Clinical Manifestations
In advanced stages the individual may have difficulty swallowing.
What is dysphagia?
Abnormal chemical changes cause these molecules to detach from microtubules and stick to other molecules.
What are tau molecules?
When checking a patient's cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), low levels of this specific amyloid-beta peptide are considered a positive biomarker.
What is Aβ42 (Amyloid-beta 42)?
A recently approved class of drugs that works by targeting and reducing amyloid plaques in the brain, requires regular infusions and strict monitoring for brain swelling.
What are Anti-Amyloid Antibodies (or Monoclonal Antibodies)?
The majority of diagnoses fall into this classification, meaning the cause is unknown and not linked to a single, dominant inherited gene.
What is Sporadic?
From late afternoon into the night individuals experience increased confusion, anxiety, agitation, wandering, pacing, and difficulty sleeping.
What is Sundowning?
In the brain, there are abnormal levels of this naturally occurring protein that clump together to form plaques that disrupt cell function.
What is Beta-amyloid protein?
This widely used, 30-point test screens for global cognitive function, with scores often used to monitor progression.
What is the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)?
A medication often used for moderate to severe stages, blocks the effects of excess glutamate helping to prevent damage to neurons.
What is Memantine?
Average number of years a person lives after receiving the official diagnosis.
What is 3 to 11 years?
When an individual gets lost or confused about their location, this can become dangerous.
What is wandering?
These block the neuron’s transport system which harms the synaptic communication between neurons.
What are neurofibrillary tangles?
Before making a definitive diagnosis, a doctor must rule out other potential causes of cognitive decline, such as vitamin deficiency or depression.
What is Differential Diagnosis?
A class of drugs that works by increasing the amount of a key neurotransmitter in the brain.
What are Cholinesterase Inhibitors?
Theories suggest there is vitamin that may promote the clearance of amyloid-beta plaques.
What is vitamin D?
Individuals may act more suspicious even around people they have known for a long time, stop trusting themselves or loved ones, act more aggressive, experience paranoia and hallucinations.
What is mood and personality changes?
The region of the brain mainly affected.
What is the hippocampus?
A structural imaging test typically used to rule out problems like tumors, subdural hematomas, or hydrocephalus.
What is a CT (Computed Tomography) Scan?
Maintaining mental engagement and brain stimulation through puzzles, reading, and learning new skills falls.
What is Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST)?
Term that refers to the period of time, often years, during which brain changes occur before any cognitive symptoms become noticeable.
What is the Preclinical stage?
Most common symptom, characterized by inability to recall recent information.
What is short-term memory loss?
Once the neurons stop working properly in the brain, connections between neurons break down causing the brain to lose volume.
What is brain atrophy?
A type of brain imaging that may show shrinkage in the hippocampus.
What is an MRI?
A type of therapy used to manage difficult symptoms like agitation, aggression, and hallucinations, often involving environmental changes and routine.
What is Behavioral Management?
The umbrella term for diseases characterized by memory loss.
What is Dementia?