Neurobiology and Neurochemistry of Cognition Flashcards
types of memory?
semantic memory (facts) long term memory short term memory working memory (immediate conscious perception memory in-action) procedural memory (memory of how to complete a task, used unconsciously) episodic memory (things that have happened)
damage to wernicke’s area causes what?
fluent aphasia/receptive dysphasia
can speak fluently but doesnt make sense in response to the questions/conversation
damage to brocas area causes what?
responses show an
expressive aphasia
attempt to make sense and are in correct context
just difficult to actually get the words out
what are boradmans areas?
52 areas of the cortex defined by their different cytoarchitecture
multi-store model of memory?
environmental input > sensory memory > committed to short term memory with increased attention > committed to long term memory with rehearsal
can be retrieved from long term memory back to short term memory for recall
function of hippocampus in memory?
important for encoding information from short term memory to long term memory
what is agnosia?
difficulty recognising objects
what is dyspraxia?
loss of coordination
associated with autism but also with dementia
2 main pathological features of alzheimers?
amyloid plaques
neurofibrilary tangles
what causes the neurofibrilary tangles?
hyperphosphorylated tau protein in microtubules
cholinergic projections in cognition?
acetylcholine involved in transmission
striatal interneurones = motor control
nucleus basalis of maynert (attention/arousal)
medial septal nucleus (learning and memory)
brain stem nuclei
what do acetylcholinesterase inhibitors do?
boost cholinergic transmission but dont treat the underlying pathological process
3 examples of cholinesterase inhibitors?
donepezil
galantamine
rivastigmine
what is memantine?
non-competitive NMDA antagonist licensed to treat alzheimers
which is most affected by vascular dementia, grey or white matter?
white
what 2 proteins aggregate in lewy body dementia?
alpha synuclein and ubiquitin
what causes lewy body dementia?
loss of dopamine producing neurones in substantia nigra
loss of acetylcholine producing neurones in (nucleus basalis?)
what is Picks disease?
frontotemporal dementia
dementia in parkinsons disease?
physical symptoms around 1 year before any cognitive decline
pathology in frontotemporal dementia?
loss of neurones
gliosis
abnormal protien inclusions
general features in frontotemporal dementia?
personality and behavioural changes
3 types of changes in frontotemporal dementia?
behavioural changes (loss of social awareness and inhibitions)
progressive non-fluent aphasia
semantic dementia
(generally these occur together, not usually separate)
triad of features in wernickes encephalopathy?
opthalmoplegia
confusion
ataxia
other symptoms in wernickes encephalopathy?
visual and hearing impairment reduced consciousness hypothermia lactic acidosis circulatory changes
what causes wernicke’s encephalopathy?
thiamine deficiency due to alcoholism
what is koraskoff syndrome?
atrophy of mamillary bodies if wernickes isnt treated
features of koraskoff syndrome?
hallucination confabulation cant form new memories can have retrograde amnesia telescoping of events (thinking events are much more recent than they are) ataxia?
how can koraskoff be preventted?
replace thiamine (pabrinex)
eat carbs
stop drinking
early recognition of wernickes
possible alcohol related brain damage?
wernickes korsakoff myelin sheath degredation neuroinflammation fall leading to subdural haematoma
