BY: AMAN SINGH AND ALLY MATTINGLY

Alzheimer's Disease

Case

Patient #2- A 78-year-old man comes to your office with his daughter. The daughter reports that her father, Mark, has been confusing the name of relatives and is having trouble controlling his emotions. Her father was once a respected mathematician, but he is now having trouble completing simple calculations. He even claims that he does not know how to play the card game they have been playing since she was a little girl. She tried to get him to shower and put on clean clothes for the doctor’s visit, but he is adamant about the fact that he is clean. Most recently, he has had trouble recognizing people he has known for years. For quite some time, he has had trouble finding items such as his glasses or keys and his daughter attributed this to the natural aging process. Now she is not so sure.

Symptoms and Explanations

Alzheimer's is a form of Dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a term for a collection of symptoms that can be caused by a number of

disorders that affect the brain, including Alzheimer's. People with dementia have significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with

normal activities and relationships. They also lose their ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control, and they may experience

personality changes. Which explains all your father's symptoms.

Possible Diagnosis

After running a series of tests, and examining your father’s we have made a list of possible diagnosis.-Alzheimer's-Parkinson's disease-Alcohol withdrawal-Medical side effects

We have concluded that your father most likely has Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s

can also be genetic. When AD runs in families, it’s called Familial Alzheimer’s

Disease.

Possible Tests:-Blood Test

-Brain Scans

What is Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's worsens over time. It's a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms

gradually worsen over a number of years. Alzheimer's has 3 stages. Mild, Moderate, and

Severe. He may face confusion about the location of familiar places. He may also take

longer to accomplish normal, daily tasks. There is also a chance of mood and personality

changes and increased anxiety. Your father may become short-tempered and not able to handle

shock easily.

Prognosis

Treatment options: Unfortunately, Alzheimer's Disease is not curable. It progresses slowly

over 8 to 10 years after the onset of symptoms. How long a person with Alzheimer's will live is highly dependent on the person's age from the

diagnosis of the disease as well as what medical problems the person is experiencing in

addition to Alzheimer's.

Errors in Communication

Medically speaking, Alzheimer's is when plaques and tangles “choke” off the neurons, causing the neurons to lose energy and die.

This happens in the temporal lobe of the brain. Plaques are abnormal accumulations of beta-

amyloid, which are proteins.

It's basically a gradual loss of brain cells. It causes damage to neurons so they no longer function properly. It also causes the loss of neural connections called synapses where messages are passed from neuron to neuron.

Psychologist

The Psychologist can give your father coping mechanisms for dealing with AD. He/she can

give you some as well. People with Alzheimer's can live healthy lives with medication to slow down its progression. However, he will soon become very dependent. He will need a lot of family and friend support. You, other family, and friends can take care of him, but she/he

can give you housing options, such as a nursing home or an in-home nurse.

Physician

A geriatric psychiatrist has special training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental

disorders that may occur in older adults, such as Alzheimer’s. They listen to the patient’s concerns as well as their family's concerns. Then the geriatric psychiatrist will propose some solutions. He/She will work with other health professionals for the treatment of the

patient.

Treatment

Alzheimer’s has no actual cure, but there are medications that can make the progression slow down, and make your father more comfortable.

Medications include:The FDA has approved Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne, and Namenda which can all help with confusion, memory

loss, and problems with thinking and reasoning. These can also help with behavioral changes like, anxiety,

depression, aggression, outbursts, among many other changes. There are also clinical trials that could

contribute to the cure for Alzheimer’s.

The End

Work Cited

Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/part-2-what-happens-brain-ad/hallmarks-ad

The Progression of Alzheimer's Disease. (2015, July 2). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/infographic/progression-alzheimers-disease

Alzheimer's Disease Overview, Brain Anatomy. (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.healthcommunities.com/alzheimers-disease/overview-of-alzheimers.shtml