AD rates

Question 1

Fatality

Answer 1

Expected survival time after diagnosis varies w age and time of diagnosis.

At 65, median ST is 8 yr
at 90, median ST is 3 yrs

Survival time overall is shorter for men than for women

Question 2

Distribution of neuropathology

Answer 2

Starts way before first symptoms

Distribution tends to follow typical pattern;
- First medial temporal lobe (entorhinal cortex, hippocampus)
- Spreads to frontal, parietal and other parts of temporal cortex and other areas

Question 3

ABC score

Answer 3

A score that summarises the extent of AD neuropathological change

A= the Thal Amyloid stage
- Distribution of amyloid depostis. Goes from phase 0 (no amyloid) to phase 5 (spread to pons and cerebellum) (stage 4-5 = clinical)

B= Braak stage
- Distribution of tangles (stage I - II to stage V - VI)

C= CERAD stage
- Score of neuritic amyloid plaques abundance in 3 areas; frontal, temporal, and parietal cortex.
- Scored; none, sparse, moderate, frequent

Question 4

Neuropathological changes

Answer 4

Early impairment in memory is in line with the starting neuropathology in medial temporal lobes

Impaired episodic memory is frist and most salient cognitive impairment in AD