1Listen to the audio lecture while viewing these slidesPsychology 311Abnormal Psychology1Dementia2Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyOverview• Is a gradual loss of intellectual abilities• Interferes with social or occupational functioning• Usually has gradual onset3Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologySenile Dementia• Usually occurs in individuals 65 or older• Get progressive atrophy of brain tissue• Get abnormal brain waves• Primarily distinguished by memory and cognitive impairment• Effects more females than males 2:1• 56% of all people 65 or older living in institutions are diagnosed with dementia4Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyIncludes•Memory loss• Loss of Self Control• Confusion• Problems with personal hygiene• Language problems• Motor problems• Personality Changes• Lives in the past • Anterograde or Retrograde Amnesia5Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologySymptoms• Get worse later in the day• Due to fatigue, • Decrease in NT with use•Other reasons• Confabulation• Is a key symptom• Occurs when you loose part of your memory•Fill in the gaps• Often is inaccurate but usually is very detailed6Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyOther Symptoms• Paranoid Thinking•Agitation• Depressive symptoms• Irritability • Restlessness•Others27Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologySpecific Diseases8Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyAlzheimer’s Disease• Identified by Alois Alzheimer in 1907• Most common form of Senile Dementia• More than ½ the cases• Brain tissue deteriorates• Death – 10-12 years• Statistics vary • 23,0000 die each year• 100,000 die each year• Places huge demands on health care resources• 60% of all nursing home patients9Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyBiology• May have a genetic component but evidence is mixed• Chromosome 21• Not sure if Alzheimer’s Disease is the cause of neural degeneration or the result of neural degeneration.• Biochemically• Patients have less Ach in the brain• No known brain trigger• Can use brain scans to confirm diagnosis by ruling out other causes• Confirmation is only at autopsy• Neurofibular tangles• Senile Plaques10Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyIssues• Caregivers most common complaints about Alzheimer’s Patients•Depression• Hostility, belligerence, aggression to staff• Confused about people, places, time• Wandering off, restless• Anxiety, suspicious• Most caregivers experience extreme stress• Have a general lack of control over what happens next11Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyTreatment• No real treatment• Give Ach inhibitors• Increases Ach at synapse sites• Have been trying at earlier ages when initial symptoms begin•Appears to delay onset12Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyPick’s Disease• Much less common than Alzheimer’s• Develops between 60-70 years old• Symptoms are similar to Alzheimer's• Can only tell at autopsy•Has specific types of brain atrophy• May have a genetic factor• Effects more males than females313Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyHuntington’s Disease• Is a rare hereditary disorder• Is transmitted by a single gene• Chromosome 4• Get progressive degeneration• Onset begins about age 30-50• New children by the person passes on the gene• Screening is available14Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologySymptoms•Four types• Dementia• Irritability•Apathy•Depression• Get involuntary spasmodic jerking• Twisting movements• Facial grimacing15Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyOther symptoms• Memory lessens• Intelligence decreases before the appearance of movement disorders• Paranoia• Depression16Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyParkinson’s Disease• Progression begins about age 50• Is a progressive disease•Symptoms• Tremor at rest• Progresses to rigidity•Get a loss of vocal power• Have social withdrawal• Emotionally are overcontrolled• Intellectual ability decreases17Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyCauses and Treatment• Reduction of Dopamine in Basal Ganglia structure•Treatment•Drugs •L-dopa•Is a precursor to dopamine•Crosses the blood brain barrier and is converted to dopamine.18Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyOther Disorders419Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyTraumatic Brain Injury• Can occur from • Accidents/Injuries• Cerebral Vascular Accidents / Strokes20Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyBroken Down into Groups• Concussions•Are temporary• Causes temporary changes in mental states• Do not cause permanent structural damage• Contusions• Are diffuse• Give fine structural damage• Get rupturing of tiny vessels• Lacerations• Are major tears or ruptures of brain tissue• Cause major damage very rapidly• May be fatal21Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologySymptoms• Headaches• Vision problems• Can be rapid or gradual onset• Unequal pupils• Paralysis or numbing on one or both sides of the body• May have bleeding or fluid from ears, nose, or skull22Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyTreatment•Prevention• Use helmets where head injuries may occur• Reduce hypertension, weight• Use of drugs later in life•ASA• Don’t wait if symptoms develop• Immediate treatment is a MUST23Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyTreatment Options•Drugs• Clotting or thinning• Neurosurgery• Releasing of brain pressure caused by blood•Key •Prevention24Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyGeneral Paresis• Caused by untreated infections•Example• Syphilis•If treated in early stages, no problems•If untreated, brain deteriorates•Paralysis•Psychosis•Ultimately death525Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyKorsakoff’s Syndrome• Results from vitamin B and nutritional deficiency• Usually seen in chronic alcoholics• Is a irreversible disorder• Get recent and past memory loss• Get perceptual deficits• Longer the vitamin deficiency, the less response to vitamin therapy26Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyTreatment• Start on B vitamins ASAP• May use injection to get started• Oral administration may not have an effect due to problems with absorption in the intestines.• Try to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption27Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyEpilepsy• Is not a disease• Is a symptom of recurrent changes in state of consciousness• Electrical state in the brain changes • Causes an electrical storm in the brain• Result – seizure• Several types of seizures28Psyc 311 – Abnormal PsychologyGrand mal (Great