Week 7 Discussion

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Morrisville State College *

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101

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Nursing

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Nov 24, 2024

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docx

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Week 7 Discussion Comparing and Contrasting the Pathophysiology between Alzheimer’s Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia Although both frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neurodegenerative illnesses, they have different pathophysiological characteristics. The formation of beta-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles made of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein are two of the disease's characteristic clinical features. These deposits cause loss and damage to neurons, especially in the cortex and hippocampus, which impairs memory and causes cognitive decline. Atrophy and degeneration in the brain's frontal and temporal lobes are hallmarks of frontotemporal dementia. Abnormal protein aggregates, such as tau, TDP-43, or FUS, are the primary pathology of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). They cause neuronal malfunction and death in affected regions. Clinically, AD frequently shows up as memory loss and progressive cognitive decline. On the other hand, FTD usually shows up as behavioral, personality, and language (Miltiadous et al., 2021). Clinical Findings from the Case that Support a Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease Numerous clinical results in the case study are in line with an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis. The patient's declining memory, inability to find their way around in familiar places, and trouble making decisions are signs of cognitive decline. This is consistent with the usual course of Alzheimer's. When questioned about his behavior, the patient's defensive response is likewise typical of someone with Alzheimer's, who may get upset or deny having cognitive issues. Cognitive impairment is further highlighted by the patient's incapacity to dress himself,
manage his finances, and fall victim to con games such as buying an unnecessary home security system (Scheltens et al., 2021). A score of 12 out of 30 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in this instance indicates a moderate degree of cognitive impairment, which is a crucial diagnostic criterion for Alzheimer's disease. The MMSE evaluates a number of cognitive domains, such as language, orientation, memory, attention, and visuospatial abilities. A score of 12 indicates significant cognitive deterioration, with noticeable deficiencies in each of these domains. Moreover, the MRI results showing hippocampus atrophy are consistent with the neurodegenerative alterations frequently linked to Alzheimer's disease. An important component of the brain for memory and learning, the hippocampus is especially susceptible to Alzheimer's disease. As the disease worsens, atrophy in this region of the brain is a typical anatomical change seen. Together, these imaging and clinical data support the Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and offer important new information about the degree of cognitive decline and anatomical abnormalities in the brain (Scheltens et al., 2021). One Hypothesis that Explains the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease The amyloid hypothesis is one well-known theory that explains how Alzheimer's disease develops. This theory postulates that the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain sets off a series of actions that eventually result in cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Plaques are created when beta-amyloid peptides are produced as a result of abnormal processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP). These plaques then cause oxidative stress, neuro-inflammation, and the development of neurofibrillary tangles, which ultimately result in synaptic dysfunction and neuronal death. Although the amyloid hypothesis has received a lot of attention, Alzheimer's
disease is also known to be influenced by tau pathology, vascular involvement, and genetic predispositions (Lopez et al., 2019). Patient’s Likely Stage of Alzheimer’s Disease The patient's clinical presentation suggests that they are most likely in the moderate stage of Alzheimer's. A moderate level of cognitive impairment is indicated by an MMSE score of 12, and this assessment is further supported by visible functional deficits in everyday tasks, such as difficulties dressing, getting lost, and making poor decisions. According to the patient's MRI, the moderate stages of Alzheimer's disease are commonly associated with structural alterations related to hippocampal shrinkage. The patient may continue to endure worsening cognitive and functional impairment as the disease advances, requiring more care and monitoring (Lopez et al., 2019). This is evident in the suggestion that hiring a daytime caregiver be given serious thought. References Lopez, J. A. S., González, H. M., & Léger, G. C. (2019). Alzheimer's disease. Handbook of Clinical Neurology , 167 , 231-255. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804766-8.00013-3 Miltiadous, A., Tzimourta, K. D., Giannakeas, N., Tsipouras, M. G., Afrantou, T., Ioannidis, P., & Tzallas, A. T. (2021). Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia: A robust classification method of EEG signals and a comparison of validation methods. Diagnostics , 11 (8), 1437. https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11081437 Scheltens, P., De Strooper, B., Kivipelto, M., Holstege, H., Chételat, G., Teunissen, C. E., .& van der Flier, W. M. (2021). Alzheimer's disease. The Lancet , 397 (10284), 1577-1590. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32205-4
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