Question

A 78 year old female presents with memory loss, aphasia, apraxia, and gets lost while driving. Diagnosis? MMSE performance?

a) Alzheimer's disease; Low MMSE score
b) Vascular dementia; Normal MMSE score
c) Frontotemporal dementia; High MMSE score
d) Lewy body dementia; Variable MMSE score

Answer 1

Alzheimer's disease; Low MMSE score

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms described in the question, such as memory loss, aphasia, apraxia, and getting lost while driving, are indicative of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, cognitive function, and behavior. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a commonly used test to assess cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. In Alzheimer's disease, the MMSE score tends to be low due to the impairment of memory and other cognitive abilities.