that interferes with daily functioning.
Memory and cognitive
Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by two hallmark brain changes: _________ and _________.
Beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles
Vascular dementia is caused by multiple _______ or _______.
Small infarcts (mini-strokes) or TIAs
Parkinson’s disease results from the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the _________.
Substantia nigra
AIDS dementia complex is also known as _________.
NeuroAIDS or HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND)
The most common cause of dementia is _________.
Alzheimer’s disease
The main neurotransmitter reduced in Alzheimer’s is _________.
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Name two modifiable risk factors for vascular dementia.
Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, obesity
List the four classic motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability
What part of the brain is primarily damaged in AIDS dementia?
White matter and subcortical regions
Name two common behavioral or emotional changes seen in most dementias.
Apathy, irritability, depression, or hallucinations
What is the primary function of Apolipoprotein E (APOE) in Alzheimer’s disease?
Binds to beta-amyloid, promoting its insolubility and plaque formation
True or False: Vascular dementia usually progresses in a gradual, continuous pattern.
False — it progresses stepwise
Rationale: Each new infarct causes sudden decline
Huntington’s disease is caused by loss of which inhibitory neurotransmitter?
GABA
Common early symptoms of AIDS dementia include _________ and _________.
Memory loss and motor slowing
The brain region most associated with memory formation and early Alzheimer’s damage is the _________.
Hippocampus
In Alzheimer’s, inflammation is caused by activation of which brain immune cells?
Microglia and astrocytes
Rationale: They release cytokines and worsen neuronal injury.
Lewy Body Dementia involves abnormal deposits of what protein?
Alpha-synuclein
Describe the relationship between dopamine and GABA in Huntington’s disease.
↓ GABA leads to ↑ dopamine activity, resulting in chorea
Frontotemporal (Pick’s) dementia is associated with what microscopic feature?
Pick bodies
True or False: Dementia is a normal part of aging.
False
Which lobe of the brain is primarily affected first in Alzheimer’s?
Temporal lobe
Which of the following are key features of Lewy Body Dementia? (Select all that apply)
A. Fluctuating cognition
B. Visual hallucinations
C. Stepwise decline
D. Parkinsonism
A, B, and D
Which movement disorder typically presents with hyperkinesia (excessive movement)?
Huntington’s disease
Which dementia typically affects personality and social behavior first?
Frontotemporal lobar dementia (Pick’s disease)