Clinical Update on Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias - DVD - 6 Hours (w/home-study exam)

Part 1

• Basics of Brain Structure and Function: Normal Brain Aging and Cognitive Changes.

• Why Can’t I Remember? Age-Associated Memory Impairment and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

• Super-Agers and Centenarians: Preserving Brain Function into Advanced Old Age.

• Defining the Terms: Common Forms of Dementia (Alzheimer’s, Vascular Dementia, Fronto-Temporal Dementia.)

• Secondary Dementia Syndromes: Depression, Metabolic Disorders, and HIV-Associated Dementia.

• When the Cure is Worse than the Disease: Medications That Can Cause Cognitive Dysfunction.

• Sleep Disorders and Delirium: Confounding the Diagnosis of Dementia.

• Reducing the Risk for Vascular Disease and Stroke: Controlling HTN, Diabetes, and Lipid Disorders.

• Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, and Subdural Hematomas: Pathophysiology and Prevention.

• Alcohol Dementia Syndrome and Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: Effects of Alcohol Abuse and Poor Nutrition.

Part 2

• Vascular Dementias: Small Vessel Disease and Stroke.

• Less Common Causes of Dementia: Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Heavy Metal Toxicity, and Huntington’s Disease.

• Movement Disorders and Dementia: Parkinson’s Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

• Alzheimer’s Disease: Signs and Symptoms, Clinical Course, and Current Treatment Options.

• Genetic Considerations in Alzheimer’s: APOEe4, Genetic Testing, Family History, and Age of Onset.

• Forgotten Factors in Dementia Risk: Body Weight, Poor Diet, Mental Stimulation, and Cardiovascular Disease.

• The Diagnostic Evaluation of Dementia: History, Neurologic Exam, Laboratory Testing, Imaging Studies, and Neuropsychological Testing.

• Behavioral Treatments and Challenges of Caregiving: Coping with Sundowning and Agitation.

• Inflammation, Gum Disease, and Alzheimer’s: Awareness and Prevention.

• Caring for the Dental Patient with Dementia: Preventive Care and Hygiene, and Scheduling Concerns.

• Current Directions in Alzheimer’s Research: Searching for Effective Treatments.

Learning Objectives

1. describe the differences between normal and abnormal brain aging.
2. list measures to preserve brain function and reduce the risk for cognitive decline.
3. define dementia and describe common dementia syndromes.
4. describe the major characteristics of and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease.
5. list medications and common clinical conditions that can cause dementia-like symptoms.
6. describe how the information in this course can be utilized to improve patient care and patient outcomes.
7. describe, for this course, the implications for nursing, dentistry, mental health, and other health care professions.