Parkinson's Disease & Alzheimer's Disease

Question 1

What is Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 1

It is disorder that affects the neurons in the part of the brain that controllers the movement.
Substantia nigra release dopamine which is a neurotransmitter that transmits the signal between the brain and other parts of the brain.
Corpus striatum which cause muscles to make smooth and controlled movements.
Ppl with parkinson’s disease will lose half or more neurons in the substantia nigra. (decrease dopamine)

Question 2

What is dopamine?

Answer 2

It is a neurotransmitter that is synthesized in the neuron.
It is presented in the presynaptic terminal and released in the synaptic gap.
Controls movement, learning, motivation

Question 3

Signs & symptoms?

Answer 3

3 key symptoms
- tremor which affects the limbs, usually hands and feet
- rigidity which the muscles are rigid, resistant to movement and may have jerky movements
- bradykinesia which is slowing in initiating movement, the movement is in disconnected steps rather than smooth steps
Advanced stage - falls are common, facial expression is limited and stiff, tongue and throat muscles become stiff which a person may drool, slow in speech, dementia

Question 4

Causes?

Answer 4

gentic factors, environmental factors like pesticides and CO poisoning, medication - high dose of antiopsychotic drugs

Question 5

Management?

Answer 5

Aim is to increase the level of dopamine

• Pharmacotherapy –> increase the level of dopamine by giving exogenous dopamine which prevents the breakdown of dopamine
• DBS (deep brain stimulation) –> surgery to implant a medical device called brain pacemaker which sends electrical signals to the specific parts of the brain resulting in the benefits of treatment

Question 6

What is dementia?

Answer 6

Abnormal decrease in intellectual activity and cognitive functions

Question 7

Sign & symptoms?

Answer 7

Increasing memory loss
Confusion 
Getting lost in familiar circumstances
Agitated behaviour
Unclear thinking

Question 8

Cause?

Answer 8

Alzheimer’s disease, parkinson’s disease, infections, vascular dementia

Question 9

Neuropatho of alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 9

Brain atrophy & loss of neurons
Neuritic plaques are found in the brain which are clusters degenerating nerve terminals that arrange around the amyloid core.
Decrease of choline acetyltransferase which is needed to produce Ach.
Acetylcholine is needed for memory work.

Question 10

Pharmacotherapy

Answer 10

It is irreversible.
Aim is to increase level of Ach by drugs
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor is used to prevent the breakdown of each to acetic acid and choline.