Question

In a brain with Alzheimer's disease there is a lot of damage to the medial temporal lobe and hippocampus, which likely affects new memory formation. There is also some other damage in the temporal lobe, so it may affect some language or visual processing. Based on this information, think about what would be the main initial behavioral and cognitive effects of the disease. For each of the following, indicate whether it would be affected by the disease or not, and why:

a. Recognizing their two-year old grandchild
b. Solving Sudoku puzzles
c. Finding their way home from the grocery store
d. Remembering which story they told their grandkids that morning at breakfast
e. Playing piano
f. Remembering names of their high school classmates
1) Affected by the disease
2) Not affected by the disease

Answer 1

Alzheimer's disease affects the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe, leading to difficulty with new memory formation, spatial navigation, and complex problem-solving. However, procedural memory and long-term memories may initially be less affected.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alzheimer's disease has profound effects on cognitive functions, especially those related to the medial temporal lobe and hippocampus. When analyzing the impact of Alzheimer's on various activities, we consider both the affected cognitive domains and the stage of the disease.

• a. Recognizing their two-year-old grandchild: Likely affected; the ability to recognize faces can decline as Alzheimer's progresses, especially in moderate stages where memory and cognitive deficits increase.
• b. Solving Sudoku puzzles: Affected; involves working memory and problem-solving skills, which are compromised due to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's.
• c. Finding their way home from the grocery store: Affected; spatial navigation and memory are impaired due to hippocampal damage.
• d. Remembering which story they told their grandkids that morning at breakfast: Affected; hippocampal damage hinders the formation of new memories.
• e. Playing piano: Not affected in early stages if it's a well-learnt skill; procedural memory is often intact until later stages of Alzheimer's.
• f. Remembering names of their high school classmates: Less likely affected initially; long-term memory may remain relatively preserved in the early stages of Alzheimer's.

The affected activities primarily involve recent memory formation and spatial navigation due to hippocampus involvement, whereas long-established skills or knowledge are sometimes spared in the disease's early stages.