2 - Neurodegeneration in the Basal Ganglia Flashcards
Pathology of Parkinsons
Loss of dopaminergic cells (black) in substantia nigra pars compacta
Presence in neurons of Lewy bodies
Lewy bodies
Intracellular formations enriched in the protein α-synuclein
Also found in dementia
Striatum
Caudate and Putamen
Inhibitory to thalamus
Direct Pathway
Gpi –> Thalamus –> Cortex
Indirect Pathway
Gpe –> STN –> Gpi
What happens in the pathways in parkinsons
Indirect pathway much more active and direct pathway less active
Thalamus inhibited so Less excitatory drive to the motor cortex
Imaging
Dopaminergic cell loss via Dopamine transporter imaging (DaT0
What can you use to label the projections of DaT scan
SPECT ligands
Motor features of parkinsons
o Resting tremor, bradykinesia (akinesia), rigidity
o Frozen facial expression
o Flexed posture
o Altered gait and postural changes
o Difficulty in initiating and stopping movement
Non-motor features
olfactory dysfunction depression psychotic symptoms cognitive dysfunction dementia (late phase)
How many years do non motor symptoms precede parkinsonian motor symptoms
12-15 years
How do you score parkinsosn
Schwab and England Activities of Daily living
Most common genes associated with parkinsosn
LRRK2
Which gene codes for protein alpha-synuclein
SNCA
MPTP
A drug which is metabolised into MPP+ which is neurotoxic to do dopaminergic neurons
What no. complex of the mitochondrial respiratory chain when dysfunctioned can lead to oxidative stress
Complex I