Alzheimer's Disease Overview

Alzheimer's Disease

• Life expectancy after diagnosis: 3-12 years, usual onset: 65 years old.
• 10% of cases are early-onset (30s).
• Risk factors: genetics, head injuries, stress, poor sleep quality, metal toxicity, smoking, neuroinflammation, and chronic exposure to pollutants.
• Diagnosis: imaging and cognitive testing.
• 7th leading cause of death worldwide.
• Early stage: episodic memory (personal experiences), semantic memory (facts), and implicit memory (controlling the body) affected less than new learning. Short-term memory loss may occur.
• Middle stage: incorrect word substitutions (paraphasia), loss of reading/writing skills, failure to recognize relatives, wandering, irritability, emotional outbursts, and sundown syndrome (confusion/restlessness late afternoon/early evening).
• Final stage: single words to complete loss of speech, aggressiveness, exhaustion, muscle mass/mobility deterioration leading to paradoxical lucidity (return to normal brain functions before death).

Illness Anxiety Disorder

• Constant self-evaluation/diagnosis, disorder of perception and cognition.
• Higher incidence due to Google searches.
• White Coat Syndrome: anxiety from the presence of a doctor/healthcare professional, causing elevated blood pressure in a medical setting / hospital.

Bulimia Nervosa

• Bingeing and purging (use of diuretics, laxatives, diet pills).
• Symptoms: Russell's sign (scarring on knuckles), erosion of tooth enamel, swollen cheeks, swollen salivary glands, bloodshot eyes, weight fluctuations, and an obsession with looks (Obesophobia – fear of gaining weight).

Alcohol Use Disorder

• Most abused substance (readily available, inexpensive, celebrated/normalized, self-medication for anxiety, pain, stress).
• Reduces life expectancy by 10 years.
• Symptoms: increased volume/occurrence of alcohol use, tolerance, preoccupation, blackouts (not remembering episodes), impairment of judgment, loss of interest in health/hygiene/social activities.

Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder)

• Greek origin: thrix (hair), thillein (to pull), mania (madness).
• Psychological relief from hair removal.
• Often begins in childhood, triggered by anxiety.
• Common pulling sites: scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, face, arms, legs (less common).
• Complications: infection, gastrointestinal obstruction (from swallowed hair), permanent hair loss, carpal tunnel syndrome, Rapunzel Syndrome (ingested hair extends into intestines).

Anorexia Nervosa

• Earliest recorded case: Miss A (1866).
• Complication includes: osteoporosis, infertility/cessation of menstruation, suicide, whole-body edema (swelling), heart/lung failure, hair loss, abdominal distension, and delirium.
• Lanugo (fine hair growth all over the body) may develop. Extreme weight loss can lead to trouble maintaining body temperature.

Other Conditions (Brief Mentions)

• Sexual Dysfunction: female sexual arousal issues, orgasmic disorder, genito-pelvic pain, male hypoactive sexual desire disorder, erectile disorder, and premature/delayed ejaculation.

Explore the key aspects of Alzheimer's Disease from its life expectancy to symptoms across various stages. This quiz covers risk factors, diagnosis methods, and effects on memory. Test your understanding of this critical health issue.