Alzheimer's Disease

Question 1

What is the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?
(one is a symptom/effect of the other)

Answer 1

Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease
Dementia refers to deficits in a group of cognitive symptoms such as memory, language, motor deficits.
Dementia is a symptom of alzheimer’s

Question 2

What are 4 risk factors of Alzheimer’s, and which is most important?

Answer 2

Age (older people more likely)
Sex (women more likely)
Hormones
Lifestyle choices/modifiable factors

Question 3

Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease, meaning that symptoms _________ over time.

Answer 3

worsen

Question 4

In early stages symptoms may go _________ as they are still quite ______

Answer 4

undiagnosed as still quite weak

Question 5

When diagnosed, Alzheimer’s symptoms range across what 3 stages?

Answer 5

Mild
Moderate
Severe

Question 6

Mild Alzheimer’s symptoms may be seen as forgetting _____ and _____ of things/people, difficulties in _______ tasks and completing _____ tasks, and misplacing _______.

Answer 6

forgetting names and words
difficulties in planning and organising
misplacing objects

Question 7

Moderate Alzheimer’s symptoms may be seen as forgetting personal _______ and _________, becoming easily ______, confusion about ones _________, disruptions to _______ and issues with _________ control as well as changes to ________.

Answer 7

forgetting personal events and info
becoming easily angered
confused about location
disruptions to sleep
issues with bladder control
changes to personality

Question 8

What are the 4 symptoms that arise in people with severe AD?

Answer 8

Complete loss of awareness regarding surroundings/time
communication difficulties
Physical difficulties (walking, swallowing)
Vulnerability to infections

Question 9

What percentage of Alzheimer’s disease cases are not herditary?
A 99%
B 1%
C 9%
D 90%

Answer 9

A 99%

Question 10

Alzheimer’s disease as a cause of brain dysfunction occurs due to the build up of what 2 things?

Answer 10

• beta amyloid protein causing beta amyloid plaques
• abnormal tau protein causing tau tangles

Question 11

Early onset AD occurs in less than _% of cases, arises around ages __-__, and is causes by mutations in _________ _______.

Answer 11

less than 5%
arises around age 60-65
caused by mutation in dominant genes

Question 12

Late onset AD occurs in the ________ of cases, arising after the age of __.

Answer 12

majority of cases
after age 65

Question 13

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a glycoprotein which transports _______ and promotes _______ repair.

Answer 13

transports cholesterol and promotes cellular repair

Question 14

Which allele of ApoE increases the risk of developing AD?
A E1 Allele
B E2 Allele
C E3 Allele
D E4 Allele

Answer 14

D E4 Allele

Question 15

Normally the beta-amyloid protein is _________, but becomes ______ when the E4 allele attaches. This makes beta-amyloid less likely to be ______ ______ and available to form _______.

Answer 15

normally soluble
becomes insoluble
less likely to be broken down
forming plaques

Question 16

What are 5 non-genetic risk factors of beta-amyloid build up?

Answer 16

head injury
infection
alcoholism and drug use
lifestyle choices
exposure to toxic chemicals

Question 17

Brain atrophy refers to sever degeneration of the __________ and ________ cortex, as well as _________ enlargement.

Answer 17

degenedration of hippocampus and cerebral cortex
ventricular enlargement

Question 18

Which statement is true of beta-amyloid plaques?
A They are not unique to AD, and can occur with age
B People with AD have a unnaturally large build of plaques
C People with AD have plaques in specific locations, such as the hippocampus
D All of the above

Answer 18

D all of the above

Question 19

Beta amyloid is produced in both ______ form and _____ form

Answer 19

long form and short form

Question 20

the short form of beta amyloid protein is _________ and _________ in blood, transporting ________. it is associated with normal, healthy _______.

Answer 20

short form = good
soluble
circulating in blood
transporting cholesterol
associated with normal function

Question 21

The long form of beta amyloid protein is less ______ so more likely to ________. This can disrupt ________ connectivity and functions of _______, leading to their death.

Answer 21

long form = bad
insoluble
disrupts synaptic connectivity and neuronal function, leading to death of neurons

Question 22

People with AD have an increased proportion of
A Long form beta amyloid protein
B Short form beta amyloid protein
C tau protein tangles
D Both A and C

Answer 22

D Both A and C

Question 23

In healthy brains Tau protein ______ __ and stabilizes _________, allowing for ________ transport

Answer 23

healthy - Tau binds to and stabilizes microtubules
Allowing for nutrient transport

Question 24

In AD brains. Tau protein ______ and binds to _______, leading to ‘tau _______’, this disrupts the _______ system

Answer 24

tau detaches and binds to other tau, leading to tau tangles, disrupting transport system

Question 25

In AD brains there is a depletion of what 4 neurotransmitters?

Answer 25

ACH
Glutamate
Serotonin
noraderenaline

Question 26

ChAT stands for _________ ________________
AchE stands for _____________________

Answer 26

choline acetyltransferase
Acetylcholinesterase

Question 27

AchE is responsible for the _____________ of Ach?
A Breakdown
B Production
C transfer
D Transport

Answer 27

A breakdown

Question 28

List 6 psychological treatment therapies for AD (NON-DRUG)

Answer 28

Memory aids (positit notes etc)
Cognitive behavioural therapy
music therapy
structured daily interactions
stimulated presence therapy
caregiving

Question 29

What is the role of cholinergic drugs such as cholinesterase inhibitor?

Answer 29

reduce the breakdown of Ach, by inhibiting AchE

Question 30

Cholinergic drugs are best for patients with
A mild symptoms
B moderate symptoms
C severe symptoms
D Both A nd B

Answer 30

D both A and B

Question 31

Glutamate receptor antagonists such as _________are best used to slow down symptoms of _________ and ________ in patients with moderate to severe symptoms

Answer 31

memantine
slows symptoms of aggression and agitation

Question 32

What are 3 issues with psycho-pharmacological treatments of AD ?

Answer 32

Cannot reverse symptoms only slow down
only short term treatment
doesn’t solve root of problem

Question 33

Other than glutamate and Ach treatments, what are 3 other types of treatments used to treat AD?

Answer 33

reduce beta-amyloid production
reduce tau tangles
improve cardiovascular health

Question 34

Biomarkers can be used to detect _______ such as AD. They can show changes such as CSF levels or build of up ___ ________ and ___ ______, and can be detected in ________ tests, _____ and PET scans

Answer 34

detects diseases like AD
show CSF changes and tau or beta amyloid build up
detectable in blood tests or MRI scan, and PET