All diseases and conditions (slightly easier than in the actual decks)

Question 1

Stargardt’s disease

Answer 1

Photoreceptors on retinal cells do not work or degenerate which causes vision to progressively worsen. Can be treated by injecting stem cells

Question 2

Parkinson’s disease

Answer 2

A degenerative disorder of the central nervous system caused by the death of dopamine-secreting cells in the brain. Patients have tremors, rigidity, and slowness of movement. Stem cells can be used to replace the dead nerve cells with living, dopamine-producing ones.

Question 3

Sickle cell anemia

Answer 3

Base substitution GAG to GTG, results in the amino acid valine instead of the normal glutamic acid. Recessive disease, (carriers are immune to malaria though). Hemoglobin clumps at low oxygen levels, and red blood cells change shape – cannot carry oxygen well, and clog arteries.

Question 4

Cystic fibrosis

Answer 4

Most common genetic disease in Europe, Recessive, autosomal allele on chromosome 7, chloride channels do not work properly, and thick mucus builds up.

Question 5

Huntingtons disease

Answer 5

Dominant autosomal allele on Chromosome 4. Causes degenerative changes in the brain

Question 6

Hemophilia

Answer 6

Cannot clot blood since the protein factor VIII is not made. Gene is on the X chromosome, so sex-linked

Question 7

Red-green colour blindness

Answer 7

Cannot see difference between red and green since one of the photo receptor proteins of the cone cells in the retina is defective. Sex linked characteristic on the X chromosome, that males get more often. Caused by damaged or missing red or green cones (photoreceptors) in the retina of the eye

Question 8

Coronary heart disease (CHD)

Answer 8

Coronary arteries become partially blocked by fatty deposits, which can break off and form clots. Trans fats and saturated fats can increase risk, as well as low fiber intake

Question 9

Diabetes Type 1

Answer 9

Beta islet cells do not produce insulin, so blood sugar remains high after eating. Usually appears in children. Treated with insulin from pics or genetically modified bacteria (since the DNA code is universal)

Question 10

Diabetes type 2

Answer 10

Receptors do not respond to insulin, due to overweight, diet of too much sugar, genetics. Usually appears in older adults. Treatment is diet, weightloss, pills (sometimes insulin)

Question 11

Overweight due to lacking leptin receptors or not reacting to leptin

Answer 11

Leptin is produced by adipose (fat) tissue and acts on the hypothalamus to reduce appetite. Leptin supplements do not often help, since the side effects are bad, and most people produce enough leptin, but they do not respond to it.

Question 12

Cancer (different types have different causes)

Answer 12

Mutation in oncogenes (caused by mutagens), problems with mitosis, correlation with smoking, a high mitotic index can indicate cancerous tissue, metastasis = spread of a primary tumour to another tissue. Thyroid cancer correlation with radiation from bombing at Hiroshima and nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl.
Lung cancer caused by smoking and passive smoking, air pollution, radon gas and asbestos and silica particles. Low survival rate, only 15% more than 5 yrs.

Question 13

Lactose intolerance

Answer 13

Immobilised lactase to make lactose free milk (immobilize the enzyme so it is not wasted, it is not in the final product, and it does not denature). It is also good to make milk sweeter for ice cream, so one does not have to add extra sugar, and it does not crystalize as much

Question 14

Oxygen debt

Answer 14

When lactate builds up after anaerobic cell respiration in muscles, and must be broken down by oxygen after exercise

Question 15

Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome)

Answer 15

3 of chromosome 21, because of non-disjunction during meiosis, when the homologous chromosomes do not separate properly in meiosis I or the sister chromatids do not separate in meiosis II. Seen in a karyogram made after amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. Higher age of parent correlates to higher incidence of this.

Question 16

Atherosclerosis

Answer 16

Fatty tissue in the artery wall develops into an atheroma. Caused by LDL containing fats and cholesterol. Can become large and block the artery (occlusion = narrowing) – causing high blood pressure, angina = pain; low oxygen levels. Can rupture and cause a clot to form – leading to a heart attack or stroke. Due to high LDL, obesity, diabetes, smoking, stress, trans fats, some microbes (Clamydia and ones that produce TMAO)

Question 17

Coronary thrombosis

Answer 17

Formation of blood clots in the coronary arteries that bring blood to the heart tissue (same causes as for Atherosclerosis)

Question 18

HIV

Answer 18

A retrovirus (RNA virus that uses reverse transcriptase to make DNA copies of its genes in the host cell) that affects lymphocytes (Helper T lymphocytes), so that specific antibodies are not produced. Die of other diseases like pneumonia and Kaposis sarcoma (a skin cancer), From body fluids (sex, needles, blood transfusions)

Question 19

Emphysema

Answer 19

Larger alveoli (less surface area for gas exchange) with thicker walls (harder for gasses to diffuse). Less elastic lungs. Causes: smoking, genetics. Breathe quicker to exchange air, tired, labored ventilation, often need oxygen supplements. Chronic = Irreversable.

Question 20

Neonicotinoid poisoning

Answer 20

Pesticides block the receptors of cholinergic synapses to acetylcholine, causing insects to become disoriented – cannot find way home or to food.

Question 21

Jet lag

Answer 21

Circadian (24 hour) rhythm is disrupted. Melatonin secretion from the pineal gland is disrupted (normally is secreted when it gets dark – receptors in the eye detects light and dark). Melatonin works on the hypothalamus, and even the kidneys. (body temp and urine production decrease at night) One can take melatonin when travelling over 5 time zones (east direction)

Question 22

Metabolic disorders

Answer 22

Iodine deficiency or hyper- or hypo-thyroidism affects thyroxine production in the thyroid – which acts on all cells to control metabolism

Question 23

Puberty

Answer 23

Caused by testosterone, estrogen and progesterone

Question 24

Menstruation

Answer 24

Fall in progesterone

Question 25

Ovulation

Answer 25

Large rise in LH, small rise in FSH

Question 26

Meiosis in an egg

Answer 26

Rise in FSH

Question 27

Birth

Answer 27

Fall in progesterone, rise in oxytocin

Question 28

Repair of the uterine lining after menstruation

Answer 28

Estrogen

Question 29

Need for IVF if unfertile

Answer 29

Drugs inhales to stop normal cycle – stop FSH and LH production; High levels of FSH and LH injected to promote super-ovulation; HCG injection to loosen the follicles, and follicles are washed out of the ovary; mixed with sperm and incubated until zygote forms and embryo starts dividing, implant in uterus, and progesterone is given as a tablet in the vagina

Question 30

Spina bifida

Answer 30

Incomplete closure of the embryonic neural tube

Question 31

Stroke

Answer 31

Death of cells in the brain due to insufficient blood flow. Can promote reorganization of brain function

Question 32

Damage to Broccas area

Answer 32

Language impairment

Question 33

Damage to the visual cortex of the occiptal lobe

Answer 33

Visual impairment or blindness

Question 34

Brain death

Answer 34

The brain and brain stem no longer has any function. Can be tested by checking for a pupil reflex.

Question 35

Deafness due to faulty cochlear hair cells

Answer 35

Can be treated with cochlear implants

Question 36

Malaria

Answer 36

Caused by a one celled organism Plasmodium falciparum, which lives in the blood. Databases are used to find new drugs to kill the parasite

Question 37

Skin color and height are examples of traits with continuous variation, and also can be affected by the environment

Answer 37

Caused by polygenic inheritance – more than one gene affects the trait, and the environment can affect. At least 3 genes code for the amount of melanin produced by cells

Question 38

Epigenetics may affect phenotypes

Answer 38

Methyl groups added to DNA, or methylation, acetylation or phosphorylation of histone proteins, can increase or decrease which genes are transcribed, and affect the next generation

Question 39

Smallpox

Answer 39

First disease to be eradicated by vaccination – worked because: no animal reserve, no long incubation time, long lasting immunity

Question 40

Zoonosis

Answer 40

Pathogens that cross the species barrier and can affect other animals and humans like Lyme disease, Nipah fever, Bubonic plague, Covid,…

Question 41

Allergies

Answer 41

Caused by excess production of histamines by mast cells. Cause swelling of the area, redness, extra mucous) Can take anti-histamine medicine to reduce.

Question 42

Dehydration

Answer 42

Dehydration caused by low intake of water, too much sweating, diarrea = dark urine, lethargy, low blood pressure, increase in heartrate, increase in body temp due to lack of sweat

Question 43

Addiction

Answer 43

Can be affected by genetic pre-disposition, social environment and dopamine secretion