Alzheimer’s Disease Nick Beisel Rebecca Ingold Liz Conway

Alzheimer’s Introduction Form of Dementia Dr. Alois Alzheimer: discovered plaques and tangles Two Types: _______ and Late Onset Ongoing Research No Cure Long-term Care

Risk Factors Age: numbers diagnosed ________ every five years after age 65 Family History: Implications for Early Onset

Risk Factors: Ongoing Research Genetic Interaction  _________________ (ApoE): protein synthesis  ApoE carries __________ in blood  Only 15% have type that increases risk  Others still undiscovered

Risk Factors: Speculation Diet: low _______ levels Environment Correlations?  Heart Disease and Stroke  High BP  High Cholesterol Previous slides from ADEAR

Symptoms: Characteristics Precursor  Mild forgetfulness: “senior moment” Early Stages:  Trouble remembering names, events, important dates, etc.  ________________ difficulty  Bothersome but not alarming

Symptoms: Characteristics Moderate Stages:  Interference with simple daily activities, e.g., brushing teeth  Impaired ____________________  Impaired speech, reading, writing, etc.  Unable to recognize family members  Easily noticed and reported

Symptoms: Characteristics Advanced Stages  Further deterioration of speech, etc.  _________  Restlessness  Mood Swings  _____________  Wandering away from home

Symptoms: Why? Normal MRI Alzheimer’s MRI Images from

Symptoms: Why? Loss of brain volume Atrophy of various lobes Asymmetry of ventricles Atrophy of _____________ and Amygdala

Treatment of Alzheimer’s Is no cure May be possible to reverse or minimize symptoms

Types of Treatment Medications Hormonal Herbal _____ At Home Techniques

Medications Numerous kinds of medications to relieve symptoms or control behavior  Tacrine, Donepezil, Galantamine, & Memantine ____________  Helps with anxiety, sleep and behavior problems

Hormonal HRT can ________ risk of AD Estrogen  Increased risk of dementia too

Herbs Ginko Biloba  May delay ___________ decay  May have preventive measures

New Diet Research __________ plaque  build up causes oxidation and inflammation  kills brain cells Diets high in anti-oxidants slow oxidation and work to prevent inflammation Purple fruits and vegetables Curcumin (spice) may help prevent memory loss

At Home Techniques Make everything a ________ Walking helps stimulate the brain to talk Use reminders/ schedules Recall happy memories (LTM not impaired)

AD by the numbers: There is an estimated 4.5 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. This number has more than doubled since _____.

Alzheimer’s Association Poll 1 in 10 Americans have a family member who suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease. _____ Americans know someone with the disease.

Costs of Alzheimer’s Disease ____ of all nursing home residents have Alzheimer’s Disease. Living in a nursing home can range from $42,000-$70,000 a year. The average lifetime cost of care is $174,000.

Care Giving for someone with Alzheimer’s 7 out of 10 Alzheimer’s patients live at home. 75% of their care is provided by family and ________. The remaining 25% is paid care which can typically cost around $19,000.

Care Giving Most caregivers are _______. Care giving for Alzheimer’s disease is physically and mentally demanding These care givers can suffer from fatigue, frustration, grief, depression, etc. High levels of stress make the care giver vulnerable to illness.

Care Giving In early stages the patient loses ability to do minimal tasks such as tying their shoes and selecting clothing. Over time the patient will gradually lose the ability to take care of oneself.

Nutrition ___________ is also very important. A patient might forget how to prepare food or that they are hungry. The caregiver should make sure the patient is receiving healthy meals.

The Safety of the Patient Patient will gradually lose the ability to drive a car, cook, clean, shower, and ultimately take care of oneself. Insert _______ devices such as bed rails and hand rails for the bathrooms. Adjust electrical appliances

Care for the Care Giver _______________ and professional counseling. Extremely demanding and frustrating. Spirituality