Neurodegenerative Diseases

Question 1

what are three of the most common age-related brain (neurodegenerative) diseases?

Answer 1

alzheimers, dementia and parkinsons

Question 2

what is alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 2

a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behaviour. a progressive disease that gradually erases the brain slowly over time

Question 3

what might be done for someone in the early stages of cognitive decline?

Answer 3

cognitive exercise like dancing where you need to follow instructions

Question 4

what is dementia?

Answer 4

an umbrella term for loss of memory, inability to do everyday things. this includes elderly people (90s) forgetting things.

Question 5

Alzheimer’s leads to?

Answer 5

dementia. but dementia is not always because of alzheimer’s

Question 6

what is the difference on a normal vs alzheimer’s neuron in the brain?

Answer 6

alzheimers have these amyloid plaques. this is NOT the cause. theyre just these protein deposits.

Question 7

what are the plaques in the brain in alzheimers disease made of?

Answer 7

amyloid and other proteins

Question 8

what might be causing the aging brain in alzhiemers? (they are going to research)

Answer 8

the tuo (maybe tau?) (its in the plaque of the brain)

Question 9

where does alzheimers start? (stages I and II)

Answer 9

Entorhinal region of the brain (the memory centre in the brain), this is what effects memory, learning and emotion. its what is damaged first

Question 10

what are symptoms of stage I and II alzhiemers?

Answer 10

there are none

Question 11

as people progress to stages 3 and 4 in alzheimers, what region does the damage spread into?

Answer 11

neocortex. which affects language, how we speak, mood changes

Question 12

what happens in stages 5 and 6 of alzheimers?

Answer 12

plaques and tangles are widespread around the brain, severe dementia, cortical region on the top of the brain is shrunken relative to a healthy brain. brain matter is reducing, and whats left is covered in proteins that are affecting communication of the nerves and neurons to the rest of the body. all things that regulate homestasis are lost (Heart beat, BP, etc.)

Question 13

how can we predict the risk of alzheimers?

Answer 13

the Apolipoprotein E gene (e2, e3, e4) you have 2 APOE alleles and each gives a certain percentage. ex. 1 APOE e4 gene is 50%, two of those is 90-100%

Question 14

Progression of symptoms for alzheimers:

Answer 14

1. slight memory loss
2. change in personality
3. memory loss progresses
   - loss of ability to follow complex conversation
4. memory loss worsens
   - long-term memory loss
   - physical decline (cant eat or bath)
5. death

Question 15

in what area of the alzheimer path do you get diagnosed with alzheimers?

Answer 15

mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

Question 16

When do you 100% know you have alzhimers?

Answer 16

until you do the post-mortem autopsy and look for the plaques in the brain after death

Question 17

what is the diagnosis of alzheimers with a PET scan

Answer 17

a scan where you are asked to do mental tasks and they look at the brains energy utilization, glucose and oxygen

Question 18

what is parkinsons disease?

Answer 18

a neurodegenerative disorder that affects the dopamine-producing neurons. dopamine is a key neurotransmitter for communicating nerve to nerve. first symptom: shaking
- loss of dopamine in the substantia nigra part of the brain

Question 19

is the brain the main thing affected in parkinsons?

Answer 19

no. sometimes it is not even affected

Question 20

what is the brain region that produced dopamine and allows for the coordination or movement and speech?

Answer 20

substantia nigra

Question 21

what does Prof Riddell say is critical to prevent and possibly treat someone who has early signs of dementia?

Answer 21

exercise and diet

Question 22

what type of exercise will help prevent dimentia?

Answer 22

ones that are cognitive like dancing or yoga