Neuropathology

Question 1

What is seen in the gross brain tissue of AD brains?

Answer 1

Dystrophy- wider sulci- atrophy

Question 2

With the development of silver staining, what was allowed to be visualised in AD brains

Answer 2

Amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

Question 3

Are amyloid plaques present in all AD brains and are all brains with amyloid plaques in AD patients?

Answer 3

no

Question 4

List 5 risk factors for dementia

Answer 4

5 of:
age, small brain, Alzheimer’s lesions (Amyloid plaques and NFTs), vascular pathologies, hippocampal atrophy, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, Lewy bodies

Question 5

what is the key difference seen in the brains of Parkinson’s disease patients ?

Answer 5

loss of dopamine neurons from Substantia Nigra

Question 6

what is used to treat PD?

Answer 6

dopamine replacement therapy

Question 7

what are the issues with dopamine replacement therapy?

Answer 7

doesn’t work long term
many side affects

Question 8

name the 2 genes mentioned in lecture associated with PD

Answer 8

PINK1 and TIGARB

Question 9

what have PINK1 Knockout studies shown?

Answer 9

links to mitochondrial deficiency, leading to dopaminergic neuronal loss in PD

Question 10

what has upregulation of TIGAR protein in fish models shown?

Answer 10

dopaminergic apoptosis

Question 11

which gene/protein has also been associated with Lewy bodies in SN dopaminergic neurons?

Answer 11

TIGARB

Question 12

What typical microscopic feature is seen in cells of MND patients?

Answer 12

ubiquitylated inclusions

Question 13

which gene have lectures mentioned to be closely linked to MND

Answer 13

TDP-43

Question 14

Where has TDP-43 been seen in MND brains?

Answer 14

within ubiquylated inclusions in cells

Question 15

what is TDP-43?

Answer 15

RNA processing gene/protein

Question 16

what other disorder is closely linked to MND with similar pathology?

Answer 16

chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Question 17

what causes chronic traumatic encephalopathy?

Answer 17

blows to head- sports

Question 18

which protein has been seen in both CTE and MND patients?

Answer 18

TDP-43

Question 19

What genetic differences were mentioned to be seen in gliomas?

Answer 19

loss of 1p and 19q

Question 20

do brain tumours typically have an older or younger age onset than other tumours?

Answer 20

younger

Question 21

what kind of damage is closely associated with glutamatergic signalling?

Answer 21

excitotoxicity

Question 22

what does excitotoxicity do cellularly at the synapse?

Answer 22

causes an excessive calcium influx

Question 23

what 3 damaging effects can this calcium influx caused by excitotoxicity have?

Answer 23

mitotoxicity
induces apoptosis
induce nitrous oxide synthase

Question 24

how does mitotoxicity happen?

Answer 24

mitochondria buffer calcium, however, when overloaded can generate ROS’

Question 25

how is apoptosis induced in excitotoxity?

Answer 25

caspase-3 induction through excessive calcium

Question 26

what does nitrous oxide induction do?

Answer 26

generates nitrous oxide species that alter mitochondrial permeability leading to solute overload and mitochondrial swelling

Question 27

if a nerve conduction study shows a response that is too small, what does this generally mean?

Answer 27

neuronal loss

Question 28

if a nerve conduction study shows a response that is too slow, what does this generally mean?

Answer 28

myelin loss

Question 29

if electromyography studies show a response with an increased amplitude and length, what does this mean?

Answer 29

there has been denervation and remaining nerves have taken over the space, hence more nerves causing an increased response.

Question 30

if electromyography studies show a response with reduced amplitude and length, what does this mean?

Answer 30

muscle disintegration

Question 31

Which type of communication is effected in myasthenia gravis?

Answer 31

nerve and muscle (neuromuscular junction)