Which statement about Alzheimer's disease is true?

Which statement about Alzheimer's disease is true?

• A. Disturbances in long-term memory only
• B. Early tremor and bradykinesia
• C. Visuospatial neglect
• D. Gradual short-term memory loss, apathy, and depression

Answer: (D)

Alzheimer's disease typically begins with an insidious, progressive decline in memory, especially trouble learning new information. Early on, people show gradual short-term memory loss, and this is often accompanied by changes in mood and behavior, such as apathy and depression. This pattern—memory problems that start with recent events and learning, plus behavioral symptoms—is a hallmark of the initial phase. The other statements don’t fit. Tremor and bradykinesia point more to Parkinsonian syndromes, not early Alzheimer’s. Visuospatial neglect is a specific attention/ipse field problem usually linked to stroke or certain dementias, not the typical early Alzheimer’s picture. And saying memory issues are limited to long-term memory ignores that the earliest deficit in Alzheimer’s is in short-term memory and new learning, with long-term memory involvement coming later.

Alzheimer's disease typically begins with an insidious, progressive decline in memory, especially trouble learning new information. Early on, people show gradual short-term memory loss, and this is often accompanied by changes in mood and behavior, such as apathy and depression. This pattern—memory problems that start with recent events and learning, plus behavioral symptoms—is a hallmark of the initial phase.

The other statements don’t fit. Tremor and bradykinesia point more to Parkinsonian syndromes, not early Alzheimer’s. Visuospatial neglect is a specific attention/ipse field problem usually linked to stroke or certain dementias, not the typical early Alzheimer’s picture. And saying memory issues are limited to long-term memory ignores that the earliest deficit in Alzheimer’s is in short-term memory and new learning, with long-term memory involvement coming later.