Conference: Alzheimer's disease

Question 1

What genetic determinants contribute to the early on-set of AD?

Answer 1

Chromosome 21 - amyloid precursor protein
Chromosome 4 - Presinilin 1
Chromosome 1 - Presinilin 2

Question 2

Genetic determinants that contribute to late on-set of AD?

Answer 2

Apo-E (epsilon 1,2,4)

note: Apo-E epsilon 4 is the most influential

Question 3

What part of the brain is the most affected by shrinkage?

Answer 3

hippocampus (plays a major role in formation of new memories

Question 4

As the cortex shrivels up, the areas damaged are

Answer 4

areas responsible for thinking, planning and remembering

Question 5

what structural changes does the ventricles undergo?

Answer 5

They grow larger

Question 6

clumps of protein that interfere with cell-to-cell communication in AD

Answer 6

beta-amyloid

Question 7

Thread of ____ twist into abnormal tangles that lead to failure of transport system

Answer 7

tau protein

Question 8

The proteases that cleave ____ malfunction and generate by-product “beta-amyloid”

Answer 8

APP

Question 9

what does APP in the brain form?

Answer 9

amyloid plaques (recall: amyloid cascade pathway)

Question 10

B-amyloid change the ______ events within the cell to change cell behavior

Answer 10

signal transduction

Question 11

what type of kinase is involved in taking over functions within the brain cells and assist in progression of AD

Answer 11

Glycogen Synthase Kinase - 3 (GSK-3)

Question 12

tau becomes inactive -> cytoskeleton becomes weak -> fibers twist and tangle -> damaging the cell -> brain cell death
what is formed?

Answer 12

neurofibrillary tangles

Question 13

____ -> cleaves APP -> no formation of B-amyloid

Answer 13

Alpha secretase

Question 14

What do you call the pathway with Alpha secretase as the initiator?

Answer 14

Non-amyloidogenic pathway

Question 15

What secretase/s is involved in the amyloidogenic pathway?

Answer 15

Beta secretase

Gamma secretase

Question 16

enzyme involved in the formation of neurofibrillary tangles?

Answer 16

kinase

Question 17

What is/are the effects of amyloid plaques on the neurons?

Answer 17

Increases calcium concentration

alters tau protein kinase activity

Question 18

neurofibrillary tangles _______ the microtubules and lead to impaired synpatic transmission

Answer 18

destabalizes

Question 19

proteins misfold and undergo confirmational change -> oligomeric/fibril seeds are produced -> protofilaments
-> mature fibrils -> aggregate to form plaques

Answer 19

Fibrin formation model

Question 20

proteins misfold and undergo confirmational change -> oligomeric/fibril seeds are produced -> _________
-> mature fibrils -> aggregate to form plaques

Answer 20

protofilaments

Question 21

Decreased hormon levels in persons with AD

Answer 21

somatostatin & serotonin

Question 22

This hormone increases cerebral blood flow, prevents neuronal atrophy and reverses nerve damage

Answer 22

estrogen

Question 23

provides endogenous anti-inflammatory agent around glial cells and blood vessels in NEOCORTEX and HIPPOCAMPUS

Answer 23

norepinephrine

Question 24

True about acetylcholine in AD patients

Answer 24

severe disturbances in cholinergic system

Question 25

Inhibition of ACAT =

Answer 25

reduces beta-amyloid

Question 26

function of ABCA1

Answer 26

Regulator of cholesterol efflux

Question 27

free Apo-E results to

Answer 27

PROMOTOES Beta-amyloid aggregation

Question 28

Apo-E containing HDL

Answer 28

INHIBIT aggregation of Beta-amyloid

Question 29

What interferon stimulates inflammatory response?

Answer 29

type 1 INF

Question 30

astrocytes are high in persons with AD and when activated can

Answer 30

produce prostaglandin/arachidonic acid -> mediate inflammation

Question 31

what mineral inhibits toxicity of amyloid-beta?

Answer 31

ZINC

Question 32

the mineral ______ when elevated increases the risk of AD

Answer 32

homocysteine