Nervous System Unit Lesson 5: Nervous Disorders

Question 1

What is Alzheimer’s Disease?

Answer 1

Abnormal neurons become present in significant amounts throughout the brain

affects the brain

Question 2

What is the result of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Answer 2

Neurons are misshapen due to the presence of abnormal proteins leading to the tangling of axons.

Individuals with AD have difficulty performing basic daily activities and loss of memory

Question 3

What are the causes of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Answer 3

Causes are not well understood but have been linked to specific genes.

Age is a large factor with most individuals with AD developing the condition after 65 years of age

Question 4

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Answer 4

A gradual loss of motor control occurring in the body over time

affects the central nervous system

Question 5

What is the result of Parkinson’s?

Answer 5

Movement and speaking become difficult and the body experiences tremors

Question 6

What is the cause of Parkinson’s?

Answer 6

Neurons that supply dopamine to the basal nuclei in the cerebrum function degenerate. Without the dopamine, the basal nuclei are poorly regulated and send excessive excitatory signals to the motor neurons

Question 7

What is Multiple Sclerosis?

Answer 7

Myelinated neurons in the white matter of the brain become damaged and can no longer conduct nerve impulses properly.

aka. encephalomyelitis disseminata

affects the myelinated neurons

Question 8

What is the result of Multiple Sclerosis?

Answer 8

Individuals experience numbing, tingling, vision problems, and limb weakness

Question 9

What is the cause of Multiple Sclerosis?

Answer 9

Causes are poorly understood but considered an autoimmune disease, dude to white blood cells attacking the body’s own myelin and neurons in the central nervous system

Question 10

What is Meningitis?

Answer 10

The meninges surrounding the CNS become infected by either a virus or bacteria, causing excessive inflammation

affects the meninges

Question 11

What is the result of Meningitis?

Answer 11

Prolonged infection can lead to the pathogen passing into the actual brain tissue.

Question 12

What is the cause of Meningitis?

Answer 12

The meninges can become infected by a pathogen that infects other nerve cells and is carried back to the brain

Question 13

What is Prion Disease?

Answer 13

Some misfolded proteins can pass their misfolded shape onto normal variants of the same protein. These proteins are termed prions from PRoteinaceous infectION

affects the brain

Question 14

What is the result of Prion Disease?

Answer 14

Individuals with Prion Disease have PRoteinaceous infectION proteins in significant quantities in their brain tissues, that can lead to nerve cell death and holes in the tissue

Question 15

What is the cause of Prion Disease?

Answer 15

Some prion diseases can be acquired by ingesting tissues of infected organisms such as cows with mad cow disease

Question 16

What is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Answer 16

Motor neurons become non-functional

affects the motor neurons

Question 17

What is the result of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?

Answer 17

Individuals die eventually due to the important neurons (ex. those in lungs) no longer performing properly. Motor neurons begin to fail but the brain remains largely unaffected.

Question 18

What is the cause of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?

Answer 18

Cause is unknown but is thought to be genetic.

Individuals with ALS have unusually high concentration of the neurotransmitter glutamate, which is toxic in higher levels.

Other possibilities can include environmental factors and autoimmune reactions

Question 19

What is Hansen’s Disease

Answer 19

Nerves in various regions of the body are damaged by excess inflammation or bacteria binding to myeline associated structures

aka. Leprosy

affects the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, eyes

Question 20

What is the result of Hansen’s Disease?

Answer 20

Nerve damage leads to poor communication within the body, which can lead to lesions, rashes, and numbness

Question 21

What is the cause of Hansen’s Disease?

Answer 21

Leprosy is caused by two species of bacteria in the genus Mycobacterium. It is transmitted from infected individuals to healthy individuals via fluids to and from the upper respiratory tract