Week 2 - Neuropsych + Genetics Flashcards
What are the two most common pathologies found in AD?
Amyloid plaques and Tau tangles (NFTs)
What are the key ideas of the amyloid hypothesis?
1) That the buildup of amyloid plaques between neurons results in cell dysfunction and cell death.
2) Preventing the buildup of these amyloid plaques could prevent some of the symptoms associated with AD.
Roughly what percentage of current research into AD treatments focuses on the amyloid hypothesis?
About 70-80% of research into AD treatments is built upon the idea that targeting amyloid plaques will reduce AD symptoms.
Roughly what percentage of current medications for AD focus on reducing the buildup of amyloid plaques?
As of 2017, about 40% of AD drugs were anti-amyloid
What are some of the criticisms of the amyloid hypothesis?
1) Amyloid plaques can be found in the brains of cognitively healthy individuals
2) Sometimes amyloid plaques cant be found in the brains of people with AD
3) Animal studies show that adding amyloid plaques to mouse brains did not bring about classic AD symptoms. (however, studies looking at removal of amyloid plaques in mouse brains DID show improvements in memory function).
4) Much of the research on the amyloid hypothesis is focused on early-onset AD but 99% of AD is late-onset.
5) Some theory suggests that amyloid plaques are actually a defence mechanism to protect against oxidative stress within the brain.
What are some of the supporting ideas behind the amyloid hypothesis?
1) It’s possible that cognitively “healthy” people who HAVE amyloid plaques could just be in the early (prodromal) stages of AD.
2) Perhaps amyloid plaques are part of a causal chain in AD, whereby amyloid plaques result in Tau tangles (NFTs) or something else entirely which then results in AD symptoms.
3) Perhaps removing amyloid plaque buildups via anti-amyloid drugs do work, maybe we just need to implement them earlier on in the lifespan.
What are some of the controversies surrounding research into AD, particularly in regard to medications for AD.
1) The demand for AD treatments is so great that perhaps it’s resulting in treatments where the risks are not fully known.
2) Many AD treatments have failed to show any level of effectiveness
3) Perhaps there has been a hyperfocus on the amyloid hypothesis resulting in missed research opportunities elsewhere.
What are some of the benefits in receiving a genetic test result for a mental health condition?
1) Provides a beneficial opportunity to implement lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of the condition developing/worsening
2) Can aid medical professionals in selecting the most effective treatment, tailored to the individual’s genetic makeup
3) In regard to mental health disorders, can be beneficial in reducing blame attributed towards individuals.
What are some of the negative consequences of receiving a genetic test result for a mental health condition?
1) Can increase anxiety and encourage “seeking-out” of symptoms
2) Can increase guilt (“what If I pass this onto my child”)
3) Others can perceive you as more dangerousness and desire more social distance from you.
4) Genetic information can reduce the perceived effectiveness of psychotherapy and implementing lifestyle changes
What are some of the consequences of receiving genetic information that states you do NOT have a predisposition towards a mental health disorder?
Based on the findings from Ahn & Perricone (2019; alcohol use disorder)
1) It can actually lead people to believe the severity of symptoms are not as bad as they seem.
2) Educating people about non-genetic causal factors can become ineffective / have a reduced effect
3) Leads to irrational thinking aka the ‘Causal Markov Chain’ whereby people focus on the outcome and not the cause.
What are some of the complexities surrounding disclosure of genetic information?
1) It’s extremely hard to figure out if medical professionals have a duty of care to disclose genetic information to family members of affected individuals (see lecture notes about daughter of individual with Huntington’s)
2) Providing genetic information online MAY provide the opportunity for law enforcement to use that information against you (see lecture notes about victim of rape being charged due to DNA evidence from another crime scene)
