Mechanisms of Disease

Question 1

Outline the pathway in which diseases develop.

Answer 1

• Aetiology e.g genetic abnormalities, trauma, infections
• Pathogenesis
• Morphological changes
• Clinical manifestations

Question 2

How are diseases classified?

Answer 2

• Congenital or acquired?
• Method of acquisition

Question 3

How can congenital diseases be classified?

Answer 3

• Genetic or non-genetic?
• Inherited or spontaenous if genetic
• Environmental or accidental if non-genetic

Question 4

Give examples of developmental and genetic disorders.

Answer 4

• Chromosomal abnormalities
• Conjoined twins

Question 5

Which group of diseases causes more pain and suffering than any other group of disease?

Answer 5

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Question 6

Give examples of infecting agents and what diseases they cause.

Answer 6

• BACTERIA - Abscesses
• VIRUSES - Chickenpox
• FUNGI - Vaginal thrush
• PROTOZOA - Malaria

Question 7

What processes are directly linked to symptoms of disease?

Answer 7

• Pathogenesis
• Inflammation as a result of pathogen presence

Question 8

What is a tumour?

Answer 8

• Abnormal tissue mass resulting from autonomous disordered growth caused by genetic alteration

Question 9

Define neoplasia and what it indicates

Answer 9

‘New growth’
- Indicates presence of cells sharing uncontrolled growth

Question 10

What is the difference between benign and malignant neoplasms?

Answer 10

• BENIGN expand locally but don’t metastasise
• Malignant will metastasise
• Both are dangerous especially if affecting significant area such as brain

Question 11

What is immunity based on?

Answer 11

• Body’s ability to distinguish between autologous substances (‘self’) and exogenous substances (‘non-self’)

Question 12

What is the immune system subdivided into?

Answer 12

• B cells responsible for humoral immunity
• T cells responsible for cell mediated immunity

Question 13

Describe autoimmune disorders and give an example.

Answer 13

• Body violates protection of its own identity and ‘attacks itself’
• Autoreactive antibodies and immune cells harm autologous substrates
• EXAMPLES: Lupus

Question 14

Define hemodynamics and what disturbances can cause hemodynamic-related diseases.

Answer 14

Control of blood flow and distribution
- Hypertension, thrombosis, ischaemia and haemorrhage
- EXAMPLE: Acute ischaemia results in tissue necrosis e.g black gangrene - sometimes needing amputation since tissues produce toxins

Question 15

Describe the clinical presentation of a stroke.

Answer 15

• Neurological defects since brain cells don’t regenerate
• Caused by intracranial haemorrhages and infarctions

Question 16

Describe kinetic injuries.

Answer 16

• Cause blood loss and removal of bone marrow which can cause embolisms

Question 17

Describe metabolic diseases with an example.

Answer 17

• Reduced to decreased intake of essential nutrients e.g vitamins
• Vitamin A deficiency can influence cell differentiation

Question 18

Describe degenerative diseases

Answer 18

• Occurs mostly as we age
• Examples that regularly come up are dementia, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis
• Common in the elderly

Question 19

What two types of aetiology are there?

Answer 19

Genetic
Environmental

Question 20

Descriibe three types of aetiology

Answer 20

• One disease with a single aetiology
• One aetiology causing several diseases
• One disease with several aetiologies

Question 21

Describe predisposing factors with examples.

Answer 21

• Factors putting individual at risk of developing disease
• EXAMPLE: increased food intake, exposure to radiation etc.