RETROGENESIS THEORY IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: EVIDENCE AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a one of the top leading causes of death in the world. In the United States alone, over 4.5 million Americans had Alzheimer’s in the year 2000. The annual number of new cases is increasing dramatically every year as people begin to reach older ages in which the prevalence of AD is higher and as people survive longer with the disease. Anecdotal observations of individuals with AD from family members and/or caregivers indicate how suffers become “childlike” as the disease progresses. Recent research suggests that the progression of AD occurs in reverse order of normal human development. The present article reviews the evidence supporting this theory of retrogenesis. Cognitive, functional, neurologic and neuropathologic progression of AD will be examined and compared to developmental acquisition in each area. Potential implications of the retrogenesis theory on rehabilitation program development and implementation for individuals with dementia will be discussed.