![]() ![]() Once a patient is determined to meet the criteria for diagnosis of suspected AD further tests are conducted to establish the likelihood of AD. The following are changes that would lead to the diagnosis of Suspected AD (note that many of the behavioral changes overlap with those occurring in normal aging:) The characteristics used to diagnose AD are listed below. Definite AD can only be diagnosed after pathological brain specimens are examined by either biopsy or autopsy. These include: 1) Suspected AD, 2) Probable AD, and 3) Definite AD. According to the Psychiatric Manual three progressive stages or categories of AD diagnosis are defined. In this chapter, the changes that occur with AD and the way to clinically diagnose the disease are summarized as a means to describe the disease and to illustrate how the physician must clinically evaluate the possibility of AD. However, increasing evidence has suggested that inflammation may play a critical role in AD pathogenesis as well. The two most characteristic pathological inclusions found in the brains of AD patients are extracellular deposits of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) that lead to senile plaque formation and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau. The pathological features of Alzheimer’s disease, described below, are associated with profound degeneration of neurons and synapses in a few regions of the CNS, including the temporal, parietal, and frontal cortices, all of which are associated with learning and memory processes. AD is estimated to affect over four million people in the USA (10% of the population over 65 and 47% of those over 85). This not only places a great burden on caregivers, but the economy as well, with an annual cost yearly of $160 billion worldwide. Thus treatment is necessary for extensive time periods. AD patients generally live for about 9 years after initial clinical diagnosis. In addition, AD is frequently accompanied by other neurological and personality impairments including slow movements, hampered motor coordination, general confusion and personality change. AD, which begins with mild memory deficits and modest neuronal death, is followed by progressive extensive neuronal death, eventually leading to severe dementia.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |