Neurodegenerative Diseases Flashcards
What is neurodegeneration?
The progressive loss of neurons
What part of the nervous system do neurodegenerative diseases affect?
CNS, PNS or both
When do neurodegenerative diseases begin?
At any time
What does an earlier age of onset mean?
Greater genetic contribution
What does a later age of onset mean?
More likely sporadic disease
What is the common pattern of most neurodegenerative diseases?
Molecular impairment in the cell
Decreased transmission at synapse
Dying back of neurites
Cell death
What do neurodegenerative diseases frequently involve?
Protein aggregation
Lysosomal dysfunction
Mitochondrial dysfunction
Associated inflammation via activation of glia
What are some of the clinical/ research issues in neurodegenerative diseases?
Rarely manifest obvious symptoms until pathology is severe
Study of affected tissue is tricky until after death
Remains incurable
What is the most common neurodegenerative disease?
Alzheimers
When is normal onset of alzheimers?
> 65 yrs
What proportion of alzheimers are early onset and when is this?
10%
30s onwards
What proportion of people have alzheimers aged 85+?
50%
What characterises dementia?
Decline in memory and other cognitive functions that impair quality of life
What is ‘normal ageing’?
Gradual decline in normal cognition, gradual changes in personality
What are some pathological hallmarks of dementia?
Brain shrinkage
Proteinopathies
What types of proteinopathies are present in dementia?
Amyloid plaques
Neurofibrillary tangles
What are amyloid plaques enriched in?
A beta peptides
What is another name for neurofibrillary tangles?
Paired helical filaments
What is A beta?
Peptide cleaved from amyloid beta precursor protein which accumulates to form a plaque
What are neurofibrillary tangles?
Intracellular protein aggregates that are enriched in Tau protein
What is the amyloid hypothesis?
A beta and/or amyloid plaques are the cause of alzheimers