Riassunto
La malattia di Alzheimer (Alzheimer Disease, AD) costituisce la più comune causa di demenza nella popolazione anziana a livello mondiale. È una malattia degenerativa del cervello, dovuta al progressivo depauperamento neuronale associato alla degenerazione neurofibrillare e alla formazione di placche senili [1]. In attesa dei nuovi criteri diagnostici, in corso di definizione, la diagnosi è ancora basata sui criteri clinici proposti nel 1984 [2], che richiedono la presenza di deficit di memoria episodica e di almeno un’altra funzione cognitiva, associati a una perdita di funzionalità nella vita quotidiana. Simili sono i criteri del DSM IV [3]. L’imponente mole di ricerca in questo campo che ha caratterizzato l’ultimo ventennio si è diretta in particolare verso la definizione di fasi precoci della malattia, attraverso lo sviluppo del concetto di deficit cognitivo lieve (Mild Cognitive Impairment, MCI) [4] e, recentemente, la proposta di criteri di ricerca per la diagnosi di Alzheimer incipiente [5]. Nella progressione della malattia, i deficit cognitivi si associano a disturbi psicologici e comportamentali, che costituiscono un importante determinante di disabilità e carico per i familiari [6].
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Cappa, S.F., Farina, E., Foderaro, G. (2012). Malattia di Alzheimer. In: Vallar, G., Cantagallo, A., Cappa, S.F., Zoccolotti, P. (eds) La riabilitazione neuropsicologica. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2349-9_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2349-9_14
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