Lecture 9 - Brain Damage and Neuroplasticity Flashcards
How many people does Huntington’s Disease affect?
A rare disease affecting about 1:10,000 people
What is Huntington’s Disease?
Progressive motor disorder of middle age and older adults with a strong genetic basis
What is Huntington’s disease caused by?
A single dominant gene mutation (Huntingtin gene –> Huntingtin protein)
What does Huntington’s Disease cause?
Starts with fidgetiness and jerkiness and then progresses into severe loss of motor control and dementia
What do you find in a Huntington patients brain?
Clumps of proteins
What are the new insights of Huntington’s?
HTT gene accumulates CAG repeats that do not get fixed by DNA repair mechanisms
What do the number of CAG repeats correlate to?
The symptom severity
What does over 150+ CAG repeats cause?
Dysfunction in cellular regulation which leads to apoptosis
How can Hungtinton’s Disease be tested?
By doing a blood test to look for CAG repeats - can be detected 20 years prior before symptoms start
What does Huntington’s Disease cause?
A neurodegenerative disorder that causes the gradual breakdown of the basal ganglia, a group of nerve cells in the brain that control movement.
Why do Huntington’s patients seem to have larger ventricles?
The disease causes significant atrophy (shrinkage) of brain tissue, particularly in the striatum region, which leads to an expansion of the fluid-filled spaces called ventricles within the brain;
What is the Striatum?
The striatum is a cluster of interconnected nuclei that form a part of the basal ganglia. It is involved in decision making functions, such as motor control, emotion, habit formation, and reward.
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
Progressive loss of CNA myelin (oligodendrocytes)
What is Multiple Sclerosis believe to be caused by?
Autoimmune condition
Because multiple sclerosis happens in the CNS, what can’t happen?
Any regeneration (remyelination)
What does Multiple Sclerosis lead to?
Neuronal degeneration (signals aren’t flowing as efficiently)
What is the typical onset of Multiple Sclerosis?
Early adulthood –> progressive
What are some advanced symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
Muscle weakness, numbness, tremor, visual distrubances, lack of motor control
What is common with multiple sclerosis?
Periods of remission
What drugs have been used for MS?
Immunomodulators may slow the progression or symptoms
What is the genetic predisposition for MS?
25% concordance in twins
What gender has a higher chance of getting at?
3 times higher in females than males
What are the chances in white people of European descent?
0.15% greater incidence
What are the genes associated with MS?
Several genes in the immune system and non-coding RNAs
What are some environmental factors of MS?
if you grew up in a colder climate, may be more likely to get MS
Viral or Bacterial Infections (Epstein-Barr virus)
Lifestyle Factors (diet, smoking, exercise)
What are epigenetic factors for MS?
Lack of Vitamin D