Prenatal Aspects in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative brain disorder characterized by
a global mental deterioration. Although the etiology is not yet clear, more evidence
shows that a prenatal link is possible. Memory disturbances are central in AD and
eventually lead to a loss of autonomy and identity. Anxiety becomes the basic feeling of
AD patients, as well as experiences of mourning, loss of control, and loss of contact. In
the manifest stage retrogenesis is triggered, that is, patients reverse develop and start
to re-live their past. In emotional retrogenesis prenatal and perinatal themes can be reexperienced. In prenatal emotion-oriented care sensorimotor relaxation (‘snoezelen’) is
being used to reduce anxiety. The patient is given an environment that reflects the
characteristics of a womb, and the nursing staff’s approach should be to symbolize the
‘good-enough’ mother.
KEY WORDS: Alzheimer’s disease, etiology, retrogenesis, prenatal themes, emotionoriented care