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To help you better understand some of the terminology used to describe aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, the Alzheimer’s Association has developed this glossary of frequently used terms. Additional research oriented glossary terms are available from the Alzheimer’s Association national website.
A fact sheet explaining common related dementias is available in PDF format here
For further information about specific related dementias, please visit the National Alzheimer’s Association website for a list of current links to other resources.
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abilities
Level at which certain actions and activities can be carried out.
acetylcholine
A neurotransmitter that appears to be involved in learning and memory. Acetylcholine is severely diminished in the brains of persons with Alzheimer’s disease.
activities of daily living (ADLs)
Personal care activities necessary for everyday living, such as eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, and toileting. People with dementia may not be able to perform necessary functions without assistance. Professionals often assess a person’s ADLs to determine what type of care is needed.
adult day services
Programs that provide participants with opportunities to interact with others, usually in a community center or facility. Staff lead various activities such as music programs and support groups. Transportation is often provided.
advance directives
Written documents, completed and signed when a person is legally competent, that explain a person’s medical wishes in advance, allowing someone else to make treatment decisions on his or her behalf later in the disease process.
adverse reaction
An unexpected effect of drug treatment that may range from trivial to serious or life-threatening, such as an allergic reaction.
agent
The individual—usually a trusted family member or friend—authorized by a power of attorney to make legal decisions for another individual. In scientific terms, “agent” sometimes refers to a drug as well.
aggression
Hitting, pushing, or threatening behavior that commonly occurs when a caregiver attempts to help an individual with Alzheimer’s with daily activities, such as dressing. It is important to control such behavior because aggressive persons can cause injury to themselves and others.
agitation
Vocal or motor behavior (screaming, shouting, complaining, moaning, cursing, pacing, fidgeting, wandering, etc.) that is disruptive, unsafe, or interferes with the delivery of care in a particular environment. An abnormal behavior is considered agitation only if it poses risk or discomfort to the individual with Alzheimer’s or his/her caregiver. Agitation can be a nonspecific symptom of one or more physical or psychological problems (e.g., headache, depression).
Alzheimer’s disease
A progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of function and death of nerve cells in several areas of the brain, leading to loss of mental functions such as memory and learning. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia.
ambulation
The ability to walk and move about freely.
amyloid
A protein deposit associated with tissue degeneration; amyloid is found in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s.
amyloid plaque
Abnormal cluster of dead and dying nerve cells, other brain cells, and amyloid protein fragments. Amyloid plaques are one of the characteristic structural abnormalities found in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s. Upon autopsy, the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles is used to positively diagnose Alzheimer’s.
amyloid precursor protein (APP)
A protein found in the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, spleen, and intestines. The normal function of APP in the body is unknown. In Alzheimer’s disease, APP is abnormally processed and converted to beta amyloid protein. Beta amyloid is the protein deposited in amyloid plaques.
antibodies
Specialized proteins produced by the cells of the immune system that counteract a specific foreign substance. The production of antibodies is the first line of defense in the body’s immune response.
anxiety
A feeling of apprehension, fear, nervousness, or dread accompanied by restlessness or tension.
apathy
Lack of interest, concern, or emotion.
aphasia
Difficulty understanding the speech of others and/or expressing oneself verbally.
apolipoprotein E
A protein whose main function is to transport cholesterol. The gene for this protein is on chromosome 19 and is referred to as APOE. There are three forms of APOE: e2, e3, and e4. APOE- e4 is associated with about 60 percent of late-onset Alzheimer’s cases and is considered a risk factor for the disease.
art therapy
A form of therapy that allows people with dementia opportunities to express their feelings creatively through art.
assessment
An evaluation, usually performed by a physician, of a person’s mental, emotional, and social capabilities.
assisted living facility
A residential care setting that combines housing, support services, and health care for people typically in the early or middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
atrophy
Shrinking of size; often used to describe the loss of brain mass seen in Alzheimer’s disease during autopsy.
autonomy
A person’s ability to make independent choices.
autopsy
Examination of a body organ and tissue after death. Autopsy is often performed (upon request) to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
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behavioral symptoms
In Alzheimer’s disease, symptoms that relate to action or emotion, such as wandering, depression, anxiety, hostility, and sleep disturbances.
beneficiary
An individual named in a will who is designated to receive all or part of an estate upon the death of a will maker.
beta amyloid protein
A specific type of amyloid normally found in humans and animals. In Alzheimer’s disease, beta amyloid is abnormally processed by nerve cells and becomes deposited in amyloid plaques in the brains of persons with the disease.
brain
One of the two components of the central nervous system, the brain is the center of thought and emotion. It is responsible for the coordination and control of bodily activities, and the interpretation of information from the senses (sight, hearing, smell, etc.).
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care partner
The primary person in charge of caring for an individual with Alzheimer’s disease, usually a family member or a designated health care professional.
care planning
A written action plan containing strategies for delivering care that address an individual’s specific needs or problems.
case management
A term used to describe formal services planned by care professionals.
clinical trials
Organized studies that test the value of various treatments, such as drugs or surgery, in human beings.
coexisting illness
A medical condition that exists simultaneously with another, such as arthritis and dementia.
cognitive abilities
Mental abilities such as judgment, memory, learning, comprehension, and reasoning.
cognitive symptoms
In Alzheimer’s disease, the symptoms that relate to loss of thought processes, such as learning, comprehension, memory, reasoning, and judgment.
combativeness
Incidents of aggression.
competence
A person’s ability to make informed choices.
computed tomography (CT scan)
A type of imaging scan that shows the internal structure of a person’s brain. In diagnosing dementia, CT scans can reveal tumors and small strokes in the brain.
conservator
In some states, the guardian who manages an individual’s assets.
continuum of care
Care services available to assist individuals throughout the course of the disease.
CT scan
See computed tomography.
cueing
The process of providing cues, prompts, hints, and other meaningful information, direction, or instruction to aid a person who is experiencing memory difficulties.
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deficits
Physical and/or cognitive skills or abilities that a person has lost, has difficulty with, or can no longer perform due to his or her dementia.
delusion
A false idea typically originating from a misinterpretation but firmly believed and strongly maintained in spite of contradictory proof or evidence.
dementia
The loss of intellectual functions (such as thinking, remembering, and reasoning) of sufficient severity to interfere with a person’s daily functioning. Dementia is not a disease itself but rather a group of symptoms that may accompany certain diseases or conditions. Symptoms may also include changes in personality, mood, and behavior. Dementia is irreversible when caused by disease or injury but may be reversible when caused by drugs, alcohol, hormone or vitamin imbalances, or depression.
dementia-capable
Skilled in working with people with dementia and their caregivers, knowledgeable about the kinds of services that may help them, and aware of which agencies and individuals provide such services.
dementia-specific
Services that are provided specifically for people with dementia.
diagnosis
The process by which a physician determines what disease a patient has by studying the patient’s symptoms and medical history and analyzing any tests performed (blood, urine, brain scans, etc.).
disorientation
A cognitive disability in which the senses of time, direction, and recognition become difficult to distinguish.
durable power of attorney
A legal document that allows an individual (the principal) an opportunity to authorize an agent (usually a trusted family member or friend) to make legal decisions for when the person is no longer able to do so themselves.
durable power of attorney for health care
A legal document that allows an individual to appoint an agent to make all decisions regarding health care, including choices regarding health care providers, medical treatment, and, in the later stages of the disease, end-of-life decisions.
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early-onset Alzheimer’s disease
An unusual form of Alzheimer’s in which individuals are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s before the age of 65. Less than 10 percent of all Alzheimer patients have early-onset. Early-onset Alzheimer’s is associated with mutations in genes located on chromosomes 1, 14, and 21.
early stage
The beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease when an individual experiences very mild to moderate cognitive impairments.
elder law attorney
An attorney who practices in the area of elder law, a specialized area of law focusing on issues that typically affect older adults.
environment
Physical and interpersonal surroundings that can affect mood and behaviors in people with dementia.
executor
The individual named in a will who manages the estate of a deceased individual.
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familial Alzheimer’s disease
A form of Alzheimer’s disease that runs in families.
free-standing, dementia-specific care center
A facility solely dedicated to the care of people with dementia. This building can sometimes be part of a larger campus.
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gait
A person’s manner of walking. People in the later stages of Alzheimer’s often have “reduced gait,” meaning their ability to lift their feet as they walk has dimished.
genetic susceptibility
The state of being more likely than the average person to develop a disease as a result of genetics.
guardian
An individual appointed by the courts who is authorized to make legal and financial decisions for another individual.
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hallucination
A sensory experience in which a person can see, hear, smell, taste, or feel something that isn’t there.
hippocampus
A part of the brain that is important for learning and memory.
hoarding
Collecting and putting things away in a guarded manner.
hospice
Philosophy and approach to providing comfort and care at life’s end rather than heroic lifesaving measures.
Huntington’s disease
An inherited, degenerative brain disease affecting the mind and body, characterized by intellectual decline and involuntary movement of limbs.
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immune system
A system of cells that protect a person from bacteria, viruses, toxins, and other foreign substances that enter the body.
incidence
See prevalence
incontinence
Loss of bladder and/or bowel control.
inflammatory response
The immune system’s normal response to tissue injury or abnormal stimulation caused by a physical, chemical, or biological substance. Immune system cells, if abnormally stimulated, can often cause further tissue damage while responding to the injured site.
instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs)
Secondary level of activities (different from ADLs, such as eating, dressing, and bathing) important to daily living, such as cooking, writing, and driving.
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late-onset Alzheimer’s disease
The most common form of Alzheimer’s disease, usually occurring after age 65. Late-onset Alzheimer’s strikes almost half of all people over the age of 85 and may or may not be hereditary.
late stage
Designation given when dementia symptoms have progressed to the extent that a person has little capacity for self-care.
layering
Behavior that involves inappropriately changing or layering clothing on top of one another.
Lewy body dementia
A dementing illness associated with protein deposits called Lewy bodies, found in the cortex of the brain.
living trust
A legal document that allows an individual (the grantor or trustor) to create a trust and appoint someone else as trustee (usually a trusted individual or bank) to carefully invest and manage his or her assets.
living will
A legal document that expresses an individual’s decision on the use of artificial life support systems.
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magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
A brain scanning technique that generates cross-sectional images of a human brain by detecting small molecular changes. MRI scans reveal a contrast between normal and abnormal tissues. The image produced is similar to those generated by CT scans. There are no side effects or risks associated with MRI scans, although MRI can affect electrical devices like pacemakers and hearing aids.
Medicaid
A program sponsored by the federal government and administered by states that is intended to provide health care and health-related services to low-income individuals.
Medicare
A federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older and for individuals with disabilities.
memory
The ability to process information that requires attention, storage, and retrieval.
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
A standard mental status exam routinely used to measure a person’s basic cognitive skills, such as short-term memory, long-term memory, orientation, writing, and language.
MRI
See magnetic resonance imaging.
multi-infarct dementia (MID)
A form of dementia, also known as vascular dementia, caused by a number of strokes in the brain. These strokes can affect some intellectual abilities, impair motor and walking skills, and cause an individual to experience hallucinations, delusions, or depression. The onset of MID is usually abrupt and often progresses in a stepwise fashion. Individuals with MID are likely to have risk factors for strokes, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes. MID cannot be treated; once the nerve cells die, they cannot be replaced. However, risk factors can be treated, which may help prevent further damage.
music therapy
Use of music to improve physical, psychological, cognitive, and social functioning.
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neurodegenerative disease
A type of neurological disorder marked by the loss of nerve cells. See Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease.
neurofibrillary tangle
Accumulation of twisted protein fragments inside nerve cells. Neurofibrillary tangles are one of the characteristic structural abnormalities found in the brains of Alzheimer patients. Upon autopsy, the presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles is used to positively diagnose Alzheimer’s.
neurological disorder
Disturbance in structure or function of the nervous system resulting from developmental abnormality, disease, injury, or toxin.
neurologist
A physician who diagnoses and treats disorders of the nervous system.
neuropathology
Changes in the brain produced by a disease.
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onset
Defines time of life when Alzheimer’s disease begins (e.g., early-onset, late-onset).
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pacing
Aimless wandering, often triggered by an internal stimulus (e.g., pain, hunger, or boredom) or some distraction in the environment (e.g., noise, smell, temperature).
paranoia
Suspicion of others that is not based on fact.
Parkinson’s disease
A progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of nerve cells in a specific area of the brain; the cause of nerve cell death is unknown. Parkinson patients lack the neurotransmitter dopamine and have such symptoms as tremors, speech impediments, movement difficulties, and often dementia later in the course of the disease.
perseveration
Persistent repetition of an activity, word, phrase, or movement, such as tapping, wiping, and picking.
personal care
See activities of daily living.
PET scan
See positron emission tomography scan.
Pick’s disease
Type of dementia in which degeneration of nerve cells causes dramatic alterations in personality and social behavior but typically does not affect memory until later in the disease.
plaques and tangles
See amyloid plaque and neurofibrillary tangle.
positron emission tomography scan (PET scan)
An imaging scan that measures the activity or functional level of the brain by measuring its use of glucose.
presenilins
Proteins that may be linked to early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Genes that code for presenilin 1 and presenilin 2 have been found on chromosomes 14 and 1, respectively, and are linked to early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease.
prevalence
The total number of individuals who have a disease at a given point in time. For example, the estimate that 4.5 million Americans currently have Alzheimer’s disease is a prevalence statistic. Incidence is the number of new cases expected to occur over the course of a year or some other limited period.
principal
The individual signing the power of attorney to authorize another individual to legally make decisions for him or her.
prions
Protein segments that may cause infection that may lead to some forms of dementia.
psychosis
A general term for a state of mind in which thinking becomes irrational and/or disturbed. It refers primarily to delusions, hallucinations, and other severe thought disturbances.
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quality care
Term used to describe care and services that allow recipients to attain and maintain their highest level of mental, physical, and psychological function, in a dignified and caring way.
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reassurance
Encouragement intended to relieve tension, fear, and confusion that can result from dementing illnesses.
reinforcement
Employment of praise, repetition, and stimulation of the senses to preserve a person’s memory, capabilities, and level of self-assurance.
reminiscence
Life review activity aimed at surfacing and reviewing positive memories and experiences.
repetitive behaviors
Repeated questions, stories, and outbursts or specific activities done over and over again, common in people with dementia.
respite
A short break or time away.
respite care
Services that provide people with temporary relief from tasks associated with caregiving (e.g., in-home assistance, short nursing home stays, adult day care).
restraints
Devices used to ensure safety by restricting and controlling a person’s movement. Many facilities are “restraint free” or use alternative methods to help modify behavior.
risk factors
Factors that have been shown to increase one’s odds of developing a disease. In Alzheimer’s disease, the only established risk factors are age, family history, and genetics.
rummaging
Searching through one's own or someone else's belongings in a way that may seem haphazard and undirected to an observer.
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Safe Return
The Alzheimer’s Association’s nationwide identification, support, and registration program that assists in the safe return of individuals with Alzheimer’s or related dementia who wander and become lost.
senile plaque
See amyloid plaque.
senility
Term meaning “old,” once used to describe elderly diagnosed with dementia. Today, we know dementia is caused by various diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s) and is not a normal part of aging.
sequencing
In human behavior, doing things in a logical, predictable order.
shadowing
Following, mimicking, and interrupting behaviors that people with dementia may experience.
side effect
An undesired effect of a drug treatment that may range in severity from barely noticeable, to uncomfortable, to dangerous. Side effects are usually predictable.
skilled nursing care
Level of care that includes ongoing medical or nursing services.
special care unit
Designated area of a residential care facility or nursing home that cares specifically for the needs of people with Alzheimer’s.
stages
Course of disease progression defined by levels or periods of severity: early, mild, moderate, moderately severe, severe.
sundowning
Unsettled behavior evident in the late afternoon or early evening.
support group
Facilitated gathering of caregivers, family, friends, or others affected by a disease or condition for the purpose of discussing issues related to the disease.
suspiciousness
A mistrust common in Alzheimer patients as their memory becomes progressively worse. A common example is when patients believe their glasses or other belongings have been stolen because they forgot where they left them.
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tangles
See neurofibrillary tangles.
tau protein
The major protein that makes up neurofibrillary tangles found in degenerating nerve cells. Tau is normally involved in maintaining the internal structure of the nerve cell. In Alzheimer’s disease, tau protein is abnormally processed.
trigger
An environmental or personal stimulus that sets off particular and sometimes challenging behavior.
trustee
The individual or bank managing the assets of the living trust.
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wandering
Common behavior that causes people with dementia to stray and become lost in familiar surroundings.
will
A legal document created by an individual that names an executor (the person who will managed the estate) and beneficiaries (persons who will receive the estate at the time of death).
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zinc
A metal that is essential for proper nutrition. It is unknown if zinc plays a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
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