Neurodegenerative diseases

Question 1

Expanded ventricles, neuron atrophy, expanded sulci, and lower tissue volume are all features of:
a) Parkinson’s
b) Huntington’s
c) a young adult brain
d) an older adult brain

Answer 1

d) an older adult brain

Question 2

Uncontrolled cell growth, resulting in progressive symptoms similar to those of neurodegenerative diseases:

Answer 2

Tumour

Question 3

Loss of cognitive functions that interferes significantly with work or social activities:

Answer 3

Dementia

Question 4

What is the most common cause of dementia?

Answer 4

Alzheimer’s Disease

Question 5

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) can be used to screen for what?

Answer 5

Dementia

Question 6

Diffuse damage to hippocampal and other cortical cells, including neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, causing a decline in memory and other cognitive functions:

Answer 6

Alzheimer’s Disease

Question 7

True or false: Alzheimer’s Disease is NOT heritable.

Answer 7

True
(Unless early-onset)

Question 8

A lack of awareness of one’s own symptoms/deficits:

Answer 8

Anosognosia

Question 9

Which part of the cortex is generally relatively unaffected by atrophy associated with AD?

Answer 9

Posterior

Question 10

What method of functional neuroimaging might be used to assess and diagnose early-onset Alzheimer’s?

Answer 10

PET

Question 11

Neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques are part of which neurodegenerative disease?

Answer 11

Alzheimer’s

Question 12

Swollen neurons and Pick’s bodies in the cytoplasm of cortical neurons, causing decline in socially appropriate behaviour:

Answer 12

Pick’s Disease

Question 13

Which of the following about Pick’s Disease is FALSE?
a) it is hereditary
b) it is less common than Alzheimer’s Disease
c) it does not seem to affect the occipital & parietal lobes
d) all of the above

Answer 13

a) it is hereditary

Question 14

Neurons in the caudate and putamen die, causing choreiform movements and cognitive decline:

Answer 14

Huntington’s Disease

Question 15

True or false: Huntington’s tends to have a later onset than Parkinson’s or Alzheimers.

Answer 15

False
(Onset occurs around roughly 30-45 years old - so very early)

Question 16

Jerky, rapid, uncontrollable movements, frequently associated with Huntington’s Disease:

Answer 16

Choreiform movements

Question 17

Dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra die, causing mostly motoric symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, akinesia, bradykinesia, and problems with posture, gait and balance:

Answer 17

Parkinson’s Disease

Question 18

The poverty of movement, characteristic of Parkinson’s Disease:

Answer 18

Akinesia

Question 19

The slowness of movement, characteristic of Parkinson’s Disease:

Answer 19

Bradykinesia

Question 20

If a particular condition arises with no notable cause (i.e. it is not inherited) it is said to be:

Answer 20

Idiopathic

Question 21

In which part of the brain would we find the substantia nigra?

Answer 21

The basal ganglia
(The basal ganglia is part of the midbrain)

Question 22

A deficiency in which neurotransmitter is associated with the onset of Parkinson’s Disease?

Answer 22

Dopamine

Question 23

What is the correct pathology of Parkinson’s Disease?
a) atrophy of neurons in the parietal and occipital lobes
b) neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques
c) death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigria, leading to cholinergic overactivity
d) death of neurons in the caudate and putamen, leading to choreiform movements

Answer 23

c) death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to cholinergic overactivity
(a is made up; b is Alzheimer’s Disease; d is Huntington’s Disease)

Question 24

What precursor to dopamine is used as a treatment for Parkinson’s Disease?

Answer 24

L-Dopa

Question 25

Lesioning the thalamus or pallidus may help ease symptoms of Parkinson's, due to the interconnectedness of which part of the brain associated with the disease?

Answer 25

Substantia nigra

Question 26

Abnormal movements induced as an adverse reaction to drug therapy:

Answer 26

Dyskinesia

Question 27

For people with this disease, reflexive eye movements seem to be intact:

Answer 27

Parkinson's Disease

Question 28

For people with this disease, voluntary control over eye movements is mostly impaired:

Answer 28

Parkinson's Disease

Question 29

The anti-saccade, Flanker, and negative priming tasks might be used to assess what aspect of cognitive functioning in people with Parkinson's Disease?

Answer 29

Inhibitory control

Question 30

Direct or indirect: the anti-saccade task is a(n) ____ measure of Parkinson's Disease, whereas the negative priming task is a(n) ____ measure:

Answer 30

Direct; indirect

Question 31

The best prevention for neurodegenerative diseases are: a) physical activity, L-Dopa, early diagnosis b) physical activity, chorea, sleep c) sleep, physical activity, potential applications of MGB-axis d) sleep, healthy diet, L-Dopa

Answer 31

c) sleep, physical activity, potential applications of MGB-axis (MGB= microbiota-gut-brain)