Neurocognitive Disorders

Question 1

What are dementias? What is the most common type?

Answer 1

• Neurodegenerative disorders with cognitive impairments and often behavioural changes
• Most common is Alzheimer’s disease: Most common and earliest symptom is loss of episodic memory for new information

Question 2

How can neuropsychological testing help with diagnosis of dementia?

Answer 2

• Differential diagnosis of:
• Global cognitive impairment (delirium)
• Cognitive impairments associated with depression
• Age-related cognitive decline

Question 3

What are proteinopathies? What do they cause?

Answer 3

• Abnormal protein depositing in the brain through overproduction, abnormal conformation, failure of clearance, or secondary immune reaction

Question 4

What are 5 brain pathologies of AD?

Answer 4

1) Accumulation of amyloid beta plaques
2) Neurofibrillary tangles
3) Synaptic loss
4) Insidious onset
5) Memory impairment

Question 5

What are 5 symptoms of dementia with lewy bodies?

Answer 5

1) Hallucinations and delusions
2) Fluctuations in cognition
3) Falls
4) Spontaneous parkinsonism
5) Transient loss of consciousness