Exam 37 · 第37回 · 認知症の理解 (Understanding Dementia)
Question 42 問42
次の記述のうち，アルツハイマー型認知症（dementia of the Alzheimer’s type）の特徴として，適切なものを1つ選びなさい。
- 近時記憶（新しい記憶）の障害は，初期から始まる。
- 特徴的な症状として幻視がある。
- 脳にアミロイドβが沈着し始めると，すぐに発症する。
- 歩行障害が多く現れるのは，初期の段階である。
- 嚥下障害が多く現れるのは，初期の段階である。
Translation
Which of the following is a feature of dementia of the Alzheimer's type (アルツハイマー型認知症)? Choose the appropriate one.
- A disorder of recent memory (近時記憶), that is, new memory, starts from the early stage.
- A characteristic symptom is visual hallucination (幻視).
- Once amyloid beta starts to build up in the brain, the disease starts soon after.
- Gait disorder (歩行障害) often appears in the early stage.
- Swallowing disorder (嚥下障害) often appears in the early stage.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: 1
Why 1 is correct
Dementia of the Alzheimer's type (アルツハイマー型認知症) starts with a disorder of recent memory (近時記憶), the memory for new things. Forgetting what you ate a moment ago, or today's plans, is a common early sign.
Why 2 is wrong
Clear visual hallucination (幻視) — seeing people or animals who are not there — is a feature of dementia with Lewy bodies (レビー小体型認知症). It is not a feature of the Alzheimer's type.
Why 3 is wrong
Amyloid beta slowly builds up in the brain for about 20 years before symptoms appear. The disease does not start right after it begins to build up.
Why 4 is wrong
In dementia of the Alzheimer's type (アルツハイマー型認知症), gait disorder (歩行障害) often appears in the late stage, after the disease has progressed. Walking difficulty appearing early is more typical of vascular dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies (レビー小体型認知症).
Why 5 is wrong
Swallowing disorder (嚥下障害) — trouble swallowing — is also more common in the Alzheimer's type in the final stage. In the early stage, people can usually eat normally.
Key point
Dementia of the Alzheimer's type (アルツハイマー型認知症) starts with a recent-memory disorder (近時記憶), trouble remembering new things.
Key terms
- 近時記憶
- Memory of things that happened from a few minutes to a few days ago. Also called new memory.
- 幻視
- Seeing a person or animal that is not really there.
- 嚥下障害
- Swallowing disorder: the ability to swallow (嚥下) becomes weak, causing coughing when swallowing (むせ) or aspiration (誤嚥).
Practice all 375 questions in the app
Exams 36–38, all 13 subjects, with furigana and an English explanation of every choice. The subject 「認知症の理解」 is free.