Anosognosia and Alzheimer's Disease

2008 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Pia ◽  
Paul M. Conway
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Extrapyramidal Signs ◽  
Anatomical Point ◽  
Neurological Patients ◽  
In The Beginning

AbstractNeurological patients can be entirely unaware of their disease; this phenomenon is called anosognosia and it has been shown in different sensory-motor and cognitive domains. Lack of awareness has been investigated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and within different domains of it. In the present article we review the literature on anosognosia for AD that had been indexed on the Medline database until the end of 2004. Historical introduction to the subject is followed by a brief description of the anatomy and clinical characteristics of AD. An analysis of a number of studies that focus on the relationship between anosognosia and AD then follows. This review shows that anosognosia is typical in AD, compared with other types of dementia, and it is a distinctive feature in the most severe cases and particularly in the beginning phases of illness. From an anatomical point of view, anosognosia seems to be strictly connected to frontal lobe areas; in fact, patients with anosognosia and AD show a reduction of cerebral haematic flow in the frontal regions, as well as deficits of executive functions and extrapyramidal signs. Interestingly, co-occurring depression could be interpreted as an adaptive behavior to counter the effects of perceived loss of cognitive abilities. Finally, self-awareness in AD could have some common mechanisms with auto-monitoring in schizophrenia.

Extrapyramidal signs and cognitive abilities in Alzheimer's disease

2001 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 907-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Caligiuri ◽  
Guerry Peavy ◽  
Douglas R. Galasko
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Extrapyramidal Signs

[IC-P-149]: LACK OF SELF-AWARENESS OF COGNITIVE DEFICITS IN ALZHEIMER's DISEASE IS RELATED TO DECREASED METABOLISM IN THE POSTERIOR CINGULATE CORTEX

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (7S_Part_2) ◽  
pp. P112-P113
Author(s):  
Joseph Therriault ◽  
Tharick A. Pascoal ◽  
Kok Pin Ng ◽  
Sulantha S. Mathotaarachchi ◽  
Min Su Kang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Deficits ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Posterior Cingulate

A Numerical Study of Sensitivity Coefficients for a Model of Amyloid Precursor Protein and Tubulin-Associated Unit Protein Transport and Agglomeration in Neurons at the Onset of Alzheimer's Disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
I. A. Kuznetsov ◽  
A. V. Kuznetsov
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Amyloid Precursor Protein ◽  
Tau Protein ◽  
Protein Transport ◽  
Numerical Study ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Precursor Protein ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
In The Beginning

Modeling of intracellular processes occurring during the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be instrumental in understanding the disease and can potentially contribute to finding treatments for the disease. The model of intracellular processes in AD, which we previously developed, contains a large number of parameters. To distinguish between more important and less important parameters, we performed a local sensitivity analysis of this model around the values of parameters that give the best fit with published experimental results. We show that the influence of model parameters on the total concentrations of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and tubulin-associated unit (tau) protein in the axon is reciprocal to the influence of the same parameters on the average velocities of the same proteins during their transport in the axon. The results of our analysis also suggest that in the beginning of AD the aggregation of amyloid-β and misfolded tau protein have little effect on transport of APP and tau in the axon, which suggests that early damage in AD may be reversible.

scholarly journals Cognitive anosognosia and behavioral changes in probable Alzheimer's disease patients

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corina Satler ◽  
Carlos Tomaz
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Cognitive Status ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Functional Abilities ◽  
Neuropsychological Battery ◽  
Subjective Memory ◽  
Study Objective

ABSTRACT Anosognosia, impairment insight and unawareness of deficits are used as equivalent terms in this study. Objective: To investigate the relationship between the presence of anosognosia symptoms and cognitive domains, functional abilities, and neuropsychiatric symptoms in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (pAD) and elderly controls (EC). Methods: Twenty-one pAD (14 women) and twenty-two EC (16 women) were submitted to a neuropsychological battery of tests assessing global cognitive status, and specific cognitive functions: memory, executive and attention functions, verbal fluency and visuoconstructive abilities. Additionally, functional abilities (FAQ) and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPI) were measured. Results: The linear regression statistical test found general anosognosia to be associated with subjective memory complaints, age and Arithmetic-DRS in the EC group. On the other hand, cognitive and functional abilities scores (Arithmetic- DRS, IQCODE and FAQ) were the best predictors in pAD patients, particularly for behavioral awareness. Conclusion: These results indicated that different variables are associated with self-awareness for pAD patients and EC, but for both groups executive functions appear to play an important role, contributing particularly to awareness of behavioral changes.

Different cognitive profiles between mild cognitive impairment due to cerebral small vessel disease and mild cognitive impairment of Alzheimer’s disease origin

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 898-905 ◽  
Author(s):  
AIHONG ZHOU ◽  
JIANPING JIA
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Processing Speed ◽  
Small Vessel Disease ◽  
Cerebral Small Vessel Disease ◽  
Small Vessel ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Vessel Disease

AbstractControversy surrounds the differences of the cognitive profile between mild cognitive impairment resulting from cerebral small vessel disease (MCI-SVD) and mild cognitive impairment associated with prodromal Alzheimer’s disease (MCI-AD). The aim of this study was to explore and compare the cognitive features of MCI-SVD and MCI-AD. MCI-SVD patients (n = 56), MCI-AD patients (n = 30), and normal control subjects (n = 80) were comprehensively evaluated with neuropsychological tests covering five cognitive domains. The performance was compared between groups. Tests that discriminated between MCI-SVD and MCI-AD were identified. Multiple cognitive domains were impaired in MCI-SVD group, while memory and executive function were mainly impaired in MCI-AD group. Compared with MCI-SVD, MCI-AD patients performed relatively worse on memory tasks, but better on processing speed measures. The AVLT Long Delay Free Recall, Digit Symbol Test, and Stroop Test Part A (performance time) in combination categorized 91.1% of MCI-SVD patients and 86.7% of MCI-AD patients correctly. Current study suggested a nonspecific neuropsychological profile for MCI-SVD and a more specific cognitive pattern in MCI-AD. MCI-AD patients demonstrated greater memory impairment with relatively preserved mental processing speed compared with MCI-SVD patients. Tests tapping these two domains might be potentially useful for differentiating MCI-SVD and MCI-AD patients. (JINS, 2009, 15, 898–905.)

scholarly journals Environmental Substances Associated with Alzheimer’s Disease—A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (22) ◽  
pp. 11839
Author(s):  
Hanna Maria Elonheimo ◽  
Helle Raun Andersen ◽  
Andromachi Katsonouri ◽  
Hanna Tolonen
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Human Biomonitoring ◽  
Chemical Exposure ◽  
Priority Substances ◽  
Environmental Chemical ◽  
Other Substances ◽  
Neurological Effects

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, prevalent in approximately 50–70% of the dementia cases. AD affects memory, and it is a progressive disease interfering with cognitive abilities, behaviour and functioning of the person affected. In 2015, there were 47 million people affected by dementia worldwide, and the figure was estimated to increase to 75 million in 2030 and to 132 million by 2050. In the framework of European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU), 18 substances or substance groups were prioritized for investigation. For each of the priority substances, a scoping document was prepared. Based on these scoping documents and complementary review of the recent literature, a scoping review of HBM4EU-priority substances which might be associated with AD was conducted. A possible association between risk of AD and pesticides was detected. For mercury (Hg), association is possible but inconsistent. Regarding cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As), the results are inconsistent but inclined towards possible associations between the substances and the risk of disease. The evidence regarding lead (Pb) was weaker than for the other substances; however, possible associations exist. Although there is evidence of adverse neurological effects of environmental substances, more research is needed. Environmental chemical exposure and the related hazards are essential concerns for public health, and they could be preventable.

scholarly journals Awareness for People With Alzheimer’s Disease: Profiles and Weekly Trajectories

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amandine Mayelle ◽  
Capucine Hazebrouck ◽  
Mohamad El Haj ◽  
Daniel C. Mograbi ◽  
Pascal Antoine
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Interindividual Variability ◽  
Daily Life ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Disease Awareness ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Short Time ◽  
Underlying Processes

Objective: To understand awareness and fluctuations of awareness in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), it is fruitful to consider the objects of awareness, e.g., cognitive functioning or recognition of the disease, as well as the mechanisms and modes of expression underlying awareness. With a holistic and discourse-centered approach, we aimed to identify different awareness profiles and test whether these profiles were stable or whether transitions from one profile to another occurred over short time intervals.Methods: Twenty-eight residents of nursing homes with a diagnosis of AD participated in four semistructured interviews at biweekly intervals. These interviews were cluster analyzed to determine profiles of awareness. A Markov chain was applied to model their fluctuation.Results: Five awareness profiles were observed that differed in terms of objects and underlying processes. Awareness proved to be quite stable for four of the five profiles. Interindividual variability in awareness was also observed through numerous different trajectories that were identified.Discussion: Self-awareness and disease awareness are characterized by profiles that vary subtly between individuals. Fluctuations in awareness underscore the need to employ assessment intervals that closely reflect daily life in institutions.

scholarly journals Posterior Cingulate Cortex Network Predicts Alzheimer's Disease Progression

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei-Lin Lee ◽  
Kun-Hsien Chou ◽  
Chih-Ping Chung ◽  
Tzu-Hsien Lai ◽  
Juan Helen Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Disease Progression ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Posterior Cingulate Cortex ◽  
Cognitive Domains ◽  
Atrophy Rate ◽  
Posterior Cingulate ◽  
Structural Networks

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of toxic misfolded proteins, which are believed to have propagated from disease-specific epicenters through their corresponding large-scale structural networks in the brain. Although previous cross-sectional studies have identified potential AD-associated epicenters and corresponding brain networks, it is unclear whether these networks are associated with disease progression. Hence, this study aims to identify the most vulnerable epicenters and corresponding large-scale structural networks involved in the early stages of AD and to evaluate its associations with multiple cognitive domains using longitudinal study design. Annual neuropsychological and MRI assessments were obtained from 23 patients with AD, 37 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 33 healthy controls (HC) for 3 years. Candidate epicenters were identified as regions with faster decline rate in the gray matter volume (GMV) in patients with MCI who progressed to AD as compared to those regions in patients without progression. These epicenters were then further used as pre-defined regions of interest to map the synchronized degeneration network (SDN) in HCs. Spatial similarity, network preference and clinical association analyses were used to evaluate the specific roles of the identified SDNs. Our results demonstrated that the hippocampus and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) were the most vulnerable AD-associated epicenters. The corresponding PCC-SDN showed significant spatial association with the patterns of GMV atrophy rate in each patient group and the overlap of these patterns was more evident in the advanced stages of the disease. Furthermore, individuals with a higher GMV atrophy rate of the PCC-SDN also showed faster decline in multiple cognitive domains. In conclusion, our findings suggest the PCC and hippocampus are two vulnerable regions involved early in AD pathophysiology. However, the PCC-SDN, but not hippocampus-SDN, was more closely associated with AD progression. These results may provide insight into the pathophysiology of AD from large-scale network perspective.

scholarly journals Heat Shock Proteins in Alzheimer’s Disease: Role and Targeting

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 2603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Campanella ◽  
Andrea Pace ◽  
Celeste Caruso Bavisotto ◽  
Paola Marzullo ◽  
Antonella Marino Gammazza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Heat Shock ◽  
Heat Shock Proteins ◽  
Molecular Chaperones ◽  
Protein Misfolding ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Toxic Species ◽  
Shock Proteins

Among diseases whose cure is still far from being discovered, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been recognized as a crucial medical and social problem. A major issue in AD research is represented by the complexity of involved biochemical pathways, including the nature of protein misfolding, which results in the production of toxic species. Considering the involvement of (mis)folding processes in AD aetiology, targeting molecular chaperones represents a promising therapeutic perspective. This review analyses the connection between AD and molecular chaperones, with particular attention toward the most important heat shock proteins (HSPs) as representative components of the human chaperome: Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90. The role of these proteins in AD is highlighted from a biological point of view. Pharmacological targeting of such HSPs with inhibitors or regulators is also discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document