Week 2 Flashcards
What are 8 mechanisms that cause CNS degenerative disorders?
Hypoxia
Excitatory amino acids
Ion fluxes
Free radicals
Immune responses
Infections
Apoptosis
Protein aggregation
What is hypoxia?
Region of body is deprived of adequate oxygen (linked to cardiovascular system)
What are some excitatory amino acids that are associated with CNS degenerative disorders?
Glutamate and its receptors AMPA/kainate and NMDA
What ion fluxes can be disturbed to cause CNS degenerative disorders?
Calcium and magnesium from extra/intracellular
True or false… too much glutamate is damaging and it is involved with apoptosis
True
True or false… viruses can activate apoptotic mechanisms which can lead to degenerative diseases
True
What are Lewy bodies?
Found in dopamine neurons in parkinsons patients
Lewy bodies are areas of protein accumulation. Spherical inclusions are seen in the melanin-containing neruons of Parkinson’s disease (substantia nigra)
True or false.. inflammation can make proteins “sticky” which can lead to accumulation and degenerative disease
True
What are the clinical manifestations of Parkinson’s disease?
Tremors
Rigidity
Bradykinesia (slow moment)
Abnormal posture
Slow and monotonous speech
Shuffled gait
True or false… trauma to the head can lead to inflammation increasing the chances of parkinsons
True
Parkinsons patients are often prescribed anticholinergic drugs. What does this do to salivation?
Saliva secretions decrease, but since they swallow less it leads to drooling. Bottom line is that salivation isn’t managed well.
What are some late symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
Depression
Immobile
Constipation (loss of bowel control leads to less efficient bowel movements)
Why is hygiene extremely important for parkinsons patients?
It is difficult for them to brush so extra time and effort is needed to brush
Since their salivation isn’t managed well, oral hygiene is critical
Early onset parkinsons is __ caused whereas late onset parkinsons is __ caused.
Genetically
Environmentally
Briefly describe the 5 stages of parkinsons
1 (mild/early) - one side of body is affected with minimal functional impairment
2 - goes bilateral. Posture and balance remains normal
3 (moderate disease) - both sides of body affected. Mild imbalance when standing/walking. Patient remains independent
4 (advanced disease) - both sides affected. Instability while standing/walking. Patient requires substantial help and cannot live alone.
5 (severe) - fully developed disease. Pt is restricted to bed or wheel chair
__% of all people will eventually develop parkinsons
0.5%
True or false… parkinsons is an age independent disease
False. It is age dependent
After the age of 85 about __% of people have parkinsons
25%
Most cases of parkinsons occur after the age of 60. Early onset parkinsons occurs between ages ___ and ___
20-50
___% of dopamine pathway must be diminished before parkinsons symptoms are manifested
70%
Why is it that everyone would eventually develop parkinsons if they were able to live long enough?
The dopamine pathway is diminishing for everyone throughout life. If you live long enough you will eventually reach the 70% threshold.
Which gender is parkinsons mostly found in? Why?
Males>females 1.5>1
Men are typically exposed to more toxins and head trauma
How many new cases of Parkinson’s disease are reported in the US every year?
60,000
What causes the substantia nigra in the brain to be darker pigmentation?
DA has a darker pigment. DA neuronal cell bodies are found in the substantia nigra
Parkinson’s disease is associated with the degeneration of the ___ in the brain due to…
Substantia nigra
Death of cell bodies
True or false.. in Parkinson’s disease, oxygen consumption goes down causing a decreased activity of the striatum
True
Both genetics and the environment play roles in the development of parkinsons. What are some environmental factors that may cause parkinsons?
Mg and Hg
Pesticides
Trauma
Dopamine itself
How does dopamine itself play a role in the development of Parkinson’s disease?
DA has two hydroxyl groups which get oxidized easily. If exposed to oxygen, DA becomes reactive. The neurons try to keep dopamine in a safe place , not exposed to oxygen (vesicles), when DA concentrations get too high it may kill the neuron
What are two genes associated with Parkinson’s disease? Describe them
Larkin
Alpha synuclein - trafficking protein which shows up in Lewy bodies. It is important in vesicles contains DA
What is the underlying etiology of Parkinson’s?
DA is decreased so cholinergic activity goes up to compensate
What are the two broad approaches for treating parkinsons?
Increase DA or decrease ACh side of balance
How is L-DOPA used to treat parkinsons? Why is it necessary to take ____ with it?
L-DOPA is a precursor to DA. However, L-DOPA is easily metabolized in the blood stream before it can cross the BBB.
Carbidopa is necessary to take with L-DOPA because it inhibits the metabolism of L-DOPA in the periphery so it can cross the BBB.
What is an effective diagnostic tool to determine if the pt has parkinsons?
Give the patient L-DOPA + carbidopa. If the tremors stop, they have parkinsons. This medication is very effective.
How can parkinsons treatment affect dental treatment?
L-dopa can be metabolized in the periphery to NE. So you must be careful with using epinephrine
What is levodopa?
L-DOPA
What is Azilect? What is entacopone? How do they work?
These are Parkinson’s medications.
Azilect: inhibits dopamine breakdown
Entacapone: improves effects of carbidopa-levodopa. It is an inhibitor of catechol methyl transferase (extracellular enzyme that breaks down monoamines such as DA)
What is trihexylphenedate?
Anticholenergic drug used to treat symptoms of parkinsons. It is only a temporary fix
What is selegelein?
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor used to slow down the progression of parkinsons
What is pramipexole?
Dopamine agonist used to treat early onset Parkinson’s disease
True or false… benztropine is an anticholenergic drug used to treat parkinsons
True
Describe the surgical procedure that can be done to treat parkinsons
Deep brain stimulation. An electrode is placed into the brain to stimulate the substantia nigra to diminish tremors. Typically used for younger parkinsons patients.
Patient flips a switch to turn up the dopamine
True or false… levodopa causes adverse Orofacial reactions
True. It can cause movement of the tongue and orofacial distortions and strange movements.
It may also cause darkening of the saliva
What are some dental implications for treating parkinsons patients?
Do major dental interventions early in PD course.
Keep appointments short
Limit anesthetic use to three carps (LDOPA->NE)
Give excellent oral hygiene techniques
Describe the pathway that is involved with huntingtons disease
Affects GABA neurons. (AMPA and NMDA receptors are altered) input from DA and ACh neurons are diminished.
How is huntingtons disease obtained?
It is 100% hereditary from an autosomal dominant gene. No environmental influence
When is the onset of huntingtons disease typically occur?
Relatively early onset (30-40 years old)
What are the clinical manifestations of huntingtons disease?
Abnormal moves - chorea form - sudden jerky movements like ticks involving the whole body.
Progressive intellectual dysfunction
Auditory projections
Facial grimaces
Cognitive systems deteriorate
How are huntingtons disease and Parkinson’s disease kind of the opposite?
Parkinson’s disease - too little DA
Huntingtons disease - too much DA
Describe the progressive intellectual dysfunction involved with huntingtons disease
Occurs early onset
Pt has severe withdrawal and depression
Pt develops full blown schizophrenia
Pt becomes compulsive due to DA dominant behavior
Approximately ___% of people in the US have huntingtons disease
0.01% (its very rare)
What is the timeline from diagnosis of huntingtons disease to death?
5-10 years
Which receptors are altered in huntingtons disease? Describe how this causes huntingtons.
NMDA/AMPA glutamate receptors (on GABA neurons) are mutated and let calcium pour into the cell. This damages the cell and kills the GABA neurons
In huntingtons disease, there is too much __ and __ activity in the striatum, but too little ___ activity in the substantia nigra
DA
ACh
GABA
Why do Huntington disease patients have enlarged ventricles in their brain?
Ventricles are enlarged due to loss of caudate neurons
What do you do for the diagnosis and treatment of huntingtons disease?
Do genetic screening
What are the pharmacological treatments for huntingtons disease?
DA antagonists (antipsychotics) (especially D2 antagonists) (may also be used tor hallucination/delusions
DA depletion for choreiform movement (reserpine)
DA agonists - for bradykinesia and rgidity (may lessen movements but increase psychotic behaviors)
SSRIs for depression