Neurodegenerative Diseases

Question 1

Akinesia

Answer 1

Impairment of voluntary and spontaneous movement initiation resulting in freezing, especially during gait activities

Question 2

Bradykinesia

Answer 2

Slowed motor movements

Question 3

Dysmetria

Answer 3

Decreased coordination of movements

Question 4

Rigidity

Answer 4

Muscle stiffness that impairs movement

Question 5

Fasciculation

Answer 5

Involuntary muscle contraction and relaxation, muscle twitch

Question 6

Festinating Gait

Answer 6

Small rapid steps resulting in forward-tilted head and trunk posture

Question 7

Paresthesia

Answer 7

Numbness and tingling because of sensory nerve changes

Question 8

Multiple Sclerosis symptoms

Answer 8

• Impaired balance and coordination
• Intention tremors
• Muscle weakness
• Fatigue
• Dysphagia
• Numbness/tingling
• Vertigo
• Diplopia
• Slurred speech
• Difficulty with attention

Question 9

Dysphagia

Answer 9

Difficulty or discomfort in swallowing

Question 10

Parkinson’s Disease symptoms

Answer 10

• Resting tremor
• Muscle rigidity
• Bradykinesia
• Postural instability
• Festinating gait
• Memory loss
• Depression, apathy, lack of initiation

Question 11

Parkinson’s Stage 1

Answer 11

Unilateral symptoms, typically resting tremor, with no or minimal loss of function

Question 12

Parkinson’s Stage 2

Answer 12

Bilateral symptoms, balance is not affected, although problems develop with trunk mobility and postural reflexes

Question 13

Parkinson’s Stage 3

Answer 13

Impaired balance secondary to postural instability resulting in mild-moderate impairments in function

Question 14

Parkinson’s Stage 4

Answer 14

Decrease in postural stability, decrease in function, impaired mobility, need for assistance with ADLs, poor fine motor and dexterity

Question 15

Parkinson’s Stage 5

Answer 15

Total dependence for mobility and ADLs

Question 16

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Answer 16

• Progressive, moves distal to proximal
• Weakness
• Muscle atrophy
• Cramping and twitching of muscles
• Spasticity
• Dysphagia
• Dysarthria

*Cognition, sensation, vision, hearing, bowel and bladder control typically not affected

Question 17

ALS Stage 1

Answer 17

The person can walk, independent with ADLs, some weakness

Question 18

ALS Stage 2

Answer 18

The person can walk and has moderate weakness

Question 19

ALS Stage 3

Answer 19

The person can walk but has severe weakness

Question 20

ALS Stage 4

Answer 20

The person requires a wheelchair for mobility, needs some assistance with ADLs, and has severe weakness in the legs

Question 21

ALS Stage 5

Answer 21

The person requires a wheelchair for mobility, dependent for ADLs, severe weakness in the arms and legs

Question 22

ALS Stage 6

Answer 22

The person is confined to bed and dependent for ADLs and most self-care tasks

Question 23

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Answer 23

• Pain
• Fatigue
• Edema
• Absence of deep tendon reflexes
• Mild sensory loss in hands and legs
• Dysfunction in cranial nerves
• Bladder dysfunction

Question 24

Guillain-Barré: Acute Phase

Answer 24

Acute weakness in at least 2 extremities

Question 25

Guillain-Barré: Plateau Phase

Answer 25

Symptoms are at their most disabling, with little or no change over a few days or weeks

Question 26

Guillain-Barré: Recovery Phase

Answer 26

Remyelination and axonal regeneration over a period of 2 years, recovery starts at the head and neck and travels distally

Question 27

Huntington’s Disease

Answer 27

• Choreiform (repetitive and rapid, jerky, involuntary movement that appears to be well-coordinated) movements of the hand
• Akasthisia (motor restlessness)
• Dystonia (abnormal, sustained posturing of a body part)
• Bradykinesia
• Akinesia
• Incoordination of movements
• Gait and balance problems
• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability and depression

Question 28

Alzheimer’s Disease

Answer 28

• Progressive impairment of memory, executive functioning, attention, language, visual processing, and praxis
• Common behavioral disturbances

Question 29

Vascular Dementia

Answer 29

• Cognitive decline similar to AD but often less severe memory involvement
• Common gait disturbances
• Abrupt decline

Question 30

Frontotemporal Dementia

Answer 30

• Progressive aphasia, corticobasal syndrome, symptoms similar to AD or Parkinson’s
• Immediate, distinct onset, progressive

Question 31

Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Answer 31

• Progressive deficits in attention and executive function, memory impairment, fluctuating cognition, visual hallucinations, parkinsonism, autonomic dysfunction, and falls
• Aphasia, apraxia, spatial disorientation
• Psychotic symptoms

Question 32

Procedural Memory

Answer 32

Recall of info on how to perform a task, such as knowing how to write or rise a bike

Question 33

Personal Episodic Memory

Answer 33

Recall of time-related information about oneself, such as where and whether one ate breakfast

Question 34

Semantic Memory

Answer 34

Ability to remember the names of objects

Question 35

Aphasia

Answer 35

Difficulty with expressive language, receptive language, or both

Question 36

Apraxia

Answer 36

Loss of skilled, purposeful movements that cannot be attributed to either deficits in primary motor skills or problems in comprehension

Question 37

Agnosia

Answer 37

Inability to recognize the importance of sensory impressions despite being able to recognize the elemental sensation of the stimulus

Question 38

Early Stage of Dementia

Answer 38

• ADLs intact
• Memory loss and disorientation begin
• IADLs impaired
• Learning and reading become difficult
• Communication impaired

Question 39

Middle Stage of Dementia

Answer 39

• No longer can live alone
• Eating problems and weight loss
• IADLs neglected and dependent
• Social participation limited

Question 40

Late Stage of Dementia

Answer 40

• All areas of occupations are lost
• Dependent in all ADLs
• Ambulation unsafe
• Communication lost