Pathophysiology
What is the most common type of dementia?
What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Dementia is something that a person can control. True/False
What is False?
Dementia is not something a person can control.
While certain lifestyle choices (like regular exercise, a healthy diet, and mental stimulation) may help reduce the risk or slow the progression of some types of dementia, individuals cannot prevent or fully control the onset or progression of the disease—especially when it is caused by underlying neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease or Lewy body dementia.
In dementia, the brain can physically shrink. True/False
What is true?
In dementia, the brain can physically shrink, a process known as brain atrophy.
This occurs as:
Neurons are damaged and die
Connections between brain cells are lost
Brain tissue decreases in volume
This shrinkage is especially common in Alzheimer’s disease, affecting areas involved in memory, reasoning, and behavior. It contributes to the cognitive and functional decline seen in people with dementia.
Vascular dementia is related to blood flow. True/False
What is True?
Vascular dementia is directly related to reduced or blocked blood flow to the brain.
It often occurs after:
Strokes
Mini-strokes (TIAs)
Or conditions that damage blood vessels (e.g., high blood pressure, diabetes)
This disruption in blood flow deprives brain cells of oxygen and nutrients, leading to cognitive decline and dementia symptoms.
Clients with dementia may lose the ability to find words to express their needs. True/False
What is True?
Clients with dementia often lose the ability to find words to express their needs, a condition known as aphasia.
This can lead to:
Difficulty naming objects or people
Using the wrong words or made-up words
Frustration or withdrawal during conversations
This symptom worsens as dementia progresses, especially in Alzheimer's disease and other forms that affect language centers in the brain.
Alzheimer's Disease occurs in predictable stages. True/False
What is True.
Alzheimer's Disease typically progresses through predictable stages, though the duration and symptoms can vary from person to person. The most commonly recognized stages are:
Preclinical (no symptoms but brain changes may begin)
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
Mild Alzheimer’s (early stage)
Moderate Alzheimer’s (middle stage)
Severe Alzheimer’s (late stage)
Every client experiences dementia in the same way. True/False.
What is False. Dementia can affect everyone differently. It is a very individual experience.
Dementia is a normal part of aging. True/False
What is False. Dementia is not a normal part of aging although incidence is increased after 80 years of age.
Clients can have more than one type of dementia. True/False
What is true?
Clients can have more than one type of dementia at the same time, a condition known as mixed dementia.
For example, a person may have:
Alzheimer’s disease combined with vascular dementia
Or Lewy body dementia along with Alzheimer’s disease
Mixed dementia is common, especially in older adults, and can complicate diagnosis and treatment due to overlapping symptoms.
A client with dementia who seems confused may be completely unaware of what is going on in their surroundings. True/False.
What is false. Although clients may be confused, they are able to pick up cues such as tone of voice and body language.
Neurons in the brain relay information from one brain cell to another. True/False.
What is false? Neurotransmitters relay information from one brain cell to another.
Neurons in the brain relay information from one brain cell to another using electrical impulses and chemical signals (neurotransmitters). This communication is essential for all brain functions, including thinking, memory, movement, and emotion.
In diseases like Alzheimer’s, this communication between neurons is disrupted, leading to symptoms such as memory loss and confusion.
Name three types of dementia.
What are Alzheimer's Disease, Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, and fronto-temporal dementia?
Clients with dementia may lose their peripheral vision, which is also called _______?
What is tunnel vision?
Clients with dementia may lose their peripheral vision, which is also called tunnel vision.
This means they see less from the sides and more straight ahead, making it harder to navigate spaces and increasing the risk of falls or accidents. This visual change is common, especially in the middle to late stages of dementia.
True/False Clients in the middle stage of dementia experience difficulty with activities of daily living such as bathing and feeding.
What is True.