Alzheimer's Disease Flashcards

0
Q

Brain growth spurt

A

Due to increase in…

  1. Neuron size
  2. Myelination
  3. # of glial cells
  4. Elaboration of dendritic processes
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1
Q

Mitosis after pre-natal life

A

Occurs only in olfactory, dentate gyrus, and prefrontal cortex neurons

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2
Q

Common causes of death in Alzheimer’s

A

Infection, aspiration pneumonia, cerebral hemorrhage

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3
Q

Areas of neuron loss in Alzheimer’s

A

Limbic Strucutres:
1. Neo-cortex- association and higher-order areas

  1. Hippocampus- memory
  2. Amygdala

Reticular Structures:
4. Nucleus basalis of Meynert

  1. Nucleus locus coeruleus- decreased O2 and glucose retrieved from blood; loss of REM
  2. Raphe nuclei- unregulated mood
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4
Q

Nissl bodies

A

Stains RER and RNA; chromatolysis causes decreased staining in Alzheimer’s

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5
Q

NFT

A

Neurofibrillary Tangles

Insoluble tau proteins that build up in neurons of Alzheimer’s pts

*Tau normally stabilizes microtubules

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6
Q

Senile plaques

A
Contain an:
Amyloid core
Swollen neurites
    -lysosomes, ApoE 
Reactive astrocytes
    -Drawn by chronic inflammation
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7
Q

Normal changes in dendritic shafts

A

Will produce growth of other neuronal dendrites

*Not the case in Alzheimer’s

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8
Q

Congophilic angiopathy

A

Deposition of amyloid in cerebral/meningeal arteries

  • Leads to cerebrovascular hemorrhage
  • Normally cleared by the BBB during sleep
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9
Q

Behavioral changes in Alzheimer’s

A
  1. Memory loss
  2. Decreased initiative
  3. Depression
    * Must give SSRIs to treat
  4. Faulty judgment

Later symptoms get more severe w / language deficits and incontinence

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10
Q

Sundowning

A

Presence of severe anxiety/fear in the evening for Alzheimer’s pts.

-Can also induce hypersexuality

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11
Q

Donepezil

A

Cholinesterase inhibitor used to treat Alzheimer’s

  • Will delay onset of Alzheimer’s for up to 3yrs
  • Should only be used acutely to treat symptoms
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12
Q

DBS

A

Deep Brain Stimulation

  • Can stimulate glucose metabolism and the Papez circuit
  • Reduced memory loss in Alzheimer’s
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13
Q

Mini Mental Status Exam

A

Most widely used cognitive test for Alzheimer’s

-Decreasing scores track the rate of decline; pts. often fail memory, concentration, and motor sections

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14
Q

Early onset Familial Alzheimer’s Disease

A

Mutations that are inherited in AD fashion

  • Genes are on chromosomes 21, 14, and 1
  • Gene on 21 codes for B-amyloid precursor; gets irregularly cleaved and accumulates into senile plaques
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15
Q

Late onset sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease

A

Can be due to infectious (prions; encephalitis), toxic (aluminum accumulation) or CV dysregulation (amyloid build-up)

16
Q

Risk factors for Alzheimer’s

A

-Age

-Inheritance of E4 alleles
(codes for EpoE; normally involved in lipid metabolism and binding amyloid)

  • Mild TBIs
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Untreated depression (kills neurons in hippocampus)
  • Low Vitamin D
  • MCI
  • Possible connection to Hormone Replacement Therapy in women >65
17
Q

MCI

A

Mild Cognitive Impairment- short-term memory loss w/o other cognitive defects

18
Q

Decreasing risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease

A
  • E2/E2 inheritance => tau stability
  • Continuing mental challenge
  • Omega-3 fats, low LDL
  • Vitamin B12
  • Exercise
19
Q

Damage to hippocampus causes…

A

Short-term memory loss

Loss of spatial coordinate system

Loss of declarative memory