Parkinson's Disease: Impact on Brain and Nervous System

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What is the primary difference between the effects of ageing and neurodegenerative diseases on the brain?

Ageing causes a loss of nerve cells, while neurodegenerative diseases cause a reduction in dopamine

Ageing is a heterogeneous group of disorders, while neurodegenerative diseases are a result of a single protein misfolding

Ageing shrinks nerve cells, but functions are still present, whereas neurodegenerative diseases result in a progressive loss of nerve cells and their functions (correct)

Ageing affects only memory and motor functions, while neurodegenerative diseases affect the entire central nervous system

Which of the following neurodegenerative diseases is characterized by the degeneration of the peripheral nervous system?

Multiple sclerosis (correct)

Alzheimer's disease

Huntington's disease

Parkinson's disease

What is the hallmark event in neurodegenerative diseases?

Reduction of dopamine in the brain

Inflammation of the brain tissue

Demylination of the peripheral nervous system

Misfolding, aggregation and accumulation of proteins (correct)

Which protein is involved in regulating the movement of the body in Parkinson's disease?

Dopamine Signup and view all the answers

What is the part of the brain affected in Parkinson's disease?

Substantia nigra Signup and view all the answers

What is a common feature among neurodegenerative diseases?

Progressive loss of nerve cells and their functions Signup and view all the answers

What is responsible for the symptoms of Parkinson's disease?

A reduction in dopamine Signup and view all the answers

Which part of the brain is connected to the basal ganglia?

Substantia nigra Signup and view all the answers

What is the main symptom that leads to a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease?

Any one of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the basal ganglia?

Motor control Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the slowing of movement in Parkinson's disease?

Bradykinesia Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the dopamine transporter scan (DaTscan) in diagnosing Parkinson's disease?

To support the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease Signup and view all the answers

What is the age range for early onset Parkinson's disease?

Under 40 Signup and view all the answers

What is the substance that can cause nigrostriatal degeneration?

MPTP Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of MPP+ on cellular components?

Increase in reactive oxygen species Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of caspase activation in Parkinson's disease?

Programmed cell death Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the parkin protein encoded by the PARK2 gene in the context of proteinopathies?

E3 ubiquitin ligase Signup and view all the answers

In PD brains, what was observed in the substantia nigra regarding proteasomal components?

Decreased expression of proteasomal components Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of pharmacological inhibition of the proteasome in wild-type rats?

Dopaminergic cell death Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of α-synuclein in the context of neuroinflammation?

Triggering microglial activation Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of regular use of ibuprofen on PD risk?

Decreased PD risk Signup and view all the answers

What is the hypothesized route of transmission for the ENS-formed α-syn seeds into the brain?

Increased permeability of the intestinal barrier Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of minocycline on DA cell death in rodent models of PD?

Decreased DA cell death Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of levodopa in pharmacological treatment of PD?

Turning into dopamine Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of LB-like inclusions observed in mice with proteasomal defects?

Lack of dense core Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of UCH-L1 (PARK5) on proteasomal function?

Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following therapies is NOT mentioned as a supportive therapy for Parkinson's disease?

Medication therapy Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of reducing SNCA mRNA through modulating histone deacetylase (HDACs) or RNA interference (RNAi) strategies?

To reduce the aggregation of α-syn Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in reducing aggregation?

To impede the multimerization of α-syn Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential benefit of blocking α-syn entry through receptor blocking?

To directly target the spread of α-syn Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential of immunotherapy in relation to α-syn?

To neutralize α-syn and/or α-syn aggregates extracellularly and perhaps even intracellularly Signup and view all the answers

What is the goal of boosting autophagic/lysosomal clearance?

To clear α-syn and other aggregating proteins that disrupt cellular homeostasis Signup and view all the answers

What has been implicated in the pathogenesis of PD?

Mitochondrial dysfunction and abnormal protein clearance Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of PINK1 and parkin in PD?

Regulation of mitochondrial homeostasis Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of MPTP on DA neurons?

It leads to complex-I inhibition Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the ubiquitin-proteasome system?

Breaking down abnormal proteins Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of α-synuclein accumulation in mitochondria?

Damage to complex-I activity Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of autophagy-lysosome pathway in protein clearance?

Breaking down abnormal proteins Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of rotenone on DA neurons?

It leads to complex-I inhibition Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of defects in mitochondrial complex-I?

Energy depletion and DA cell death Signup and view all the answers

What is the association between pesticide exposure and PD?

Pesticide exposure increases PD risk Signup and view all the answers

What is the central role of α-synuclein in PD pathogenesis?

Aggregation and contributing to protein clearance dysfunction Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism of action of levodopa in the brain?

It is converted to dopamine in striatal neurons Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of carbidopa on levodopa?

It inhibits the peripheral decarboxylation of levodopa Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism of action of COMT inhibitors?

They prevent levodopa being broken down by the enzyme COMT Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of selegiline on dopamine levels?

It increases dopamine levels in the striatum Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism of action of amantadine?

It increases the release of dopamine from striatal neurons Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary indication for adjutant therapy in PD?

Dyskinesia or motor fluctuations Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary mechanism of action of dopamine agonists?

They act as a substitute for dopamine in the brain Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary indication for deep brain stimulation in PD?