The impairment is extensive enough to interfere with daily life.
acetylcholine
The neurotransmitter that supports normal brain and nerve function and behaviors including memory and learning.
Imbalances in the level of acetylcholine play a role in some neurological disorders, including Alzheimers and Parkinsons.
It has seen limited use after questions were raised about its safety and effectiveness.
See also Leqembi (lecanemab).
amyloid plaques
The result of large accumulations of a naturally occurring protein, beta-amyloid, that form clusters.
See also entry for tau.
aphasia
A disorder resulting from damage to parts of the brain involved in language.
Stroke or neurological diseases such as Alzheimers or frontotemporal dementia are among possible causes.
There are several types of aphasia, depending on what part of the brain is affected.
dementia
An overall term used to refer to a number of conditions resulting from damaged brain cells.
The main types of dementia are Alzheimers, frontotemporal, Lewy body and vascular.
Mixed dementia describes having more than one of these disorders.
These conditions impair a persons ability to think, reason and remember, enough to interfere with daily life.
early-onset dementia
A form of dementia diagnosed in a person younger than 65.
Like other forms of dementia, it can lead to loss of memory and personality changes.
FTD falls into three categories.
Behavioral variant FTD, the most common form, involves changes in personality, judgment and ability to plan.
Primary progressive aphasia affects a persons ability to use language and communicate.
The rarest form, movement disturbances includes muscle weakness or stiffness or problems with balance or walking.
See also Aduhelm (aducanumab).
Symptoms get worse over time and include problems with thinking including visual hallucinations movement, sleep disorders and mood.
Named after Friedrich Lewy, the neurologist who discovered them.
Parkinsons disease is included in this broad category of dementia.
The symptoms of MCI are not as severe as dementia.
Not everyone who has MCI will develop dementia.
mixed dementia
A condition that gets worse over time as more than one form of dementia occurs simultaneously.
Those with PCA might have trouble reading a sentence,judging distancesand using common tools.
See also entry for amyloid plaques.
vascular dementia
Occurs because of damage to or blockage of blood vessels in the brain.
Symptoms, which get worse over time, include changes to memory, thinking and behavior.
For more on Alzheimer’s and other dementias,click here.
Depression is a mood disorderthat affects how a person thinks, feels and behaves.
Sadness, an inability to feel pleasure or other symptoms persist, lasting two weeks or more.
It is one of the most common mental disorders in the United States.
anxiety
Feelings of dread or worry.
Less common is summer depression, when feelings of depression last over the warmer months.
These mood changes can affect how a person feels, thinks and behaves.
social anxiety disorder
A feeling of self-consciousness or persistent fear of being watched and judged negatively by others.
The disorder can keep people from daily activities such as going to work or school or socializing.
For more on anxiety and depression,click here.
Researchers believe that Parkinsons results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to toxins.
A neurotransmitter that supports normal brain and nerve function involved in memory and learning.
anticholinergics
Medications that can affect the activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
bradykinesia
Slowness of movement, one of the main symptoms of Parkinsons disease.
Also called levodopa-induced dyskinesia, as it typically occurs after a few years of use of the medication levodopa.
dystonia
Involuntary and sustained muscle contractions causing abnormal posture or movement of limbs.
levodopa
The main medication used to treat Parkinsons disease.
Parkinsons triggers when those nerve cells or neurons start to die.
Researchers believe that Parkinsons is triggered by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
postural instability
An inability to balance.
prodromal phase symptoms
The early, or prodromal, phase of Parkinsons can last up to 20 years.
Stiffness of muscles in the arms, legs or trunk, and possibly those in the face.
Dystonia and tremor, distinct disorders, are often misinterpreted as Parkinsons.
For more on Parkinson’s disease,click here.
A disorder resulting from damage to parts of the brain involved in language.
Stroke or neurological diseases such as Alzheimers are among possible causes.
There are several types of aphasia, depending on what part of the brain is affected.
atrial fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation, also called afib, is a heart rhythm abnormality.
The irregular or fluttering heartbeat increases a persons risk of stroke.
blood pressure
Refers to the pressure put on the large vessels of the circulatory system by the beating heart.
The second (diastolic) represents the pressure when the heart rests between beats.
cardiovascular, cardiovascular diseases
Cardiovascular refers to the heart and blood vessels.
Cardiovascular disease is a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels.
More than 4 out of 5 cardiovascular disease deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes.
cholesterol
A waxy substance made by the liver that is essential for good health.
Some foods contain dietary cholesterol.
Cholesterol measurements are divided into whats informally called bad and good.
throw in 1 diabetes means the body does not produce enough insulin.
The less common of the two types of strokes; see also ischemic stroke.
Hypertension can lead to heart attack, stroke and kidney damage.
ischemic stroke
triggers when blood clots or other particles block the blood vessels to the brain.
The more common of the two types of strokes; see also hemorrhagic stroke.
Characteristics include high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels and abdominal fat.
There are two types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic.
transient ischemic attack (TIA)
Also referred to as amini-stroke, a silent stroke or warning stroke.
Requires an immediate emergency assessment.
For more on stroke,click here.
CTE can be definitively diagnosed only by autopsy.
concussion
resulting from a sudden jolt that causes the brain to bounce inside the skull.
Concussions have been linked to higher risk of dementia and Parkinsons disease in later life.
hematoma
A cerebral hematoma is bleeding in or around the brain brought on by a ruptured blood vessel.
nonpenetrating TBI
TBIs that involve the entire brain being moved within the skull.
Known also as closed head or blunt TBI.
TBIs are classified as mild, moderate or severe.
TBIs can affect learning, memory, behavior and concentration.
For more on traumatic brain injury,click here.
