A student nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology and etiology of ...

[maychende]

A student nurse is reviewing the pathophysiology and etiology of Alzheimer disease (AD). Which is true regarding the pathophysiology and etiology of this disease?
 
  Select all that apply.
  A) Damage to the limbic system results in speech decline and slowed movements.
  B) Familial Alzheimer disease (FAD) is also called delayed-onset Alzheimer disease.
  C) Sporadic Alzheimer disease usually manifests before age 65.
  D) Sporadic Alzheimer disease is more common than familial Alzheimer disease.
  E) In Alzheimer disease, neuronal cells die in a characteristic order.

Question 2

The client's family says, We don't understand what is happening to Dad. He becomes very agitated in the evenings, cussing like a sailor. When responding to the family, which phenomenon will the nurse include?
 
  A) Delirium
  B) Sundown syndrome
  C) Anxiety
  D) Psychosis

[Viet Thy]

Answer to Question 1

Answer: D, E

In Alzheimer disease, the neuronal cells die in a characteristic order, beginning with neurons in the limbic system, including the hippocampus. There are two basic types of AD: familial and sporadic. Familial AD (FAD) has a strong inherited component and is also called early-onset AD because it usually manifests before age 65. Sporadic AD shows no clear pattern of inheritance, although genetic factors may be involved. Because it typically develops after age 65, sporadic AD is sometimes referred to as late-onset AD. Damage to the limbic system from AD results in memory loss and emotional problems.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: B

Sundown syndrome, or sundowning, is understood as confused behavior when the environmental stimulation is low. It is seen in clients with delirium and dementia who are institutionalized. The client can become increasingly agitated, disoriented, or even aggressive/paranoid or impulsive and emotional later in the day and at night. Delirium is a rapid-onset type of confusion. Anxiety does not come and go; it is a state of mind. Psychosis is a mental disorder, and this client is not exhibiting signs of psychosis.