Neurodegeneration Flashcards
Give 3 examples of conditions causing chronic neurodegeneration
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Prion Disease
Give 3 examples of conditions causing acute neurodegeneration
Traumatic Brain injuries, Stroke, TIA, Intracranial Haemorrhage
What is the difference between an Ischaemic stroke and a haemorrhaging stroke?
Ischaemic strokes are a clot which prevents blood flow and a haemorrhagic stroke is a brain bleed
How does loss of blood supply lead to neurodegeneration and cell death?
Loss of blood supply will result in a drop of O2 and glucose to the cells. This will cause a lack of energy leading to loss of protein synthesis (causing a drop in vital proteins), failure of Na+/K+ pumps (resulting in depolarisation) and anaerobic metabolism (causing a drop in Ph). This will all cause a rise in Ca2+ and glutamate (rise in 1 will cause rise in the other making it a spiralling process) . Rise in Ca 2+ will cause oedema and cell death
What are the 3 main ways calcium levels are maintained within cells?
Calcium binding proteins maintain free calcium levels, mitochondria take up calcium and buffer it, SERCA takes up Ca2+ into the endoplasmic reticulum
What will happen to Na+/K+ in the event of loss of energy from a stroke
Sodium Potassium pumps will not work resulting in an equalisation of sodium and potassium across the membrane and a loss of ionic gradient
Why will glutamate activity on the post synaptic cell increase in the vent of a stroke?
Glutamate is transported using a sodium potassium pump so with no ATP during stroke this will stop and there will be a build up of Glutamate in the synaptic space
What will an increase of glutamate do to calcium levels, explain why.
Increase in glutamate will cause a rise in Ca2+ entering the cells through glutamate receptors as they are more active.
What does Penumbra mean?
It is the reversibly damaged area around an area of stroke which will shrink and repair over time
