Unit 17 Assignment 1
Dementia is a syndrome in which an individual experiences a decline in their cognitive abilities due to
a physiological change in their body. Dementia acts as an umbrella term for various different
disorders that are caused by the changes in the brain resulting in subsequent memory loss: vascular
dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease
In Alzheimer’s disease, the connections between nerve cells become damaged. Abnormal levels of
proteins build up in the brain resulting in plagues which damage the blood supply to the brain,
resulting in nerve cells beginning to die. Between neurons there are synapses across with
neurotransmitters are passed in order to send chemical messages throughout the nervous system.
(National institute of aging, 2020). Another feature of Alzheimer’s is that the connections between
neutrons become damaged, meaning the neurotransmitters cannot pass across them, resulting in
slower reactions to stimuli due to signals being unable to pass between neurons. (Alzheimer’s
society, 2020)
Once an individual reaches the age of 65, their risks of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years
(NHS,2020) which is why Alzheimer’s is significantly more prevalent in the elderly. As the overall UK
population is aging, more individuals are developing this disease as it is something that becomes
more common with age due to the human body beginning to work less effectively. With age, the
brain begins to shrink which can then result in unstable molecules being produced. These molecules
can then cause proteins to be trapped within the brain and subsequently damage neurons which
therefore result in Alzheimer’s developing.
Additionally, individuals with downs syndrome have an increased risk of developing the disease as
the genetic trigger for the syndrome can also result in amyloid proteins developing in tangles which
are the main characteristics of Alzheimer’s. Since some evidence links heart health to brain health
and many individuals with downs syndrome will experience heart conditions this may also increase
their risk of Alzheimer’s.
Recent research has linked cardiovascular health to an individuals risk of developing Alzheimer’s and
thus factors that negatively impact an individual’s cardiovascular health will have an effect on their
risk of developing this disease. Primarily, lifestyle factors and pre-existing disorders affect an
individuals cardiovascular health such as lack of exercise, obesity, hypertension, poorly controlled
type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. It is thought that cardiovascular disorders can be a cause of
Alzheimer’s as they can result in defects, preventing blood and oxygen from effectively leaving the
heart. If the brain is starved of sufficient oxygen, it may become hypoxic (NHS,2020) which can lead
to cell death.
Alzheimer’s has been found to be linked to a faulty APOE gene which is found in chromosomes 19
and plays a role in handling fats in the body (Alzheimer’s society). Inheriting a fault variation of this
gene increases risk of developing the disorder. However, having the disorder does not conclusively
determine that an individual will develop the disorder as multiple factors affect its development
within the body. Despite the gene being linked to Alzheimer’s and there being a genetic link, it is yet
unknown how the gene increases the risk of the disorder (NHS).
If an individual with Alzheimer’s, the musculoskeletal system will be negatively affected by the
disease. As Alzheimer’s results in neurotransmitters crossing the synapse between neurons
significantly slower, an individual will react to stimuli slower than someone without Alzheimer’s due
This study source was downloaded by 100000841990434 from CourseHero.com on 04-20-2022 13:51:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/132355966/Unit-17-Assignment-1docx/
, to the electrical impulses in their brain failing to travel at a sufficient speed (NHS, 2020). Therefore,
movement will be significantly impaired in an individual with Alzheimer’s resulting in them taking
shorter steps, having poor balance, and shaking or stiffness due to muscles becoming rigid.
Combined with the physical symptoms, individuals will also experience psychological changes due to
Alzheimer’s. As well as problems with consolidation of short-term memory to long-term memory,
individuals will typically experience mental health problems such as depression (Alzheimer’s society,
2020). Experiencing depression may then negatively influence an individual’s condition as the
symptoms of depression may prevent them form accessing their treatment. Since one of the
symptoms of depression is difficulty leaving the house, if an individual did not have home treatment
then they may struggle to get the motivation to attend their appointments and receive treatment,
which is vital to keep them stable. Similarly, experiencing memory loss may result in individuals
failing to remember that they have appointments which will then negatively impact their health and
wellbeing. If appointments are not attended then an individuals health and wellbeing will not be
monitored which may result in a subsequent decline in their condition without intervention.
As Alzheimer’s progresses, an individual can become aggressive as they will be confused and lose
control over their emotions, which may cause them to be perceived as a burden by their family as
they will be challenging to keep safe so may be sent into residential or nursing care to ensure they
are safe and their health is monitored. If this occurs then the individual may struggle more with their
mental health due to feelings of abandonment as they wont be able to speak with their family
whenever they please due to being further away. However, being surrounded by many other
individuals with similar health conditions in a care home nay also help to improve their wellbeing as
their social needs will be met due to being surrounded by others.
As one of the main symptoms of Alzheimer’s is a decline in memory, it is often easy to notice when it
is developing or has developed as memory is used frequently in everyday life thus if it begins to
decline, others will typically be able to notice this.
In the later stages of Alzheimer’s individuals will typically experience more noticeable signs of
Alzheimer’s as they will begin to struggle with everyday tasks such as obtaining adequate nutrition,
urinating and speaking (NHS). Often in this stage, full time care is required as the individual cannot
reliably perform activities needed to sustain a good quality of life, such as eating, thus warranting
additional support to ensure that the individual’s health is maintained as far as possible.
In the earlier stages, symptoms will be primarly psychological as the disease is in the brain and
therefore interfering with its ability to function as normal. Affected individual may being to
experience symptoms typically associated with mental illness such as hallucinations and changing in
their mood. These symptoms will primarily be experienced by the affected individuals but could still
affect those around them as hallucinations may cause the individual to become violent or act
strangely to others. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are now recoginised as core features of Alzhiemer’s
disease (NHS). As many structural features of a brain with Alzheimer’s are associated with
neuropsychiatric symptoms, they are commonly experienced by those with the disease. Symptoms
associated include depression, apathy, psychosis and agitation. These were identified to share some
pathogenic processes linked with the APOE4 gene which can cause alxheimer’s (NHS)
Chemical changes will occur in the brain due to ineffective neurotransmission which can therefore
result in mental health disorders cause by reduced amounts of neurotrasmitters, such as serotonin,
which can lead to depression. Experiencing Alzheimer’s and depression may then result in treatment
resistance due to forgetting appointments, or lacking the motivation to attend appointments. If
This study source was downloaded by 100000841990434 from CourseHero.com on 04-20-2022 13:51:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/132355966/Unit-17-Assignment-1docx/
Dementia is a syndrome in which an individual experiences a decline in their cognitive abilities due to
a physiological change in their body. Dementia acts as an umbrella term for various different
disorders that are caused by the changes in the brain resulting in subsequent memory loss: vascular
dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s disease
In Alzheimer’s disease, the connections between nerve cells become damaged. Abnormal levels of
proteins build up in the brain resulting in plagues which damage the blood supply to the brain,
resulting in nerve cells beginning to die. Between neurons there are synapses across with
neurotransmitters are passed in order to send chemical messages throughout the nervous system.
(National institute of aging, 2020). Another feature of Alzheimer’s is that the connections between
neutrons become damaged, meaning the neurotransmitters cannot pass across them, resulting in
slower reactions to stimuli due to signals being unable to pass between neurons. (Alzheimer’s
society, 2020)
Once an individual reaches the age of 65, their risks of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years
(NHS,2020) which is why Alzheimer’s is significantly more prevalent in the elderly. As the overall UK
population is aging, more individuals are developing this disease as it is something that becomes
more common with age due to the human body beginning to work less effectively. With age, the
brain begins to shrink which can then result in unstable molecules being produced. These molecules
can then cause proteins to be trapped within the brain and subsequently damage neurons which
therefore result in Alzheimer’s developing.
Additionally, individuals with downs syndrome have an increased risk of developing the disease as
the genetic trigger for the syndrome can also result in amyloid proteins developing in tangles which
are the main characteristics of Alzheimer’s. Since some evidence links heart health to brain health
and many individuals with downs syndrome will experience heart conditions this may also increase
their risk of Alzheimer’s.
Recent research has linked cardiovascular health to an individuals risk of developing Alzheimer’s and
thus factors that negatively impact an individual’s cardiovascular health will have an effect on their
risk of developing this disease. Primarily, lifestyle factors and pre-existing disorders affect an
individuals cardiovascular health such as lack of exercise, obesity, hypertension, poorly controlled
type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol. It is thought that cardiovascular disorders can be a cause of
Alzheimer’s as they can result in defects, preventing blood and oxygen from effectively leaving the
heart. If the brain is starved of sufficient oxygen, it may become hypoxic (NHS,2020) which can lead
to cell death.
Alzheimer’s has been found to be linked to a faulty APOE gene which is found in chromosomes 19
and plays a role in handling fats in the body (Alzheimer’s society). Inheriting a fault variation of this
gene increases risk of developing the disorder. However, having the disorder does not conclusively
determine that an individual will develop the disorder as multiple factors affect its development
within the body. Despite the gene being linked to Alzheimer’s and there being a genetic link, it is yet
unknown how the gene increases the risk of the disorder (NHS).
If an individual with Alzheimer’s, the musculoskeletal system will be negatively affected by the
disease. As Alzheimer’s results in neurotransmitters crossing the synapse between neurons
significantly slower, an individual will react to stimuli slower than someone without Alzheimer’s due
This study source was downloaded by 100000841990434 from CourseHero.com on 04-20-2022 13:51:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/132355966/Unit-17-Assignment-1docx/
, to the electrical impulses in their brain failing to travel at a sufficient speed (NHS, 2020). Therefore,
movement will be significantly impaired in an individual with Alzheimer’s resulting in them taking
shorter steps, having poor balance, and shaking or stiffness due to muscles becoming rigid.
Combined with the physical symptoms, individuals will also experience psychological changes due to
Alzheimer’s. As well as problems with consolidation of short-term memory to long-term memory,
individuals will typically experience mental health problems such as depression (Alzheimer’s society,
2020). Experiencing depression may then negatively influence an individual’s condition as the
symptoms of depression may prevent them form accessing their treatment. Since one of the
symptoms of depression is difficulty leaving the house, if an individual did not have home treatment
then they may struggle to get the motivation to attend their appointments and receive treatment,
which is vital to keep them stable. Similarly, experiencing memory loss may result in individuals
failing to remember that they have appointments which will then negatively impact their health and
wellbeing. If appointments are not attended then an individuals health and wellbeing will not be
monitored which may result in a subsequent decline in their condition without intervention.
As Alzheimer’s progresses, an individual can become aggressive as they will be confused and lose
control over their emotions, which may cause them to be perceived as a burden by their family as
they will be challenging to keep safe so may be sent into residential or nursing care to ensure they
are safe and their health is monitored. If this occurs then the individual may struggle more with their
mental health due to feelings of abandonment as they wont be able to speak with their family
whenever they please due to being further away. However, being surrounded by many other
individuals with similar health conditions in a care home nay also help to improve their wellbeing as
their social needs will be met due to being surrounded by others.
As one of the main symptoms of Alzheimer’s is a decline in memory, it is often easy to notice when it
is developing or has developed as memory is used frequently in everyday life thus if it begins to
decline, others will typically be able to notice this.
In the later stages of Alzheimer’s individuals will typically experience more noticeable signs of
Alzheimer’s as they will begin to struggle with everyday tasks such as obtaining adequate nutrition,
urinating and speaking (NHS). Often in this stage, full time care is required as the individual cannot
reliably perform activities needed to sustain a good quality of life, such as eating, thus warranting
additional support to ensure that the individual’s health is maintained as far as possible.
In the earlier stages, symptoms will be primarly psychological as the disease is in the brain and
therefore interfering with its ability to function as normal. Affected individual may being to
experience symptoms typically associated with mental illness such as hallucinations and changing in
their mood. These symptoms will primarily be experienced by the affected individuals but could still
affect those around them as hallucinations may cause the individual to become violent or act
strangely to others. Neuropsychiatric symptoms are now recoginised as core features of Alzhiemer’s
disease (NHS). As many structural features of a brain with Alzheimer’s are associated with
neuropsychiatric symptoms, they are commonly experienced by those with the disease. Symptoms
associated include depression, apathy, psychosis and agitation. These were identified to share some
pathogenic processes linked with the APOE4 gene which can cause alxheimer’s (NHS)
Chemical changes will occur in the brain due to ineffective neurotransmission which can therefore
result in mental health disorders cause by reduced amounts of neurotrasmitters, such as serotonin,
which can lead to depression. Experiencing Alzheimer’s and depression may then result in treatment
resistance due to forgetting appointments, or lacking the motivation to attend appointments. If
This study source was downloaded by 100000841990434 from CourseHero.com on 04-20-2022 13:51:28 GMT -05:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/132355966/Unit-17-Assignment-1docx/
