Alzheimer's

Question 1

What are the macroscopic changes?

Answer 1

cortical atrophy
low brain weight
ventricular dilation
depigmentation of the locus coeruleus w preservation of substantia nigra

Question 2

Which lobe is spared by cortical atrophY?

Answer 2

occipital

Question 3

which areas are most severely affected by atrophy?

Answer 3

parietal and frontal lobes

Question 4

What are the four microscopic changes in AD?

Answer 4

Senile plaques
Neurofibrillary tangles
Gliosis
Degeneration of the nucleus of Meynert
Hirano bodies

Question 5

What are senile plaques made up of?

Answer 5

beta amyloid

Question 6

What are neurofibrillary tangles made up of?

Answer 6

hyperphosphorylated tau

Question 7

What are tauopathies?

Answer 7

AD
FTD
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Corticobasal syndrome
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Question 8

What is gliosis?

Answer 8

increases in activated microglia and reactive astrocytes near the sites of amyloid plaques

Question 9

What leads to reduced ACh in the brain in AD?

Answer 9

Degeneration of the nucleus of Meynert - a collection of large cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain

Question 10

What are Hirano bodies made up of?

Answer 10

actin

Question 11

Where are Hirano bodies found?What conditions are they observed in ?

Answer 11

Hippocampi

Dementia
Degenerative diseases - ALS, AD, Pick’s disease, CJD
Alcoholism

Question 12

What is the difference between Hirano bodies and Lewy bodies?>

Answer 12

Lewy bodies contain ubiquitin and Hirano do not