ALZHEIMERS DISEASE

MELBA GRACE T. DONIO, RNJULIE MAE M. CUENTO, RN

HISTORY/ FACTS

1910: Alzheimer's disease name

byEmil Kraepelin, a German psychiatrist who worked with Dr. Alzheimer, first names "Alzheimer's Disease" in the eighth edition of his book Psychiatrie.

1906: Dr. Alois Alzheimer, German physician first describes as “A PECULIAR DISEASE”. He is pioneer in linking symptoms to microscopic brain changes, describes the haunting case of Auguste Deter.

• 1931- Invention of electron microscope allows further study of brain.

• 1968- Development of cognitive measurement scales.• 1976- Alzheimer's recognized as most common form of

dementia. • 1980- Alzheimer's Association founded• 1993- First Alzheimer's drug approved by FDA.• 2011-New criteria and guidelines for Alzheimer's disease

diagnosis• 2014- Rates of death caused by Alzheimer’s disease found

to be much higher than reported on death certificates.

WHAT IS DEMENTIA?Dementia is an umbrella term for a set of symptoms including impaired thinking and memory. It is a term that is often associated with the cognitive decline of aging. However, issues other than Alzheimer’s can cause dementia. Other common causes of dementia are Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. 

is a common cause of dementia causing as many as 50 to 70% of all dementia cases.

ALZHEIMERS DISEASE

BRAIN FUNCTIONS

Temporal lobe – speech, memory, hearing.Parietal lobe – sensory integration, spatial sense, navigation.Frontal cortex – involved with, among other things, problem solving, memory, language, judgment, is thought to be the center for our personality. Damage to areas in the frontal cortex often leads to personality changes.Hippocampus – short term memory, spatial navigation.Cingulate gyrus – emotion formation, memory, learning.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMSMild Alzheimer's disease (early-stage)A person may function independently. He or she may still drive, work and be part of social activities. Despite this, the person may feel as if he or she is having memory lapses, such as forgetting familiar words or the location of everyday objects.•Problems coming up with the right word or name•Trouble remembering names when introduced to new people•Having greater difficulty performing tasks in social or work settings•Forgetting material that one has just read•Losing or misplacing a valuable object•Increasing trouble with planning or organizing

Moderate Alzheimer's disease (middle-stage)

Is typically the longest stage and can last for many years. As the disease progresses, the person with Alzheimer's will require a greater level of care.At this point, symptoms will be noticeable to others and may include:•Forgetfulness of events or about one's own personal history•Feeling moody or withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situations•Being unable to recall their own address or telephone number or the high school or college from which they graduated•Confusion about where they are or what day it is•The need for help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion•Trouble controlling bladder and bowels in some individuals•Changes in sleep patterns, such as sleeping during the day and becoming restless at night•An increased risk of wandering and becoming lost•Personality and behavioral changes, including suspiciousness and delusions or compulsive, repetitive behavior like hand-wringing or tissue. 

Severe Alzheimer's disease (late-stage)The final stage of this disease, individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, to carry on a conversation and, eventually, to control movement.At this stage, individuals may:•Require full-time, around-the-clock assistance with daily personal care•Lose awareness of recent experiences as well as of their surroundings•Require high levels of assistance with daily activities and personal care•Experience changes in physical abilities, including the ability to walk, sit and, eventually, swallow•Have increasing difficulty communicating•Become vulnerable to infections, especially pneumonia