Alzheimer's Case Study

According to Lu and Bludau, there is not a verified factor that precisely initiates Alzheimer’s; however, scientists deem that there are various factors that influence the brain over a prolonged period of time. Many assume Alzheimer’s is inherited or acquired during life time. There are several risk factors: familial and genetic. Familial is not dispatched from generation to generation; however, the risk is amplified with previous family diagnosis and is two to three times greater if an immediate family member had it. Another risk factor is a genetic mutation, a change in DNA. Early onset is when the amyloid precursor protein, presenilin 1, and presenilin 2 are exhibited. Late onset is when there is a mutation in apolipoprotein E (ApoE). People

Usually, patients donate their brain to be examined after death. Therefore, patients are normally diagnosed clinically, which involves a physician compiling facts and assessing them to make a decision. There are several steps to clinical diagnosis. The patients go to the physician if concerns are expressed by the patients or their family members. First the physician will evaluate the patient in an office. The patients are questioned about their family history and past habits, such as smoking, drinking, or drug usage. Next, a physical exam is performed on the patients. The physical exam consists of a complete check up with an added neurologic exam, which involves memory testing. The physician observes how the patient behaves during the physical exam. The patients’ vital signs, respiratory rate, temperature, and blood pressure, are obtained. Patients are weighed to determine if there are signs of abnormal weight loss. The physician checks the patients’ eyes, ears, head, thyroid gland (front of neck), abdomen, hands, feet, arms, and legs. To check patients’ motor and sensory systems, reflexes, cranial nerves, gait, and coordination, a neurological exam (nervous system) is conducted. Cranial nerves relay information between the brain, head, and neck and control the sensory and motor functions, such as facial movement, vision, hearing, smell, and taste. The motor function controls movement and

Mental status is the assessment of patients cognitive and memory abilities using a Mini -Mental State Exam (MMSE). With this exam, physicians eliminate illnesses that resemble the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, such as delirium and depression. Delirium is a state of confusion and agitation. Depression is a sadness that affects daily living and is prolonged for a period of time. To diagnose depression, physicians use a Geriatric Depression Scale