Alzheimer’s Disease Stephanie Aparicio May 4, 2011 Period 5

Definition: The term senile is sometimes mistakenly used to refer t the disorder, or more generally to the process of growing old. Also, when a person starts to losing they’re memory and there is a series of stages. Alzheimer’s is also a part of Dementia.

Diagnosis: A diagnosos of Alzheimers Disease can be made only in an autopsy by studying microscopic changes in brain tissue. In later stages of the disease, there are diagnostic guidelines that can be applied and are claimed to have 85 to 90 percent accuracy.

Associated Features: Stages Of Alzheimer’s: 1. Forgetfulness 2. Early Confusional 3. Late Confusional 4. Early Dementia 5. Middle Dementia 6. Late Dementia Multiple cognitive deficits Language disturbance Impaired activity to carry out motor abilities. Failure to recognize or identify objects.

Associated Features: DSM-IV-TR: A. The development of multiple cognitive deficits manifested by both (1) memory impairment (impaired ability to learn new information or to recall previously learned information) (2) one (or more) of the following cognitive disturbances: (a) aphasia (language disturbance) (b) apraxia (impaired ability to carry out motor activities despite intact motor function) (c) agnosia (failure to recognize or identify objects despite sensory function) (d) disturbance in executive functioning (i.e., planning, organizing, sequencing, abstracting) B. The cognitive deficits in Criteria Al and A2 each cause significant impairment in social or occupational functioning and represent a significant decline from a previous level of functioning. C. The course is characterized by gradual onset and continuing cognitive decline.

Associated Features: D. The cognitive deficits in Criteria Al and A2 are not due to any of following: (1) other central nervous system conditions that cause progressive deficits in memory and cognition (e.g., cerebrovascular disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, subdural hematoma, normal-pressure hydrocephalus, brain tumor) (2) systemic conditions that are known to cause dementia (e.g., hypothyroidism, vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, niacin defi­ciency, hypercalcemia, neurosyphilis, HIV infection) (3) substance-induced conditionsE. The deficits do not occur exclusively during the course of a deliriumF. The disturbance is not better accounted for by another Axis I disorder (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia).

Etiology: Begins many sentences, usually with an anxious, repetitive query, but they remain unfinished, the want unexpressed. Alzheimer was unable to explain this process of deterioration until after the woman died, when an autopsy revealed that most of the tissue in this women’s cerebral cortex had degenerated. Subtypes of Alzheimer’s are: delirium, delusions, depressed mood, uncomplicated (for cases in which none of these other characteristics apply.)

Prevalence: Widely but inaccurately reported in the popular press as 4 million amounting to those over the age of 85. The analysis of data from the United States, and the United States Mortality Records, place the prevalence from 1.7 to 1.9 million cases which is close to 5 to 7 percent of the over 65 population. Prevalence arises among those over 85 which is about 29 percent.

Treatment: Two medications that can be used in the treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease are: Tacrine and Aricept. Tacrine can produce toxic effects in the liver, and the required doses are too much for some people. Aricept is effective as Tacrine in targeting cognitive symptoms, although it has gastrointestinal side effects related to the effects of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. The required dose is lower, and it doesn’t interfere with liver function.

Prognosis: There I no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, it progresses or gets worse over time. Most people can survive years with the disease. Some die between 8 to 10 years of the disease, and some live up to 25 years.

References: Halgin, R.P., & Whitbourne, S.K. (2005). Abnormal psychology: clinical perspectives on psychology disorders. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Myers, D.G. (2011). Myers psychology for AP. New York, NY: Worth publishers. Robinson, L., & Saisan, J., Segal, J., (2011). Alzheimer’s disease: signs, symptoms, and stages of alzheimer’s disease. Retrieved from: ease_symptoms_stages.htm ease_symptoms_stages.htm

References: Reisberg, B. (n.d.). Stages of alzheimer’s. Retrieved from: alzheimers alzheimers Croft, H. (2009). Alzheimer’s disease: prognosis and complications. Retrieved from: main/alzheimers-disease-prognosis-and- complications/menu-id-56/