ACC Alzheimer's Disease Stages & Symptoms 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the term 'aphasia' mean in the context of Alzheimer's disease symptoms?
- Inability to perform learned motor tasks
- Difficulty with language and communication (Correct answer)
- Inability to recognize familiar objects
- Loss of smell and taste
Correct answer: Difficulty with language and communication
Aphasia refers to impairment in language abilities, including difficulty speaking, understanding, reading, and writing.
Question 2: Which of the following is a typical early warning sign of Alzheimer's disease that distinguishes it from normal aging?
- Occasional misplacing of keys
- Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood (Correct answer)
- Taking longer to recall a name but remembering it later
- Needing more time to balance a checkbook
Correct answer: Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood
Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood represents significant disorientation that goes beyond normal aging and is a warning sign of Alzheimer's.
Question 3: The GDS (Global Deterioration Scale) is used to stage Alzheimer's. How many stages does this scale include?
- 3
- 5
- 7 (Correct answer)
- 10
Correct answer: 7
The Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) developed by Dr. Barry Reisberg has 7 stages, from no cognitive impairment to very severe cognitive decline.
Question 4: A person with Alzheimer's repeatedly asks the same question every few minutes despite being answered each time. This is an example of which symptom?
- Confabulation
- Perseveration (Correct answer)
- Agnosia
- Apraxia
Correct answer: Perseveration
Perseveration involves repeating the same words, questions, or actions continuously, which is common in Alzheimer's disease.
Question 5: In which stage of Alzheimer's disease does a person typically become unable to walk independently?
- Mild stage
- Moderate stage
- Moderate-to-severe stage
- Severe (late) stage (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Severe (late) stage
In the severe or late stage of Alzheimer's, motor abilities decline to the point where the person can no longer walk without assistance or at all.
Question 6: Which of the following describes 'confabulation' as seen in Alzheimer's disease?
- Refusing to cooperate with care tasks
- Making up stories or details to fill memory gaps without intending to lie (Correct answer)
- Becoming physically aggressive toward caregivers
- Repeating the same phrase over and over
Correct answer: Making up stories or details to fill memory gaps without intending to lie
Confabulation is an unconscious process where a person fabricates memories to fill gaps, not a deliberate attempt to deceive.
Question 7: Which sensory change is commonly observed in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease?
- Hyperacusis (increased sound sensitivity)
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) (Correct answer)
- Improved visual acuity
- Heightened pain sensitivity
Correct answer: Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a common and serious symptom in late-stage Alzheimer's that increases risk of aspiration pneumonia.
ACC Alzheimer's Disease Stages & Symptoms 3
What does the term 'aphasia' mean in the context of Alzheimer's disease symptoms?