Question

An older adult client diagnosed as being in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease shares with the nurse that her sleep is interrupted by "the nosies I hear all through the night." The nurse explains that the most likely reason for this problem is:

A. The client's age
B. A lack of presleep relaxation
C. The amount of noise entering into the client's environment
D. A manifestation of the disease process causing the brain disorder

Answer 1

Disrupted sleep in an Alzheimer's patient is most likely due to the manifestation of the disease process causing the brain disorder, characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely reason for an older adult client, diagnosed with early stages of Alzheimer's disease, to experience interrupted sleep due to "noises" they hear at night is D. A manifestation of the disease process causing the brain disorder. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by abnormal changes in brain molecular and cellular structure, including the buildup of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, and an overall shrinking of brain volume. Such changes can lead to disruptive symptoms, including disturbances in sleep patterns. Furthermore, decreased cholinergic neuronal activity, which is common in Alzheimer's, could affect normal sleep regulation. Although factors such as the client's age and environmental noise could contribute to sleep disturbances, these factors are not as directly associated with the symptoms of Alzheimer's as the pathophysiological changes in the brain