BIOS5130 Week 11 Part 1 Lecture Slides (1) Human anatomy ll

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Disorders in which particular neurons degenerate leading to loss of function of that region of the nervous system.

Alzheimer's Disease

The most common neurodegenerative condition and cause of dementia, characterized by cognitive impairment including memory loss.

Parkinson's Disease

A neurodegenerative disease characterized by tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia due to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons.

Demyelination

The loss or damage of the myelin sheath which insulates nerve fibers, affecting proper neural signaling.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

An autoimmune demyelinating disease characterized by inflammation and damage to myelin in the CNS, leading to various neurological symptoms.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

An autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks the nerves, leading to weakness and sometimes paralysis.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT)

An inherited disorder affecting peripheral nerves, leading to muscle weakness and sensory loss.

Years of Life Lost (YLL)

A measure of the years lost due to premature mortality; part of the DALY calculation.

Years Lived with Disability (YLD)

A measure of the years a person lives with a disability; part of the DALY calculation.

Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALY)

A metric used to quantify the burden of disease, calculating the total number of years lost due to ill health, disability, or early death.

Neurofibrillary Tangles

Aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau protein found in neurons, characteristic of Alzheimer's disease pathology.

Amyloid Plaques

Extracellular deposits of β-amyloid protein that accumulate in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

Lewy Bodies

Abnormal aggregates of protein that develop inside nerve cells associated with Parkinson's disease.

Cholinergic Neurons

Neurons that release acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and muscle control; these are significantly affected in Alzheimer's disease.

Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors

Drugs used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease that prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine.

Dopaminergic Neurons

Neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, often degenerating in Parkinson's disease.

Molecular Mimicry

A phenomenon where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own proteins because they resemble foreign proteins.