The Encyclopedia of Alzheimer's Disease, 2nd Edition (Facts on File Library of Health and Living)

321 Pages·2010·3.21 MB·English

by  Carol Turkington

The encyclopedia of
alzheimer’s disease
second edition

The encyclopedia of
alzheimer’s disease
second edition
carol Turkington
and
deborah mitchell
foreword by
James e. Galvin, m.d., m.p.h.
Disclaimer: This book is intended to provide helpful information on the subject matter covered herein. It is sold with
the understanding that the authors and the publisher are not engaged in rendering professional medical, health, or any
other kind of personal professional services via this book. If the reader wants or needs personal advice or guidance, he
or she should seek an in-person consultation with a competent medical professional. Furthermore, the reader should
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The Encyclopedia of Alzheimer’s Disease, Second Edition
Copyright © 2010, 2003 by the Estate of Carol Turkington
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Turkington, Carol.
The encyclopedia of Alzheimer’s disease / Carol Turkington with Deborah Mitchell ; foreword by
James E. Galvin.—2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8160-7766-3 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8160-7766-5 (hardcover : alk. paper) ISBN: 978-1-4381-2858-0 (e-book) 1. Alzheimer’s disease—
Encyclopedias. I. Mitchell, Deborah R. II. Title.
[DNLM: 1. Alzheimer Disease—Encyclopedias—English. WT 13 T939e 2009]
RC523.T87 2009
616.8'31003—dc22 2009006661
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Text and cover design by Cathy Rincon
Composition by Hermitage Publishing Services
Cover printed by Sheridan Books, Ann Arbor, MI
Book printed and bound by Sheridan Books, Ann Arbor, MI
Date printed: March 2010
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
LHL-Alzheimer-FNL.indd 4 4/2/10 10:52:39 AM
To my wife, Doris, and my sons, Chris, Jake, and Conor.
They are my source of inspiration and strength.
—J. E. G.
h

conTenTs
foreword ix
acknowledgments xiii
introduction xv
entries a–z 1
appendixes
appendix i: alzheimer’s disease resources 222
appendix ii: alzheimer’s disease centers 232
appendix iii: area agencies on aging 236
appendix iV: international alzheimer’s disease
associations 241
appendix V: legal/financial issues 248
appendix Vi: read more about it 254
appendix Vii: alzheimer’s disease clinical Trials 256
Glossary 261
Bibliography 264
index 285

foreword
Few words evoke more fear or uncertainty than dementing disorder, increases with age for every
dementia. Dementia comes from the Latin de- decade after 65. It is currently estimated that there
“apart, away” and mens, “mind,” but for millions are more than 5 million Americans with AD, up to
of people the word indicates a thief that has stolen half of whom may be undiagnosed.
away a loved one’s personality, memory, language, About one in 10 individuals over the age of
and knowledge. The transformation typically is 65 and half of everyone over age 85 will develop
gradual, a slow decline in abilities that eventually dementia. In addition to AD, other common
leaves behind a victim who is uncommunicative, causes of dementia are cerebrovascular disease and
uncomprehending, and unresponsive. I use the Parkinson’s disease. The annual direct and indirect
term victim deliberately, because anyone who has costs of Alzheimer’s and other dementias to Medi-
seen a loved one changed by the progression of care, Medicaid, and businesses amount to more
these relentless disorders knows this image is apt. than $148 billion. Dementia is clearly a challenge
I say disorders because dementia is not a single that affects many sectors of society.
disease but, rather, a symptom of many conditions Overt clinical dementia is not the only cogni-
that cause brain dysfunction. Dementia is associ- tive/memory deficit that affects so many older
ated with a wide range of symptoms, modes of individuals. Terms such as mild cognitive impairment
onset, clinical courses, and therapeutic responses. and age-associated memory impairment have been
Perhaps the one positive thing that can be said proposed to characterize people who have some
about this condition is that the diverse background memory challenges but who have relative preser-
of clinical symptoms provides researchers with vation of other cognitive abilities and functions of
fertile grounds for developing theories and insights daily life. It has been difficult to reach consensus,
into the basic inner workings of the brain and of however, on how and when these entities should
the mind. be diagnosed. Moreover, because the prevalence of
Over the years, I have often looked upon my dementia increases with age, and because there is
patients with sorrow because I am all too aware of wide variation in test performance among normal
the changes that will occur in their lives. I am in older adults, the boundaries between age-related
awe of the inner strength and resolve of so many cognitive decline and very early dementia are
caregivers who strive to provide their loved ones sometimes uncertain, both to the patients and to
with the care they deserve. I watch as they look the physicians who treat them.
for answers and for hope. In the early part of the 20th century, Dr. Alois
Dementia is a common problem. There is a good Alzheimer described his first patient (Auguste D)
chance that everyone who opens this book will with the disorder that would come to bear his
know someone who has dementia. The prevalence name. A psychiatrist, Dr. Alzheimer examined
of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common Auguste D in an institutionalized setting after she
ix