Neuropathology 2 Flashcards
what produced myeline in the CNS
oligodendrocytes
give a primary cause if demyelination
MS
give secondary causes of demyelination
central pontine myelinosis progressive multifocalleukoencephalopathy sub acute sclerosing panencephalitis axonal degeneration metabolic toxins- co, cyanide, solvents
is MS more common in men or women
women 2:1
what is the external appearance of the brain and spinal cord like in MS
usually normal
but on cut surface can see demyelination ‘plaques’
does MS affect white or grey matter
white
what types of plaques can there be in MS
acute active
chronic inactive
chronic active
shadow plaques
what are the prominent features of an inactive plaque
astocytic proliferation and gliosis
centre of plaque contains little or no myelin
what is an active plaque
there is evidence of ongoing demyelination with lts of immune cells present
what is a shadow plaque
border between normal and affected white matter is not clearly defined
What is the most common type of primary dementia
Alzheimers
Which chromosomal abnormality has an increased incidence of alzheimers
Down’s syndrome
Why is there an increases incidence of alzheimers in downs syndrome
amyloid precursor protein APP gene is found on chromosome 21
what other genes are responsible for familial downs syndrome
presenilin 1 on chromosome 14 and presenilin 2 on chromosome 8
Apolipoprotein E4
Which lobes of the brain are particularly affected in Alzheimers
frontal, temporal and parietal
what type of protein is a major part of neurofibrillary tangles seen in alzheimers
tau
what immune cells accumulate around amyloid
eosinophils
what dye is used to look for amyloid
congo red - apple gree birefringence suggests amyloid fibrils
what are the hallmarks of lewybody dementia
hallucinations
fluctuating levels of attention
fluctuating severity
what pathological featues are seen in dementia with lewy bodies
degeneration of the substantia nigra - as seen in parkinsons
Lewy bodies
degeneration of cortical areas
cortical lewy bodies can be detected by immunochemical staining for which protein
UBIQUITIN
how is huntingtons inherited
autosomal dominant
on which gene is the huntingtin gene
chromosome 4p
where is the loss of neurons particularly seen in hungtingtons
caudate nucleus
