Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration

Question 1

What are neuro-degenerative disorders?

Answer 1

A group of progressive diseases that primarily affect the function and structure of neurones in the brain and spinal cord.

Question 2

List the main mechanisms of neuro-degeneration?

Answer 2

Misfolded cellular proteins and how they fold into their functional shape

Oxidative stress

Apoptosis

Autophagy

Question 3

Explain how misfolded cellular proteins can lead to neurodegeneration

Answer 3

Abnormal folding of proteins can lead to accumulation due to lack of recognition. They can become toxic, disrupting cell function within neurones

Question 4

What is autophagy?

Answer 4

This is a fundamental cellular function responsible for the maintenance of neurone health.

This includes degradation or and recycling of cellular components such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids through lysosomes

Question 5

What are lysosomes?

Answer 5

These are membrane organelles that contain hydrolytic enzymes

Question 6

How can autophagy cause neurodegeneration?

Answer 6

If this function in neurones becomes disordered or unbalanced toxic substances can accumulate, disrupting cell function

Question 7

What does ROS stand for?

Answer 7

Reactive oxygen species

Question 8

What are ROS?

Answer 8

Byproduct of of mitochondrial energy production and cellular metabolism

Can cause damage to cellular components, denaturing cellular proteins etc causing toxic insolubles to accumulate

Question 9

What is Oxidative Stress?

Answer 9

The term used to describe the damage caused by ROS

Question 10

What is Apoptosis?

Answer 10

The cellular mechanism for destruction of cellular destruction

Question 11

How can Apoptosis cause neurodegeneration?

Answer 11

The process is triggered within the cell causing a proteolytic cascade of reactions

This dismantles contents, leading to shrinkage of the cell

Becomes target for phagocytosis by macrophages