Module 14 Flashcards
Alzheimer’s Disease - prevalent gender
- Women (75%)
Alzheimer’s Disease - symptoms (general)
memory loss
problems conducting routine tasks
problems with language, judgment, behaviour, intelligence)
Alzheimer’s Disease - early symptoms
- confusion
- memory loss
- problems conducting routine tasks
Alzheimer’s Disease - severe symptoms
= difficulty performing daily living activities (eating, bathing, speaking, controlling bowel and bladder function)
Pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Degeneration of cholinergic neurons in hippocampus (early) then in cerebral cortex (late)
- advanced Alzheimer’s = 10% of cholinergic nerve function
Alzheimer’s Disease - diagnosis
- obtained after death (when brain sample is analyzed)
- look for
- neurofibrillary tangles
- neuritic plaques
Neurofibrillary tangles
- form inside neurons when microtubule arangement is disrupted
- cause = abnormal production of a protein called Tau
- can cause alzheimers
Tau
- a protein responsible for forming cross-bridges between microtubules keeping their structure
- abnormal formation –> alzheimers
Neuritic Plaques
- found outside of neurons –> composed of a core of protein fragments called beta amyloid
Beta amyloid
- make up core of neuritic plaques
- has been shown to kill hipocampal cells + cause Alzheimer-like symptoms (when injected into monkeys)
Etiology of Alzheimer’s Disease
- usually unknown
- 20% = genetic
- head injury = also a factor
Alzheimer’s Disease - genetic predisposition (2)
- two copies of apoplipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) –> propotes formation of neuritic plaques by binding to beta amyloid
- Mutations in amyloid precursor gene (involved in production of beta amyloid)
Alzheimer’s Disease - drug treatment
1) Cholinesterase inhibitors (inhibit breakdown of acetylcholine)
2) NMDA receptor antagonists (block NMDA mediated increases in intracellular calcium)
only minimal improvement in symptoms
Cholinesterase inhibitors - target disease
- treat alzheimers disease
Cholinesterase inhibitors - mechanism of action
- inhibit metabolism of acetylcholine by enzyme acetylcholinesterase
- allows more acetylcholine to remain in the synaptic cleft to exert its actions
- only able to enhance cholinergic neurotransmission in the remaining healthy neurons
Cholinesterase inhibitors - effectiveness
- display minimal benefit on some measures of memorry
- only effective in 25% of patients
Cholinesterase inhibitors - adverse effects (3)
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhea
- insomnia
NMDA receptor antagonists - target disorder
alzheimers
NMDA receptor - function
- NDMA receptor = calcium channel blocked by magnesium at rest
- when glutamate binds to the NDMA receptor, magnesium dissociates allowing calcium to enter post-synaptic neuron (when glutamate leaves, magnesium returns)
- normal calcium influx is important in process of learning of memory
NMDA receptor and Alzheimers
- Alzheimers = excess glutamate release,
- NMDA receptor remains open –>
- excess calcium enters the cell
detriments of excess calcium influx - NMDA receptors (2)
1) detrimental to learning and memory (overpowers normal calcium signal)
2) causes degradation of neurons (too much calcium is toxic)
NMDA receptor antagonists - mechanism of action
- NMDA receptor antagonists block calcium influx into the post-synaptic neuron
NMDA receptor antagonists - adverse effects
- well tolerated
- side effects observed in clinical trials had same incidence as patients taking placebo
Schizophrenia
- disorder that makes it hard to differentiate between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to have normal emotional responses, and to behave normally in social situations
- affects 1`% of worlds population
Schizophrenia - age of onset
adolescence or early adulthood (16-30)
Symptoms of Schizophrenia (classifications)
- Positive symptoms (exaggerate or distort normal neuro function)
- Negative symptoms (where there is a loss of normal neurological function)
Symptoms of Schizophrenia - positive symptoms (7)
symptoms that exaggerate or distort normal neurological function EX - delusions - Hallucinations - agitation - paranoia - combativeness - disorganized speech - disorganized thinking
Symptoms of Schizophrenia - negative symptoms (8)
symptoms are those where there is a loss of normal neurological function EX - Social withdrawal - poverty of speech - poor self care - poor insight - poor judgment - emotional withdrawal - blunted affect - lack of motivation
Etiology of Schizophrenia
largely unknown, a few factors that increase risk
- Family history
- Drug abuse
- Low birth weight
- Low IQ
Etiology of Schizophrenia - family history
- 10% of schizophrenics have a parent with the disease
- both parents with schizophrenia –> 25% chance their children will have it
Etiology of Schizophrenia - drug abuse
- methamphetaine (crystal meth), phencyclidine (PCP, angel dust) and lysergic acid diethylamid (LSD)
Etiology of Schizophrenia - low birth weight
babies born at less than 5.5 pounds have increased risk of developing schizophrenia
Etiology of Schizophrenia - low IQ
lower IQ = greater risk of developing schizophrenia
Brain regions affected by Schizophrenia (6)
- Basal ganglia
- Frontal lobe
- Limbic system
- Auditory system
- occipital lobe
- hippocampus
Brain regions affected by Schizophrenia - basal ganglia
- normal = movement and emotions
- abnormal = abnormal activity –> paranoia and hallucinations
Brain regions affected by Schizophrenia - frontal lobe
- normal = problem solving and insight
- Abnormal - associated with difficulty planning actions and organizing thoughts
Brain regions affected by Schizophrenia - Limbic System
- normal = emotions
- Schizophrenia = contributes to agitation
Brain regions affected by Schizophrenia - Auditory system
- overactivity –> hallucinations
Brain regions affected by Schizophrenia - occipital lobe
- normal = processes visual info
- Abnormal = involved with interpreting images, reading emotion on other;s faces and recognizing motion
Brain regions affected by Schizophrenia - hippocampus
- normal = mediates learning and memory
- abnormal = learning and memory hindered
Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia (3)
- increased dopaminergic nerve transmission (opposite side of Parkinson’s spectrum) = increased domaminergic neurotransmision and increased binding of dopamine to D2 receptors
- 5-HT (seretonin) imbalance… decreased number of 5HT 2A receptors, increase in 5-HT 1A receptors –> impact symptoms
- Glutamate - patients with schizophrenia have a decreased number of NMDA receptors in some regions of their brain –> symptoms of schizophrenia
- PCP (angel dust) = antagonist of NMDA receptor
Schizophrenia - how is it diagnosed?
- no definitive test
- diagnosis made by psychiatrist after interviewing patient and family
Schizophrenia - diagnostic criteria (5)
1) changes in function from before illness
2) developmental bacground
3) family history’
4) response to meds
5) brain scans (enlarged ventricles, decreased frontal lobe brain activity)
Drug treatment of Schizophrenia
- blocking dopamine and/or serotonin neurotransmission in the brain
Drug treatment of schizophrenia - classification (2)
- conventional antipsychotics
- atypical antipsychotics
Conventional antipsychotics - mechanism of action
- work primarily by blocking dopamine 2 (D2) receptors primarily in the mesolimbic area of the brain
- lesser degree - also block receptors for acetylcholine, histamine, norepinephrine
Conventional antipsychotics - potency
directly proportional to thier ability to inhibit D2 receptors
Conventional antipsychotics - efficacy
- mostly efficient at treating positive symptoms of schizophrenia than the negative symptoms
- initial effects seen in 1-2 days, substantial improvement takes 2-4 weeks
Conventional antipsychotics - adverse effects (6)
1) extrapyramidal symptoms
2) sudden high fever
3) anticholinergic effects
4) orthostatic hypotension
5) sedation
6) skin reactions
Extrapyramidal symptoms (what, pathophysiology, 4 types)
- movement disorders that resemble the symptoms of parkinson’s disorder
- due to blockade of D2 receptors
- 4 types = acute dystonia, parkinsonism, akathesia, tardive dyskinesia
Acute Dystonia
- an extrapyramidal symptoms
- involuntary spasm of the muscles in the face tongue, neck or back. typically occurs early in therapy
Parkinsonism (what,, symptoms (4), treatment)
- a type of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS)
- bradykinesia, mask-like face, rigitity, stooped posture
- treated with anticholinergic drug (avoid L-DOPA)
Akathesia
- an extrapyramidal symptom
- pacing, squirming, desire to continually be in motion
- typically occurs early in treatment
Tardive Dyskinesia
- an extrapyramidal symtom
- occurs in 20% of patients on longterm therapy
- irreversible (early detection is essential)
- involuntary twisting and writhing of the face and tonuge, lip smacking
- switch medications immediately
Atypical antipsychotics - mechanism of action
- block both dopamine D2 receptors and 5-HT-2A receptors
- can block D2 receptors, but affinity is very low…. Therapeutic action is due to blockade of 5-HT receptors
Which is better - conventional antipsychotics or atypical antipsychotics
atypical psychotics…
1) same efficacy versus positive symptoms of schizophrenia
2) much greater efficacy versus negative symptoms of schizophrenia
3) much lower risk of developing extrapyramidal symptoms
Atypical antipsychotics - adverse effects (5)
- sedation
- orthostatic hypotension
- weight gain (sometimes severe)
- risk of developing type II diabetes
- anticholinergic effects
Epilepsy
- neurological disorder that produces brief disturbances in the normal electrical activity in the brain
- Characterized by sudden, brief seizures (vary from person to person)
Seizure
a sudden alteration of behaviour caused by CNS dysfunction
- transient and sudden
Epileptic seizure
- a seizure caused by primary CNS dysfunction
- due to excess depolarization and hypersynchronization of neurons
Non-epileptic seizure
- a seizure-like episode that is not the result of abnormal electrical activity in the brain
Epilepsy (definition)
- a tendency for recurrent spontaneous epileptic seizures
Status epilepticus
- a single unremitting epileptic seizure of duration longer than 30 minute OR
- frequent seizure without recovery of awareness in between
EMERGENCY
Categories of seizures (2)
- epileptic
- non-epileptic
Categories of Epileptic seizures (3)
- focal/partial seizure
- generalized seizure
- secondary generalized seizure
categories of focal/partial seizure (2)
- complex
- simple
Categories of generalized seizure (5)
- abscence seizure
- tonic/clonic seizure
- myoclonic seizure
- tonic seizure
- atonic seizure
Focal/partial seizure
- arise in one area of the brain
- 2 types
- simple partial seizure
- complex partial seizure
Simple partial seizure
- no loss of consciousness
- symptoms depend on where the seizure activity is arising from
- EX - L motor strip oglidendroglioma –> clonic movement of right arm, then right face, then right leg. No impairment of consciousness, lasts 45 seconds`
Complex partial seizure
- loss of consciousness (patient may appear to be awake but are not aware of surroundings)
- symptoms depend on where seizure is taking place
- EX - right temporal lobe epilepsy –> whistling, bicicling movements in left leg, rising epigastric sensation with nausea, normal ictal speech, no memory of events post ictally (after seizure), lasting 30-45 seconds
Generalized seizures
- bilateral diffuse onset, seeming to arise form all areas of the brain at once
- 5 types
- abscence seizure
- tonic/clonic seizures
- myoclonic seizures
- tonic seizures
- atonic seizures
Absence seizures - symtoms
- loss of consciousness, behavioural arrest, staring
- rarely associated with automatisms (unusual purposless movements)
Absence seizure - frequency and timing
- usually brief
- may occur multiple times in a day
Absence seizures - population
more common in childhood
Tonic/Clonic seizures - symptoms
- abrupt loss of consiousness
- a tonic period (muscles become rigid) lasting 1 minute)
- a clonic period (involuntary muscle contractions) lasting 2-3 minutes
- patient may become incontinent and have tongue biting
- post-ictal –> drowsy, confusion, frequently complaining of headaches
Tonic - definition
muscles become rigid
Clonic - definition
involuntary muscle contractions
Myoclonic seizures
- sudden, brief muscle contractions that can involve any muscle group
- usually no loss of consciousness
- sometimes associated with a later developemnt of generalized tonic/clonic seizures
Tonic seizures
- sudden msucle stiffening (rigidity)
- often involve impaired consiousness
Atonic seizures
- sudden loss of muscle tone
- brief (15 seconds)
- aka drop seizures (patients drop to the grund)
- risk for falling injuries
Secondary generalized seizure
- a seizure that begins in one area of the brain (like a focal seizure) then spread throughout the brain
an “aura”
- preliminary focal phase of a secondary seizure
Localizing focal seizures
evaluating the patients symptoms vs what we know about vaious regions of the brain
Focal seizures - frontal lobe (3)
- simple repetitive motor movements involving a localized muscle group –> seizure activity in the contralateral primary motor cortex
- tonic posturing affecting entire side of the body –> seizure in contralateral Supplemental Motor Area (SMA) + other higher level motor structures
- Very complex behaiour automatisms involving bilateral movment (swimming, bicycle riding movements) = seizure in higher areas of frontal cortex, may involve vocalizations (laughter, crying)
Where is the seizure? - simple repetitive motor movements involving a localized muscle group
- frontal lobe (primary motor cortex)
Where is the seizure? = tonic posturing affecting entire side of the body
Frontal lobe (Contralateral Supplemental motor area/ other higher level motor structures)
Where is the seizure - Very complex behavioural automatisms involving bilateral moment (swimming, bicycle riding movements), may involve vocalizations (laughter, crying)
Frontal lobe (higher areas of the frontal cortex)
Focal Seizures - Temporal Lobe
- typically associated with auditory hallucinations (buzzing, voices talking), olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste) hallucinations
- more ocmplex sensory phenomena (visual distortions, paresthesias (numbness) and autonomic disturbances
Where is the seizure? - auditory, olfactory, gustatory hallucinations
temporal lobe
Where is the seizure? - paresthesias, autonomic disturbanes
temporal lobe
Focal Seizures - Parietal Lobe (3)
- localized paresthesias = numbness, “pins and needles” = somatosensory cortex
- complex/widespread paresthesias = somatosensory association cortex
- complex multi-sensory hallucinations and illusions = higher order sensory association (difficult to distinguish from the more common temporal lobe seizure)
Where is the seizure? - numbness, “pins and needles”
parietal lobe (somatosensory cortex)
Where is the seizure? - complex/widespread parenthesis
Parietal lobe (somatosensory association cortex)
Where is the seizure - complex multi-sensory hallucinations and illusions
Parietal lobe (higher order sensory association areas)/temporal lobe
Focal seizures - occipital lobe
- Visual hallucinations (flashing.repeated pattern in the environment, rather than organized objects such as people or faces)
- Temporary blindness/decreased vision, sensation of eye movement, nystagmus (involuntary eye movement)
- can be mistaken for migraine headaches
Where is the seizure? - Visual hallucinations (flashing.repeated pattern in the environment
occipital lobe
Where is the seizure? - Temporary blindness/decreased vision, sensation of eye movement, nystagmus (involuntary eye movement)
Occipital lobe
Epileptogenesis (3)
1) symptomatic epilepsy
2) idiopathic epilepsy
3) cryptogenic epilepsy
Symptomatic epilepsy
epilepsy arising from an identified physical cause (ex brain tumour, stroke, infection, other injury)
Idiopathic epilepsy
epilepsy that does not have identifiable cause; often there is a family history of seizures, genetics likely play a role
Cryptogenic epilepsy
epilepsy that is likely to have an underlying cause that has not been identified
The seizure threshold (2)
- thought of as the balance between excitable and inhibitory forces in the brain
- everybody has a seizure threshold –> affects how susceptible a patient is to having a seizure