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The PBS video on Alzheimer's Disease (AD) you watched opened with a story of Daisy Duarte and the care she provides for her mother Sonia Duarte, who has AD. In lecture, we discussed the recent guidelines developed by Dr. Guy McKhann of John Hopkins University School of Medicine and Dr. Reisa Sperling of Brigham and Women's Hospital, in which they delineated a progression of distinct stages to describe AD. Using their guidelines, in which of the following stages of AD is Sonia Duarte?

A. Stage I: Preclinical AD
B. Stage II: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MIC)
C. Stage IIA: Moderate Cognitive Impairment
D. Stage III: Dementia

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Sonia Duarte is likely in Stage III: Dementia of Alzheimer's Disease progression, as she requires the care provided by Daisy Duarte. Stage III is marked by significant cognitive impairments and a dependency on caregivers for everyday tasks (option D).

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on the information given, Sonia Duarte, being cared for by Daisy Duarte, seems to exhibit symptoms corresponding to Stage III: Dementia in the progression of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), according to the guidelines developed by Dr. Guy McKhann and Dr. Reisa Sperling. While specific details about Sonia's condition are not provided, considering the need for care implies that Sonia's AD has progressed beyond Mild Cognitive Impairment. Caregivers often become necessary as the disease progresses to dementia when patients experience significant impairments in their ability to carry out daily activities, may not recognize family members, and generally require more comprehensive assistance with day-to-day living.

The increase in Sonia's care requirements, as implied by the video, suggests that her cognitive deficits have become severe enough to categorize her condition as Stage III. This stage is characterized by a severe impact on cognitive and functional abilities, such as a loss of awareness of one's environment, difficulty in communicating, a need for full-time assistance with personal care, and potential behavior changes. The level of dementia in this stage typically means that individuals cannot live independently.

In contrast, Stage I involves preclinical AD where individuals are typically asymptomatic, and Stage II includes Mild Cognitive Impairment where memory problems or other cognitive issues might be present, but daily functioning is not severely impacted. Sonia's need for caregiving indicates she has likely surpassed these earlier stages.

Hence, the answer is option D.

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