Alzheimer's Disease

Question 1

ApoE4 vs ApoE2

Answer 1

ApoE4: Increases risk for AD because it causes the cell to make more APP overall

ApoE2: Protective factor

Question 2

Amyloid

Answer 2

Beta sheets

Amyloid fibers are essentially impossible for the cell to break down

Each amyloid only has one type of protein

In amyloid form, normal protein function is destroyed

Heat and protease resistant, not disrupted by ethanol or detergents

Question 3

Normal Tau

Answer 3

Found attached to microtubules in neuronal axons

Found in white matter fiber tracts (where axons travel to targets)

Question 4

Disulfide bond formation

Answer 4

Stabilize folded protein structures

Form under oxidizing conditions

Broken under reducing conditions

Question 5

Down’s syndrome & AD

Answer 5

Increased gene dose of APP leads to more full length ADD but the increased AB1-42 is what will actually skew the equilibrium to the oligomeric state.

Question 6

Vascular Dementia

Answer 6

Stepwise decline in cognitive function (vs progressive in AD) ex. 3 years of slow decline, 2 months ago X, 1 month ago Y.

Repeated lacunar infarcts

Atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clot formation and stroke (can be observed through MRI imagine)

Hypertension, hyperlipidemia

Question 7

Tau formation

Answer 7

Affects some areas earlier than others (frontal before hippocampus)
Affects many different brain regions
Does not affect cerebellum

Question 8

Osmolytes

Answer 8

Aid protein folding

Prevent aggregation

Question 9

MRI imaging

Answer 9

Show atrophy of cortex and hippocampus and enlarged vesicles with Alzheimers

Can show vascular injuries with vascular dementia