Overview of Brain Diseases and Mental Illnesses

Dr. Joseph J.

Instructor for the NEUR 2000 course.

Mental Illness

Difficult to classify due to behavior variability.

DSM-V

Diagnostic tool for mental disorders, 5th edition.

Prevalence of Mental Illness

20% of U.S. population affected.

Sexually Dimorphic Disorders

Disorders differing in prevalence by sex.

Schizophrenia

Chronic disorder affecting 1-2% of U.S. population.

Depression

Most prevalent mood disorder in the U.S.

Symptoms of Depression

Unhappy mood, low energy, hopelessness, agitation.

Suicide Risk

80% of suicides linked to depression.

Heritability of Depression

20% concordance in dizygotic twins, 60% in monozygotic.

SSRIs

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for treating depression.

Antidepressants

Drugs increasing monoamine neurotransmitter levels.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Talk therapy altering behavior through thought changes.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Magnetic field applied to brain for depression treatment.

Electroconvulsive Therapy

Induces seizures to treat severe depression.

Chlorpromazine

First drug treating psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia.

Antipsychotics

Drugs treating schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.

Neurodegenerative Diseases

Cause neuronal and glial cell loss.

Paralytic Dementia

Historical psychiatric illness linked to syphilis.

5HT2A Receptor Variant

Common in suicide victims, linked to depression.

Functional Imaging

Reveals decreased frontal cortex activity in schizophrenia.

Enlarged Cerebral Ventricles

Structural change in some schizophrenic brains.

Dysbindin

Gene implicated in synaptic plasticity related to schizophrenia.

Neurregulin 1

Regulates neurotransmitter receptors, linked to schizophrenia.

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)

Gene involved in dopamine metabolism.

G72 Gene

Contributes to glutamate activity in schizophrenia.

Disrupted in Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1)

Gene mutation linked to high schizophrenia rates.

Treatment-Resistant Depression

Depression not responding to standard treatments.

Side Effects of SSRIs

Commonly include sexual dysfunction and nausea.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Effectiveness

Comparable to drug therapies for treating depression.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons.

Huntington's Disease

Genetic disorder causing progressive brain degeneration.

Parkinson's Disease

Movement disorder due to dopamine-producing neuron loss.

Alzheimer's Disease

Common late-life neurodegenerative disease affecting memory.

AD prevalence

6% of adults aged 65+ have Alzheimer's.

AD symptom progression

Symptoms worsen from mild to severe over years.

Initial AD symptoms

Short-term memory issues and attention problems.

Later AD symptoms

Long-term memory loss and cognitive impairment.

Emotional impact of AD

High emotional cost for families of patients.

AD brain changes

Loss of cerebral cortex and hippocampus observed.

Beta-amyloid accumulation

Protein buildup outside neurons in Alzheimer's patients.

Neural signaling disruption

Potential impairment in communication between neurons.

Acetylcholine

Neurotransmitter crucial for learning and memory.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

Progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting memory.

Beta-amyloid protein

Protein linked to Alzheimer's disease pathology.

Early onset AD

Subtype of AD affecting individuals in their 40s.

Amyloid precursor protein

Gene mutations associated with early onset AD.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Medications like Aricept to increase acetylcholine.

Excitotoxicity

Neuronal death due to excessive glutamate stimulation.

Stroke

Cell death from disrupted blood flow to brain.

Ischemic stroke

Blocked blood vessel prevents blood flow to brain.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Broken blood vessel leaks blood, reducing brain flow.

Middle cerebral artery

Common blockage site causing motor function loss.

Broca's aphasia

Language impairment due to left hemisphere damage.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Brain injury from external physical force.

Cerebrospinal fluid

Fluid that cushions the brain and spinal cord.

Neuroprotective drugs

Experimental treatments aimed at protecting brain cells.

Physical therapy

Rehabilitation to restore movement post-injury.

Cognitive therapy

Restoration of cognitive functions after brain injury.

Psychotherapy

Mental health support for coping with TBI.

Inflammatory responses

Body's reaction that can worsen brain injury effects.

Daily low dose aspirin

Preventative treatment to reduce blood clotting.

Plasticity of the brain

Brain's ability to reorganize and adapt after injury.

High cholesterol

Risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular diseases.