True or false: Inheriting the apoE-4 genetic variant is a major risk factor for AD
True
100
Occurs when only some neurons in a specific brain region fire excessively/abnormally
Partial seizure
100
How may AD be diagnosed in a clinic? How may AD be diagnosed definitively?
Clinic: physical exam (neurological exam), medical history/symptoms, tests of mental function
Definitive: autopsy
100
Name three ways that epilepsy may be controlled
1. Medication
2. Lifestyle changes (eg. diet)
3. Surgery
100
Medicine that treats the tremors and movement problems associated with Parkinson’s can wear off. What options does the patient and provider have in order to reduce symptoms that reappear?
Change:
Type of medicine
Dose
Amount of time between doses
They way the medicine is taken
200
True or false: the cause of epilepsy is always unknown
False: the cause may be unknown (idiopathic), or it may be due to another brain disease/disorder (eg. stroke, a brain tumor, a traumatic brain injury)
200
Name 3 neuropathological changes that occur with AD
1. Neuronal loss
2. Amyloid plaques
3. Neurofibrillary tangles
200
Name 3 movement symptoms of Parkinson’s.
• Difficulty starting movement, such as starting to walk or getting out of a chair
• Difficulty continuing to move
• Slowed movements
• Loss of small hand movements (writing may become small and difficult to read)
• Difficulty eating
200
The name of the test often used in the diagnosis of epilepsy; measures electrical activity in the brain
Electroencephalography (EEG)
200
True or false: epileptic seizures usually begin between ages 5-20.
True
300
True or false: AD is a normal part of aging, since everyone becomes more forgetful with age
False: some mild memory loss is normal as you age, but AD is not a normal part of aging
300
Abnormal/excessive firing of neurons (increased periods of excitability followed by reduced inhibition) is referred to as a _______________.
Seizure
300
When do tremors tend to occur in affected individuals?
When their limbs are not moving (resting tremor)
When a limb is held out
When patients are tired, excited or stressed
300
Briefly explain how newer antiepileptic (anticonvulsant) drugs work
By dampening down abnormal seizure activity, without dampening normal brain function
300
Name three side effects that can occur with Parkinson’s.
What type of cells are affected in Parkinson’s? How are they important for normal functioning?
1. Cells that make DA are affected, they slowly die.
2. These cells are important cause they produce DA and it allows cells that control movement to send messages to muscles.
400
Name 5 symptoms/changes that may occur when an individual has AD
Eg. emotional changes, personality changes, language difficulties, memory problems, changes in thinking/judgement (cognition), changes in perception, etc.
400
Briefly explain what an aura is
A strange sensation that some people experience before having a seizure. It could be a weird tingling sensation, smelling an odor that isn’t there (olfactory hallucination), or emotional changes
400
What type of surgery can be done in order to treat Parkinson’s, that involves placing electric stimulators in areas of the brain that control movement?
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
400
True or false: Seizures always involve a loss of consciousness
False: only some seizures involve LoC. Certain seizures may involve just “zoning out” (staring spells)
500
Can Parkinson’s occur in younger adults?
Yes, it can. If it does it is normally a genetic reason. But this disease tends to affect adults after the age of 50.
500
Name 3 symptoms of severe/late-stage AD
1. Inability to recognize family members
2. Inability to perform basic activities of daily living, including eating, dressing, and bathing
3. Inability to understand language
500
True or false: early-onset dementia occurs before age 70, and is likely to progress more slowly
False: early-onset dementia occurs before age 60 and is likely to progress more quickly
500
True or false: Drugs that increase the activity of enzymes that break down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) may have modest clinical benefit in treating AD.
False: drugs that decrease the activity of enzymes that break down acetylcholine may have modest clinical benefits in treating AD
500
Name 3 symptoms of early-stage AD
1. Misplacing items
2. Getting lost on familiar routes
3. Personality changes (eg. loss of social skills)
4. Difficulty performing tasks that take some thought, but once came easily (like learning new information, balancing a checkbook, etc)
5. Trouble remembering the names of familiar objects