Pathophysiology of Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type

Posted: February 3rd, 2024

Marisol Arroyo, age 23 y.o., and unmarried, accompanies her mother, Julia, who is a 68 y.o., divorced Latina female, to her appointment with her primary care Nurse Practitioner. 

Both Marisol and her mother, who live together, have noted that her ever-present forgetfulness seems to be worsening.  Just yesterday she walked to the corner store for a few items, which she obtained, but even though she had been to this store many times over the years, she found herself unable to get home without directions.

Marisol also notes that her mother’s hygiene is changing, that she is becoming more and more quarrelsome, and that she forgets information she had been told as little as 10 minutes earlier.  The Nurse Practitioner is attempting to rule out whether this patient may have some form of dementia or delirium.

In this discussion:

1. Describe and discuss the unique pathophysiology of Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type.
2. If this patient is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia, describe and discuss with your colleagues a potential clinical course, and prognosis for her.
3. Describe and discuss your plan of care for this patient with both short-term and long-term plans considering current social supports and health-care access.

Include citations from the text or the external literature in your discussion posts.