Neurobiology of cognition

Question 1

What is included in cognition?

Answer 1

Semantic memory
Problem solving
Long term memory 
Consciousness 
Calculation 
Emotion 
Working memory
Procedural memory
Social cognition 
Decision making
Attention 
Judgement
Perception 
Spatial awareness
Metacognition 
Short term memory
Language

Question 2

What results from damage to wernicke’s area?

Answer 2

Receptive, fluent aphasia

Question 3

What results from damage to broca’s area?

Answer 3

Expressive, non-fluent dysphasia

Question 4

What is the role of the hippocampus in memory?

Answer 4

Converts long to short term memories

Memories are stored in individual neurones all across the cortex

Question 5

What is dementia?

Answer 5

Progressive, irreversible global decline in cognitive function
Assoc with psychiatric disorder such a mood changes, psychosis, agitation

Question 6

Which are of the brain is implicated in alzheimer’s?

Answer 6

Nucleus basalis of meynert in the medial temporal lobes (ACh production)

Question 7

What are common early symptoms in alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 7

Dysphasia
Dyspraxia
Agnosia

Question 8

What is the neuropathology behind alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 8

Inflammatory process
Amyloid plaques extracellularly
Neurofibrillary tangles of tau protein intracellularly

Question 9

What is the role of ACh within the brain (in terms of memory)?

Answer 9

Striatal interneurons; motor control
Nucleus basalis of Meynert; attention/ arousal
Medial septal nucleus; learning and memory
Brain stem nuclei

Question 10

What is the role of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in the treatment of alzheimer’s?

Answer 10

Boost cholinergic transmission but don’t treat the underlying pathological process

Question 11

What are examples of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors?

Answer 11

Donepezil
Galantamine
Rivastigmine

Question 12

Action of memantine?

Answer 12

NMDA antagonist; preferentially those associated with excitotoxicity

Question 13

What can be seen on scanning of those with vascular dementia?

Answer 13

White matter hyperintensities; tends to start periventricular and then spreads throughout the white matter of the cortex

Question 14

Buzz work for vascular dementia?

Answer 14

Step wise cognitive impairment

Question 15

Neuropathology of lewy body dementia?

Answer 15

Clumps of alpha synuclein around the brain

Loss of dopaminergic neurones in the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia

Question 16

What are common associated symptoms with lewy body dementia?

Answer 16

Parkinsonism

REM sleep behaviours; vivid dreams

Question 17

How is lewy body dementia diagnosed?

Answer 17

DAT scan

Question 18

What is used to treat lewy body dementia?

Answer 18

Rivastigmine

Question 19

Neuropathology of FTD?

Answer 19

Pick's inclusions
Loss of neurones
Gliosis
Superficial cortex becomes spongiform 
Balloon neurones

Question 20

Common symptoms of FTD?

Answer 20

Behavioural changes; personality changes, disinhibition, apathy
Progressive non-fluent aphasia
Semantic dementia

Question 21

Triad of wernicke’s encephalopathy?

Answer 21

Ophthalmoplegia
Confusion
Ataxia

Question 22

What causes wernicke’s encephalopathy?

Answer 22

Thiamine deficiency; co-factor in krebs cycle which in deficiency leads to oxidative damage and mitochondrial death

Question 23

What is the neuropathology of korsakoff syndrome?

Answer 23

Atrophy of mamillary bodies

Question 24

Symptoms of korsakoff syndrome?

Answer 24

Anterograde/ retrograde amnesia

Confabulation

Question 25

Alcohol related brain damage?

Answer 25

Wernicke's encephalopathy
Korsakoff  syndrome
Myelin sheath degeneration 
Neuroinflammation 
Fall -> subdural haematoma