Lecture 27 - Biomarkers of ageing

Question 1

what is the biomarker used for dementia?

Answer 1

mild cognitive impairment (MCI)

Question 2

name the 3 molecular imaging techniques used to visualise biomarkers for dementia

Answer 2

PET, fMRI, SPECT

Question 3

name the 4 types of damage/changes which can be visualised using structural imaging (MRI)

Answer 3

vascular damage, white matter signal changes, spongiform and gliotic changes

Question 4

what can PET and SPECT scanning visualise and quantify patterns of in the brain?

Answer 4

brain hypometabolism and hypoperfusion

Question 5

which functional imaging technique is used to determine cental dopaminergic depletion in diseases like parkinson’s and lewy body dementia?

Answer 5

dopamine transporter scanning

Question 6

name the 4 radiotracers used to visualise AB plaques in alzheimer’s in molecular brain imaging

Answer 6

PIB, 18F flutemetamol, 18F-AV-45, Florbetaben

Question 7

in living patients, alpha-synuclein deposits in parkinson’s occur in which 5 body locations?

Answer 7

minor salivary glands, submandibular gland, stomach, colon, skin

Question 8

give some examples of locations in the body where alpha-synuclein deposits can be found postmortem

Answer 8

stellate ganglion, vagus nerve, epicardial plexus, enteric nervous system, adrenal gland, genitourinary tract

Question 9

what are the traditional biomarkers in the blood and CSF for alzheimer’s?

Answer 9

p-tau increased, AB42 decreased

Question 10

If the diagnosis is uncertain and dementia
with Lewy bodies is suspected which type of SPECT should be used? Which technique should be used if this one is unavailable?

Answer 10

123 I-FP-CIT SPECT, 123 I-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy

Question 11

which oligodendrocytic protein is elevated in prion diseases and mild AD?

Answer 11

S1000B