Alzheimer's Disease Flashcards
What is the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?
(one is a symptom/effect of the other)
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
What are 4 risk factors of Alzheimer’s, and which is most important?
Age (older people more likely)
Sex (women more likely)
Hormones
Lifestyle choices/modifiable factors
Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease, meaning that symptoms _________ over time.
worsen
In early stages symptoms may go _________ as they are still quite ______
undiagnosed as still quite weak
When diagnosed, Alzheimer’s symptoms range across what 3 stages?
Mild
Moderate
Severe
Mild Alzheimer’s symptoms may be seen as forgetting _____ and _____ of things/people, difficulties in _______ tasks and completing _____ tasks, and misplacing _______.
forgetting names and words
difficulties in planning and organising
misplacing objects
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 ________.
forgetting personal events and info
becoming easily angered
confused about location
disruptions to sleep
issues with bladder control
changes to personality
What are the 4 symptoms that arise in people with severe AD?
Complete loss of awareness regarding surroundings/time
communication difficulties
Physical difficulties (walking, swallowing)
Vulnerability to infections
What percentage of Alzheimer’s disease cases are not herditary?
A 99%
B 1%
C 9%
D 90%
A 99%
Alzheimer’s disease as a cause of brain dysfunction occurs due to the build up of what 2 things?
- beta amyloid protein causing beta amyloid plaques
- abnormal tau protein causing tau tangles
Early onset AD occurs in less than _% of cases, arises around ages __-__, and is causes by mutations in _________ _______.
less than 5%
arises around age 60-65
caused by mutation in dominant genes
Late onset AD occurs in the ________ of cases, arising after the age of __.
majority of cases
after age 65
Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is a glycoprotein which transports _______ and promotes _______ repair.
transports cholesterol and promotes cellular repair
Which allele of ApoE increases the risk of developing AD?
A E1 Allele
B E2 Allele
C E3 Allele
D E4 Allele
D E4 Allele
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 _______.
normally soluble
becomes insoluble
less likely to be broken down
forming plaques
What are 5 non-genetic risk factors of beta-amyloid build up?
head injury
infection
alcoholism and drug use
lifestyle choices
exposure to toxic chemicals
Brain atrophy refers to sever degeneration of the __________ and ________ cortex, as well as _________ enlargement.
degenedration of hippocampus and cerebral cortex
ventricular enlargement
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
D all of the above
Beta amyloid is produced in both ______ form and _____ form
long form and short form
the short form of beta amyloid protein is _________ and _________ in blood, transporting ________. it is associated with normal, healthy _______.
short form = good
soluble
circulating in blood
transporting cholesterol
associated with normal function
The long form of beta amyloid protein is less ______ so more likely to ________. This can disrupt ________ connectivity and functions of _______, leading to their death.
long form = bad
insoluble
disrupts synaptic connectivity and neuronal function, leading to death of neurons
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
D Both A and C
In healthy brains Tau protein ______ __ and stabilizes _________, allowing for ________ transport
healthy - Tau binds to and stabilizes microtubules
Allowing for nutrient transport
In AD brains. Tau protein ______ and binds to _______, leading to ‘tau _______’, this disrupts the _______ system
tau detaches and binds to other tau, leading to tau tangles, disrupting transport system
