CNS: Degenerative and Demyelinating Diseases Flashcards
Normal weight of adult brain?
1250g in female
1400g in male
Gross changes in brain due to ages
Narrowing of gyric and widening of sulci
Generalised enlargement of ventricular system
Loss of brain weight
What is dementia
An acquired global brain impairment without affecting consciousness
Affects intellect, reason and personality
how many people 75-84 have Alzheimers? Above 85?
75-84 20%
> 85, 50%
Affects F>M
Microscopy findings with Alzheimer’s (6)
Beta A4 amyloid plaques Neurofibrillary tangles (Tau protein) Senile plaques Amyloid angiopathy Neuronal loss and reactive astrocytosis
Gross finding for Alzheimers?
Narrowing of gyri, widening of sulci
Ventricular enlargment
Loss of brain weight
ATROPHIC HIPPOCAMPUS
Two major histological features of Alzheimer’s
Beta A4 Amyloid plaques, widely distributed, can be stained using silver techniques or Conga Red Stain
Tau2 +ve Neurofibrillary tangles- highlighted using silver stains/
Progression of vascular dementia
Stepwise progression corresponding to episodes of infarction
Histology: Lacunar infarcts, no more than 15mm (cavitatory infarcts)
Vascular dementia
Risks for vascular dementia
Hypertension
M?F
Pick’s disease
EARLY ONSET behavioural and personality change due to frontal lobe atrophy
Speech changes due to temporal lobe atrophy
Histology of Pick’s disease
Neuronal loss most severe in outer 3 layers of cortex
Neuronal swelling (Pick cells)
What is Creutzfeldt Jakob disease?
A transmissible form of dementia caused by prions
Clinical signs of CJD?
Myoclonus
Cerebella degeneration
(Due to prions)
Histology: Vacuoles,spongiosis in grey matter. Numerous amyloid plaques and neuronal loss concentrated in the cerebellum.
CJD