Alzheimer Disease

Disease State Hub

Commentary

mental health

Tips From ARIC: Midlife Vascular Risk Factors Affect Alzheimer Disease Later

05/28/2019

In this commentary, Dr Rebecca Gottesman reviews the results of her ARIC-PET amyloid imaging study and explains what they mean for the future of clinical practice.

05/28/2019

For more on the etiology of Alzheimer disease content, visit our Clinical Update page

The most common type of dementia, Alzheimer disease is a progressive disease that generally begins with mild memory loss and involves parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.

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Brain changes may begin 10+ years before symptoms appear. These changes include buildup of proteins that form amyloid plaques and tau tangles. This causes healthy neurons to stop functioning, lose connections with other neurons, and die.

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occupational therapist, neurologist, geriatrician, psychiatrist, primary care physicians, geropsychologist

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Memory loss that disrupts daily life
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or at leisure
Worsening judgment
Misplacing items & failure to retrace steps
Changes in mood, personality, or behavior

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There is no single test to determine AD, but testing options include: computed tomography scan, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography scan, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, neurological examination

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Examples of cognitive, functional, and behavioral tests include: Ascertain Dementia 8, Activities Questionnaire, Mini-Cog Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire

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Age
Family history
Genetics
Mild cognitive impairment
Modifiable risk factors, like obesity, high cholesterol, poorly controlled type 2 diabetes

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An estimated 6.7 million Americans aged 65 years or older are living with AD (73% are aged 75 years or older)

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By 2025, the number of people aged 65 or older with AD is projected to reach 7.2 million — a 7% increase from 2023.

March 2024

Current Issue

March 2024

Volume 64

Issue 3

Sources

CDC.gov
2023 Alzheimer's Facts and Figures