Neurodegenerative Diseases Flashcards
What does DALY stand for and what does it represent?
Disability Adjusted Life Year:
Represents the loss of one year of full health
DALY = YLL (Years of Life Lost) + YLD (Years Lived with Disability
Name the major categories of nerbous system diseases
Neurodegenerative diseases
Demylenating diseases
Disorders of Neurotransmitter Systems
What are neurodegeneratve diseases?
Disorders where specific neurons degenerate, causing regional CNS/PNS dysfuntion
E.g., Alzheimer’s. Parkinsons. Huntingtons. ALS.
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
A neurodegenerative disease causing dementia and cognitive decline, characterised by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and loss of cholinergic neurons
What are the key pathological features of ALzheimer’s?
Amyloid plaques
Neurofibrillary tangles
Neuronal loss and reduced ACh levels
Risk factors for ALzheimer’s?
Age
Genetic mutations
Cardiovascular factors
Envrionmental and possibly infectious agents
Current Alzheimer’s treatments?
AChE inhibitors (donepezil)
NMDA receptor antagonist
Emerging:
Secretase inhibitors
Antibodies
Vaccines
What is Parkinson’s disease?
A neurodegenerative disorder involving the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal pathway, leading to motor symptoms like tremors, rigidity, and slow movement
What are Lewy Bodies?
Dense deposits found in dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease, aminly composed of misfolded alpha-synuclein protein
Parkinson’s treament options?
Medications (L-DOPA, dopamine agonists, MAO-B and COMT inhibitors)
Deep breain stimulation
Excercise
What is Multiple Sclerosis?
An autoimmune demylinating disease of the CNS causing motor/sensory issues
Characterised by inflammation, lesion formation, and sclerosis
Types of MS?
RRMS (Relapsing-Remitting)
SPMS (Secondary Progressive)
PRMS (Progressive Relapsing)
PPMS (Primary Progressive)
Causes of MS?
Multifactorial
Suspected infectious triggers
Autoimmunity via molecular mimicry
Genetics
Environmental (Vitamin D deficiency, smoking)
MS Diagnosis?
MRI for lesions
Lumbar punctar for antibodies
Meurological exam
Evoked potential tests
MS treatments?
Immunomodulatory drugs (beta-interferons)
Monoclonal antibodies to reduce infalmmation
What is Guillain-Barre Syndrome?
Acute autoimmune demyelinating disease affecting the PNSA.
Often triggered by infection or immunisation
Symptoms include motor, sensory, and autonomic deficits
Guillain-Barre treatment?
IV immunoglobulins
Plasmapheresis
What is Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease?
A hereditary demyelinating neuropathy affecting peripheral nerves, causing weakness and sensory loss
What is the function of Connexin 32?
Forms gap juctions in Schwann cells, allowing radial transfer of nutrients through compact myelin to inner layers and axon
Genetic basis of CMT?
Mutations in PMP-22, P0 (autosomal forms) or connexin 32 (X-linked form)
Connexin 32 forms gap junctions in Schwann cell myelin
