Memory problems: Normal or dementia?

MEMORY PROBLEMS IS IT EARLY DEMENTIA OR NORMAL AGING?

DEMENTIA • MANY CAUSES: ALZHEIMER’S IS MOST COMMON; STROKES, ANOXIC BRAIN DAMAGE, PARKINSONS • 4.9 MILLION AMERICANS TODAY • DOUBLING OF THOSE >65 BY 2050 MEANS 10 MILLION OR MORE WILL HAVE DEMENTIA

DEMENTIA • MEMORY PROBLEMS EARLY • AS DISEASE PROGRESSES, OTHER DOMAINS AFFECTED • JUDGMENT, BEHAVIOR, ADL’S AND EVENTUALLY SPEECH ARE ALL AFFECTED

WORRY ABOUT DEMENTIA

• FEAR OF GETTING DEMENTIA • NORMAL AGING CAN CAUSE SOME MEMORY ISSUES • WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORMAL AGING AND DEMENTIA?

NORMAL BRAIN • AGE AFFECTS ALL ORGANS • LESS BLOOD FLOW TO BRAIN AS YOU AGE • LOSS OF BRAIN CELLS • NEUROTRANSMITTER FUNCTION IMPAIRED

TYPES OF MEMORY • • • • • •

RECALL/RETRIEVAL CALCULATION PROCEDURAL-TASKS FACTUAL MEMORY EXECUTIVE FUNCTION ORIENTATION

RECALL • WHAT IS HER NAME? • NORMAL AGING: SLOW RETRIEVAL MAY OCCUR: “SENIOR MOMENT” • ALZHEIMERS: YOU CANNOT RECALL NAME

SLOW RETRIEVAL • A NORMAL CONSEQUENCE OF AGING • THE RIGHT ANSWER WILL COME TO YOU • ANALOGY: COMPUTER SORTING THROUGH FILES

EPISODIC MEMORY • STORING NEW MEMORIES • REMEMBERING TIME AND PLACE, WHEN AND WHERE AN EPISODE HAPPENED • DECLINES SOME WITH NORMAL AGING

EPISODIC MEMORY • DEMENTIA: • GET LOST-CAN’T REMEMBER WHERE THEY ARE GOING • LOSE THINGS-CAN’T REMEMBER WHERE THEY PUT • HARD TO FORM A NEW MEMORY

ORIENTATION • WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU ARE, WHEN IT IS • NO CHANGE WITH NORMAL AGING • A COMMON PROBLEM WITH EARLY DEMENTIA

WHAT SEASON IS IT?

CALCULATION • MANIPULATE SEVERAL PIECES OF INFORMATION • ADD A FEW NUMBERS • COUNT BACKWARD FROM 100 BY 7:100, 93, 86, 79, 72, 65, 58 • SEQUENCES-DRIVING

CALCULATION NORMAL DEMENTIA • MAJOR • SLIGHT CHANGE CHANGE • CANNOT • BALANCE BALANCE CHECK BOOK CHECK BOOK TAKES • GET LOST LONGER

FACTUAL MEMORY • WHO WON THE WORLD SERIES IN 1948? • WHO WAS U.S. PRESIDENT DURING WORLD WAR II? • EITHER IT IS THERE OR IT IS NOT

FACTUAL MEMORY NORMAL • MILD CHANGE • CAN REMEMBER CONTEXT

DEMENTIA • BIG CHANGE • CONTEXT • HARD TO LEARN NEW FACTS

FACTUAL MEMORY • NORMAL AGING: NOT MUCH CHANGE • DEMENTIA: REMOTE MEMORIES REMAIN AND CAN BE RETRIEVED; LEARNING NEW FACTS/MEMORIES IS IMPAIRED SIGNIFICANTLY

HOW MANY WITH DEMENTIA LIVE IN USA TODAY?

DID YOU REMEMBER?

4.9 MILLION I BET YOU REMEMBER YOUR GRANDAUGHTER’S BIRTHDAY!

PROCEDURAL MEMORY • LEARNING A TASK LIKE RIDING A BIKE OR • BRUSHING TEETH, SHAVING • LITTLE CHANGE WITH AGE • ONLY IN ADVANCED DEMENTIA IS THERE A DEFICIT

EXECUTIVE FUNCTION • CAN YOU PLAN A MENU, SHOP, AND COOK A MEAL? • CAN YOU PLAN A PARTY, SEND INVITATIONS, PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR THE GUESTS? • CAN YOU MANAGE MONEY?

EXECUTIVE FUNCTION NORMAL DEMENTIA • AGING DOES • SIGNIFICANT AFFECT THIS DECLINE • ANXIETY DUE • SIMPLY TO TASK CANNOT BEING MORE MANAGE DIFFICULT AFFAIRS

SUMMARY:NORMAL • • • • • •

REMAIN ORIENTED SOME RETRIEVAL PROBLEMS SLOWER CALCULATION FACTS REMEMBERED NO PROBLEM WITH TASKS EXECUTIVE FUNCTION?

SUMMARY:DEMENTIA • DISORIENTED PLACE/TIME • RETRIEVAL DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE • CALCULATION IS POOR • SEQUETIAL TASKS HARDER • FACTS ARE REMEMBERED

SUMMARY:DEMENTIA • DIFFICULTLY LEARNING NEW FACTS AND EPISODES • TASKS OK UNTIL LATE STAGE • EXECUTIVE FUNCTION DECLINES SIGNIFICANTLY