Understanding Dementia and Related Disorders
Expert-defined terms from the Specialist Certification in Cognitive Assessment in the Elderly course at London School of Business and Administration. Free to read, free to share, paired with a globally recognised certification pathway.
Alzheimer's Disease #
A progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is the most common cause of dementia.
Amnestic Disorder #
A cognitive disorder characterized by memory impairment without significant decline in other cognitive functions.
Amyloid Plaques #
Abnormal protein deposits found in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease.
Anterograde Amnesia #
A type of memory impairment where new information cannot be stored in memory after a certain point.
Aphasia #
A language disorder characterized by difficulty in understanding or expressing language.
Apraxia #
A motor disorder characterized by the inability to perform purposeful movements.
Atrophy #
The shrinking or loss of brain tissue, commonly seen in individuals with dementia.
Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD) #
A subtype of frontotemporal dementia characterized by changes in behavior and personality.
Biomarkers #
Measurable indicators used to diagnose or monitor the progression of a disease, such as dementia.
Cholinesterase Inhibitors #
Medications used to treat symptoms of dementia by increasing levels of acetylcholine in the brain.
Cognitive Reserve #
The brain's ability to maintain cognitive function despite damage or pathology.
Creutzfeldt #
Jakob Disease (CJD): A rare, fatal brain disorder caused by abnormal proteins called prions.
Dementia #
A syndrome characterized by a decline in cognitive function that affects daily living and independence.
Delirium #
A sudden change in mental status characterized by confusion, disorientation, and impaired attention.
Depression #
A mood disorder that can mimic symptoms of dementia, such as memory loss and cognitive impairment.
Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) #
A group of disorders characterized by changes in behavior, personality, and language.
Hippocampus #
A region of the brain involved in memory formation and retrieval, often affected in Alzheimer's disease.
Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) #
A type of dementia characterized by the presence of abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies.
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) #
A transitional stage between normal aging and dementia, characterized by mild memory impairment.
Neurofibrillary Tangles #
Twisted fibers found inside the brain cells of individuals with Alzheimer's disease.
Neuroimaging #
Diagnostic techniques that allow visualization of the brain's structure and function, such as MRI or CT scans.
Neuropsychological Assessment #
A comprehensive evaluation of cognitive function, often used to diagnose dementia.
Neurotransmitters #
Chemical messengers that transmit signals between nerve cells in the brain.
Parkinson's Disease Dementia (PDD) #
Dementia that develops in individuals with Parkinson's disease due to the spread of Lewy bodies to the brain.
Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) #
A rare form of dementia characterized by visual impairment and difficulty with spatial tasks.
Prion #
Abnormal protein that can cause infectious neurodegenerative diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) #
A rare neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement, balance, and cognition.
Vascular Dementia #
Dementia caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often resulting from stroke or small vessel disease.
Wernicke #
Korsakoff Syndrome: A neurological disorder caused by thiamine deficiency, often seen in individuals with alcohol use disorder.
White Matter #
Brain tissue composed mainly of myelinated nerve fibers that facilitate communication between different brain regions.
Working Memory #
The cognitive system responsible for temporarily storing and manipulating information needed for complex tasks.
Z #
score: A statistical measure that indicates how many standard deviations a particular score is from the mean.