Neurodegenerative Diseases P1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the most common neurodegenerative disease?

A

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease.

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2
Q

What is Alzheimer’s disease treatment focused on?

A

Alzheimer’s disease treatment is focused on increasing acetylcholine levels or reducing effects of glutamate

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3
Q

What is acetylcholine?

A

Acetylcholine:
*Neurotransmitter
*Plays a role in: memory, learning, attention, arousal and involuntary muscle movement.

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4
Q

What is the 2nd most common neurodegenerative disease?

A

Parkinson’s disease is the 2nd most common neurodegenerative disease

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5
Q

What is Parkinson’s disease caused by?

A

Parkinson’s disease is caused by progressive degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway

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6
Q

What is the most aggressive neurodegenerative disease?

A

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most aggressive ND with approximately 3 years survival time.

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7
Q

Name the 5 mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration

A

5 mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration:
*Oxidative/nitrative stress
*Inflammation (chronic)
*Disruption to cellular energetics: Mitochondrial dysfunction
*Exitotoxicity
*Apoptosis

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7
Q

Describe oxidative/nitrative stress

A

Oxidative stress: imbalance between free radicals (reactive oxygen species) and antioxidants (which defend against free radicals) in the body
Nitrative stress: Increased production and accumulation of reactive nitrogen species.
Free radicals such as: superoxide anion, nitric oxide, peroxynitrite

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8
Q

Describe inflammation

A

Inflammation:
*Activation of glial cells, microglia and astrocytes
*production of pro-inflammatory cytokines
*process by which the immune system recognizes and removes harmful and foreign stimuli and begins the healing process.

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8
Q

Describe apoptosis

A

Apoptosis:
*Programmed cell death
*Main mechanism of neuronal death in Parkinson’s disease

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8
Q

Describe excitotoxicity

A

Excitotoxicity:
*Over activation of glutamate receptors which leads to toxic influc of Ca2+ and NO formation

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9
Q

What is the main mechanism of neuronal death in Parkinson’s disease?

A

The main mechanism of neuronal death in Parkinson’s disease is apoptosis

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10
Q

What are many diseases of the central nervous system characterized by?

A

Many diseases of the central nervous system are characterized by neuronal damage brought about through unknown (environmental/genetic) factors
Individuals possess different degrees of susceptibility to damage

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11
Q

What is the hippocampus involved in?

A

The hippocampus is involved in memory and memory retention.

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12
Q

Where does most of acetylcholine reside?

A

The majority of acetylcholine resides in the nucleus of meynert.

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13
Q

In Alzheimer’s disease, which part of the brain is most affected?

A

In Alzheimer’s disease, the hippocampus is the most affected part of the brain.

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14
Q

What is the frontal cortex imporant for?

A

The frontal cortex is important for decision making.

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15
Q

Does memory loss alone mean that a person has dementia?

A

No, memory loss alone does not mean that a person has dementia.

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16
Q

What is the mode of action for donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine?

A

The mode of action for donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine is to elevate acetylcholine levels.

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17
Q

What is the mode of action for memantine?

A

The mode of action for memantine is to reduce the effects of glutamate.

18
Q

What are the potential targets for Alzheimer’s treatment?

A

Potential Alzheimer’s targets for treatment:
* Apoptosis prevention
* Protein aggregation prevention
* Excitotoxicity prevention
* Anti-inflammatory agents
* Prevention of oxidative stress- mitochondrial dysfunction

19
Q

What does the parietal lobe do?

A

The parietal lobe is responsible for processing sensory information, spatial awareness and sensory input integration.

20
Q

What do microglia cells do?

A

Microglia cells:
* remove noxious materials by phagocytosis
* produce cytotoxic free radicals during chronic inflammation

21
Q

What do astrocytes do?

A

Astrocytes:
* produce neurotrophic factors and antioxidants
* clear excess neurotransmitters, stabilize and regulate the blood-brain barrier, and promote synapse formation

22
Q

Astrocytes and microglia are types of what cell?

A

Astrocytes and microglia are types of glial cells.

23
Q

Majority of glial cells are what type of cell?

A

The majority of glial cells are astrocytes.

24
Q

What is the average survival time for Alzheimer’s disease?

A

The average survival time for Alzheimer’s disease is ~10 years

25
Q

What is the average survival time for Multiple Sclerosis?

A

The average survival time for Multiple Sclerosis is ~30 years

26
Q

Is there a drug that can halt or slow disease progression of neurodegenerative diseases?

A

At the moment, there isn’t a drug that can halt or slow disease progression of neurodegenerative diseases.

27
Q

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed ‘? and ?’ were the leading cause of death in 2022

A

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today revealed ‘dementia and Alzheimer’s disease’ were the leading cause of death in 2022

28
Q

When people are diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease how far has the disease progressed?

A

At the time of diagnosis, neurodegenerative diseases are well established and beyond the point of no return

29
Q

Extent of neuronal loss at symptom onset:
* Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:
* Parkinson’s disease:
* Multiple Sclerosis:
* Alzheimer’s disease:

A

Extent of neuronal loss at symptom onset:
* Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: 80%
* Parkinson’s disease: 50%
* Multiple Sclerosis: 35%
* Alzheimer’s disease: 20%

30
Q

Why is treatment of neurodegenerative diseases difficult?

A

Neurodegenerative disease treatment is difficult because one mechanism involved in neurodegeneration can lead to another.

31
Q

What are the 3 key symptoms of dementia?

A

3 key dementia symptoms:
* Significantly impaired intellectual functioning that interferes with normal activities and relationships
* Loss of ability to solve problems and maintain emotional control (hippocampus, temporal and pre frontal cortex)
* Personality changes and behavioural problems: agitation, hallucination and delusion

32
Q

Which personality changes and behavioural problems may present in dementia?

A

Personality changes and behavioural problems in dementia: Agitation, Hallucination and Delusion

33
Q

What did brain pathology of Alzheimer’s disease find?

A

Brain pathology of Alzheimer’s disease found:
* Shrunken brain
* Clumps of protein: plaques and tangles in nerve cells
*

34
Q

Which allele is a major risk factor in late onset Alzheimer’s disease?

A

In late onset Alzheimer’s disease, polymorphism of E4 allele of Apolipoprotein-E is a major risk factor.

35
Q

What percentage of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease cases are APOE4 carriers?

A

> 40% of sporadic cases of Alzheimer’s disease are APOE4 carriers.

36
Q

What do WHO predict about Alzheimer’s disease by 2040?

A

WHO predict that by 2040 there will be 80 million people with Alzheimer’s

37
Q

Early symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease

A

Early symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease
* Reduced memory for recent events
* Concentration difficulties
* Disorientation
* Depression
* Aggression
* Self neglect
* Communication difficulties

38
Q

Other symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease

A

Other symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease
* reduced mental activity
* incapacity and disintegration of personality

39
Q

What is the brain pathology of Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Alzheimer’s disease brain pathology
* Brain tissue shrinkage
* Larger gyri (surface spaces between cortex tissue)
* Enlarged ventricles (fluid filled spaces deep in brain)
* Reduced size of frontal and temporal lobes
* Hippocampus may show signs of degeneration

40
Q

What are protein aggregates of plaques and tangles associated with?

A

Protein aggregates of plaques and tangles associated with neuronal loss and memory loss

40
Q

What do protein aggregates of plaques and tangles do?

A

Protein aggregates of plaques and tangles destroy brain function.

41
Q

Tangles are highly phosphorylated forms of _________ (neuronal protein)

A

Tangles are highly phosphorylated forms of tau (neuronal protein)

42
Q

Plaques are _______

A

Plaques are amyloids (amyloid beta peptides)

43
Q

How else might neuronal loss occur in Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Neuronal loss in Alzheimers might also stem from 5-HT, cholinergic loss, dysfunctional glutamate system and noradrenaline containing neurons

44
Q

What is the current treatment for Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Current Alzheimer’s disease treatment:
* Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors which increase acetylcholine availability. (e.g. donepizil, galantamine, rivastigmine)
* NMDA antagonist which reduces influx of Ca2+. (e.g. memantine)

45
Q

Describe mitochondrial dysfunction

A

Mitochondrial dysfunction is characterized by a loss of efficiency in the electron transport chain and reductions in the synthesis of high-energy molecules, such as adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP