parkinsons Mastered version Flashcards
What are the four clinical symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
Bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, and postural instability.
What is the definition of Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative, progressive disease primarily involving the dopamine generating neurones in the substantia nigra, characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, and postural instability.
Who first described Parkinson’s disease and what did he call it?
British doctor James Parkinson first described Parkinson’s disease and called it “the shaking palsy.”
What was the major breakthrough in Parkinson’s disease research in the 1960s?
The major breakthrough was the link between the disease and the loss of cells that produce dopamine (DA), leading to the development of DA replacement therapies which still remain the mainstay of treatment to this day.
What is the epidemiology of Parkinson’s disease?
PD occurs in about 1% of the population aged 60 years and in about 4% at 80 years. There are also familial cases of early onset PD (age range 21–40 years) and a rarer form of juvenile onset PD (younger than 21 years of age).
What are some causes of Parkinsonism?
DRUGS – Anti psychotics, metaclopramide, TCA, MPTP, vascular disease, Parkinson plus syndromes (multiple system atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, Lewy-body dementia), and trauma.
What are the core diagnostic symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
The core diagnostic symptoms are bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor.
What are some initial symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
Initial symptoms include persistent mild fatigue, handwriting might become “shaky,” the person might feel unbalanced or have difficulty performing sit-to-stands, agitation, irritability, & depression, lack of affect (masked face phenom), and initial symptoms can go on for years.
What are some motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
Motor symptoms include hand tremors, rigidity or resistance to movement, spontaneous movements becoming progressively slower and may actually cease (bradykinesia), and impaired balance and coordination (postural instability).
What is rigidity in Parkinson’s disease?
In PD, both sets of muscles remain engaged and contracted, leading to rigidity.
What is postural instability in Parkinson’s disease?
Postural instability in PD refers to patients leaning unnaturally backward or forward, head down and stooped stance, and becoming vulnerable to falls.
What are some non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
Non-motor symptoms include depression, emotional changes (irritable, pessimistic, fearful, become dependent or isolated), memory loss (slower thought processes) leading to dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), swallowing difficulties, speech problems, bladder/bowel disorders, excessive sweating, and sleep disturbance.
What is Parkinsonism?
Parkinsonism refers to a neurological syndrome characterized by tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity.
What is bradykinesia?
Bradykinesia is slowness of movement and is a core diagnostic symptom of Parkinson’s disease.
What is tremor in Parkinson’s disease?
Tremor in PD is a rhythmic back-and-forth motion of the thumb, and is a core diagnostic symptom of the disease
What is the classic triad of symptoms in Parkinson’s disease?
The classic triad of symptoms in Parkinson’s disease includes
bradykinesia (slowness),
rigidity (stiffness/increased tone),
and tremor (pill rolling/resting), along with postural instability.
What are some non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
Non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can include depression, emotional changes (irritable, pessimistic, fearful, become dependent or isolated), memory loss leading to dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), swallowing difficulties, speech problems, bladder/bowel disorders, excessive sweating, and sleep disturbance.
What is the core pathology of Parkinson’s disease?
A: The degeneration of pigmented neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra.
What are Lewy bodies, and what do they contain?
A: Lewy bodies are aggregates that contain a protein called alpha-synuclein (AS).
What is the function of alpha-synuclein in a healthy brain?
A: Alpha-synuclein is expressed in presynaptic terminals and controls neurotransmitter release.
How does increased expression of alpha-synuclein lead to Parkinson’s disease?
A: Increased expression of alpha-synuclein leads to AS aggregation which are lewy bodies that these lewy bodies causes death of SN neurons, and vulnerability to developing PD.
Is there a link between normal aging and Parkinson’s disease?
A: Yes, normal aging is associated with increased expression of alpha-synuclein, which can increase inherent vulnerability to developing PD.
What brain regions are involved in motor control, cognitive processing, and emotional regulation?
A: The basal ganglia, cerebellum, thalamus, brainstem, spinal cord, premotor and cerebral cortex association, and limbic cortex.
8
What is the role of the basal ganglia in movement?
A: The basal ganglia is responsible for the initiation, control, and modulation of movement.
How does Parkinson’s disease disrupt the parallel organization of the basal ganglia?
A: Parkinson’s disease impairs the balance between the direct and indirect pathways of the basal ganglia, leading to the characteristic motor symptoms of the disease.
What is the function of the thalamus in the brain?
A: The thalamus relays sensory and motor information to the cortex.
What is the role of the limbic cortex in Parkinson’s disease?
A: Dysfunction in the limbic cortex can lead to emotional and behavioral disturbances, such as depression and anxiety.
What is disrupted in the parallel organization in Parkinson’s disease?
A: The loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra disrupts the balance between the direct and indirect pathways of the basal ganglia.
How does the loss of dopamine in the direct pathway affect movement in Parkinson’s disease?
A: The loss of dopamine in the direct pathway impairs the ability to initiate movement, resulting in bradykinesia.
How does the overactivity of the indirect pathway contribute to motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease?
A: The overactivity of the indirect pathway leads to excessive inhibition of movement, resulting in rigidity, tremor, and other motor symptoms.
What other neurotransmitters can be affected by the loss of dopamine in Parkinson’s disease?
A: The loss of dopamine can lead to changes in the activity of other neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine and serotonin, which can contribute to some of the non-motor symptoms of the disease.
What other brain regions can be affected by Parkinson’s disease?
A: Parkinson’s disease can also affect other brain regions, such as the thalamus, which can contribute to some of the other motor symptoms of the disease, such as freezing of gait.
What is the substantia nigra, and what neurotransmitter does it produce?
A: The substantia nigra is a region of the midbrain that produces dopamine, a neurotransmitter critical for the regulation of movement.
What is the globus pallidus, and what is its function within the basal ganglia?
A: The globus pallidus is a nucleus within the basal ganglia that receives input from the striatum and sends inhibitory signals to the thalamus.
What is the subthalamic nucleus, and what is its function within the basal ganglia?
A: The subthalamic nucleus is a nucleus within the basal ganglia that receives input from the cortex and sends excitatory signals to the globus pallidus.
What is the striatum, and what is its function within the basal ganglia?
A: The striatum is a nucleus within the basal ganglia that receives input from the cortex and the substantia nigra pars compacta. it relays this information to the other structures in the basal ganglia
What is the substantia nigra pars compacta, and what neurotransmitter is primarily produced there?
A: The substantia nigra pars compacta is a subregion of the substantia nigra that contains dopamine producing neurons.
What is the substantia nigra pars reticulata SNr, and what is its function within the basal ganglia?
A: The substantia nigra pars reticulata is a subregion of the substantia nigra that sends inhibitory signals to the thalamus.
Globus Pallidus Externa (GPe) what pathway is it part of and what is its function in the basal ganglia?
it is Part of the indirect pathway. It receives inhibitory signals from the striatum and sends inhibitory signals to the STN and to the GPi/SNr through the indirect pathway.
Subthalamic Nucleus (STN): what pathway is it part of and what is its function in the basal ganglia?
Subthalamic Nucleus (STN) is Involved in the indirect pathway. It receives inhibitory signals from the GPe and sends excitatory signals to the GPi and SNr.
what is the thalamus and what is its function in Parkinson’s? what modulates its activity?
Thalamus: A relay station in the brain that sends excitatory signals to the cerebral cortex. The activity of thalamic neurons is modulated by inhibitory signals from the GPi and SNr.
Motor Cortex: what is the function in relation to parkinsons?
Receives excitatory input from the thalamus and sends motor commands to the muscles.
What are D1 receptors, and where are they primarily located within the basal ganglia?
A: D1 receptors are a subtype of dopamine receptors that are primarily located in the direct pathway of the basal ganglia.