Effects Of Episodic Memory

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a form of degenerative, fatal dementia, is characterized by progressive cognitive decline. While AD is the most common form of dementia, its prevalence has only recently been recognized. When Alois Alzheimer first described the sequence of changes in 1907, physicians believed the disease to be an extremely rare, mid-life condition. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that the same types of changes were shown to occur in both late- and early-onset forms (Cavanaugh et.al. 2008). As such, almost all knowledge of AD has been learned within the past several decades, with new discoveries being reported almost daily. It is now estimated that Alzheimer’s accounts for as many as 60% of all dementias and affects more than 500,000

Subsequently, the full evaluation process that takes place also varies among individuals of different ages and their symptoms experienced (Shimada 47). In the cases of younger onset cognitive impairment with quick progression, an MRI scan and bloodwork are done (Lee et al. 155). From clear MRI scans and blood tests, potential reasonings for Alice’s symptoms, for example brain tumours, can be ruled out. As Alice’s cognitive decline continues, the next step is a PET scan to observe the brain at a molecular level in determining the amyloid levels in the

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive and fatal form of dementia, frequently seen in the elderly altering their cognition, thought process and behavior. AD is reported in about half of patients that have a dementia diagnosis; one study states that about 10.3% of the population over 65 years is affected by dementia with an increase to almost 50% over the age of 8 (Beattie, 2002). Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of the aging process in humans, but rather found in a group of diseases that affect the brain leading to a decline in mental and physical control. AD when diagnosed has a very slow and gradual course, initially affecting the individual’s short term memory (Beattie, 2002). Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death, affecting more than five million people in the United States and is also one of the most common forms of dementia. Dementia can be defined as a disorder of progressive cognitive impairment severe enough to affect daily functions of an individual’s life (Fillit, et al., 2002).

Match the following characteristics to their types of memory. The answers can be used more than once.

Throughout history there have been reports of decreased memory and mental deterioration that accompanied old age. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) was named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer who described the symptoms in a woman in Germany in the 1907 but it was not until the 1970’s that AD was considered to be a major disorder and AD continues to be a major health concern worldwide (Reger, 2002).

Although Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most widely known cause of dementia in the elderly population, there are many other explanations and clinical diagnoses that

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a form of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking, and behavior. AD typically involves the development of a progressive neuropsychiatric disorder that is characterized by gradual memory impairment, loss of acquired skills and emotional disturbances (Lee, Y. J., Han, S. B., Nam, S. Y., Oh, K. W., & Hong, J. T.). Every 67 seconds an individual in the United States develops AD. AD is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. There are 5.3 million Americans diagnosed with AD (Latest Alzheimer's Facts and Figures). AD is one of the few degenerative diseases that cannot be prevented, stopped, or cured (Latest Alzheimer's Facts and Figures). Post-mortem examination of the brain of AD patients usually

It is a disease that we haven’t cured yet but instead have only come up and still coming up with treatment strategies to alleviate its symptoms. AD was first described in 1906 by a German psychiatrist by the name of Alois Alzheimer whilst he was performing a histophathologic study of his patient’s brain, a patient who had been suffering from dementia. His patient’s brain’s autopsy brought to light the presence of two types of lesions, which are senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. He saw a visible difference in the brain tissue for it was severely damaged by these lesions. Since then, our knowledge of AD’s cellular and molecular alterations has increased and we have come up with various hypotheses for AD that may soon help in developing effective preventative and therapeutic strategies. One of the most prevailing hypotheses that have already leaded to a number of therapeutic approaches is the amyloid cascade hypothesis. Hence, the following essay will explore the pathology of the amyloid cascade hypothesis and the evidence for and against it. It will also touch upon current progress in clinical trials that test the

When AD is suspected, patients will undergo MRI, PET Scans, and lumbar punctures to look for brain atrophy, beta-amyloid plaques, or increased phosphorylated tau in cerebral spinal fluid (Hyman et al., 2012).

The only way to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer's is by autopsy of brain tissue. It is important to carefully evaluate individuals who exhibit the symptoms of dementia because so some of the cause can be treated reversed. The reversible conditions include metabolic changes, drug reactions, and depression. The physical, psychological, and neurological examination can lead to a relatively accurate diagnosis. This requires the medical history, mental status testing, blood test and brain imaging to rule out other causes of dementia like symptoms. Even though there isn’t one specific test that is able to identify Alzheimer’s, a comprehensive evaluation will include the physical examination, neurological, health history, mental status, analysis

Semantic, episodic, and procedural memory are all vital to humans, and I can’t imagine a life lived without these everyday functions. Damaging the temporal lobe and prefrontal cortex engender a loss of semantic memory. Without semantic memory I would lose my general knowledge. Basic certainties that I’ve obtained since preschool would fly out the window. A person doesn’t realize how much capacity a human brain stores, I still have multiplication tables imbedded into my mind. Imagining a life without conscious data like multiplication, the sounds of letters, and/or even the simplest information like knowing what a tree looks like, is a very scary thought to process. The concept of not being able to recognize the items and scenery around me would be the scariest task that I would lose if my semantic memory disappeared. I couldn’t even fathom a life without such simple knowledge.

General neuropsychological assessment. Alice’s general intelligence and low-level visual abilities were tested to ensure they were not the reason for her reported difficulty in identifying faces. She scored in the normal range for these tests. Alice scored in the 97th percentile of the Abbreviated Raven’s Matrices for her age group- this test was designed to measure abstract reasoning. She also scored in the high range of the Digit Span Memory with a forward score of 12 and backward score of 7. This showed that she had a normal working memory. Alice’s language skills also remained unaffected as she correctly pronounced 58 of the 61 words in the National Adult Reading Test.

(Reynolds, 2013). AD is an irreversible disease of the brain which causes confusion, decline of memory, loss of cognitive function and disables an individual to perform simple day-to-day activities (Reynolds, 2013). Reynolds further stated, an estimated 50% - 80% of all patients who suffer dementia are found to have AD. There are several imaging modalities used to help aid physicians in the diagnosis of AD such as, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and photon emission tomography (PET). Each have advantages and disadvantages to help diagnose patients who might have unique circumstances.

Woodcock Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities Third Edition It’s comprehensive battery is strong and well normed. Client can pick and choose the subtests. Limitations: This is an expensive test to administer and it is cumbersome to get full picture of client in one hour with this tool.