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Neural Disorders
Advances and Challenges
Why Study Neural Diseases?
Application of neuroscienceComing together of research and
medical applicationsCost: Alzheimer’s alone costs the U.S.
150 billion dollars a year
Addiction
• 9% of Americans abuse drugs…
• Drug abuse Drug Addiction– Altered structure and
chemical brain makeup
• Abused drugs activate brain reward system
• Tolerance, dependence
Alcohol
• Legal and Addictive• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome– 2/1000 births
• Ethanol-active ingridient– Reduces anxiety and
tension– depressant– effects GABA and NMDA
Club Drugs• Ecstasy, Rohypnol, GHB, Ketamine• Ecstasy (MDMA)– synthetic psychoactive drug– hallucinogen– long term changes in memory, thought
• Rohypnol, GHB, Ketamine– CNS depressants– “Special” K: anesthetic
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHG8cjI5B-w
Marijuana and Nicotine
• Marijuana• tetrahydracannabinol– THC receptors
control movement, memory
• Endocannabinoids– Anandamide
• Nicotine• Tobacco is leading
preventable cause of death in U.S.
• Cholinergic receptors• Release of epinephrine,
glucose• Suppression of insulin• Releases DA in brain
regions controlling motivation
Opiates
• Increase DA in brain rewards system
• Mimic effects of endogenous opioids
• Brief rush of intense euphoria• Relieve pain, depress breathing– OD: many literally stop breathing
• Methadone and Naloxone /Naltrexone
Brain Reward System
• Evolved to mediate pleasurable effects of natural rewards– eating when hungry– drinking when thirsty
• Drugs activate system and promote continued use
Alzheimer’s Disease
What do you know?
Alzheimer’s Disease
• Forgetfulness, disorientation• Patients often die from pneumonia or illness
related to immobility• Reductions in– acetylcholines, somatostasin, monoamines,
glutamate
• Cellular symptoms: • Beta amyloid plaques, Neurofibrillary (Tau) tangles• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjgBnx1jVIU
Anxiety Disorders• OCD– Obsessive Compulsive Disorder– Repetitive thoughts, behaviors– Affects 5-6 million Americans
• PTSD: – Sever trauma– Dysregulation of hypothalmic-pituitary-adrenal axis, major
depression– High norepineprine levels– PFC can no longer inhibit amygdala activation
Attention Deficit Hyperactvity Disorder
• Diagnosis difficult and can mainly only be done by evaluation and behavioral observation: no objective test exists
• Smaller volume and reduced activity in cortical-striatal-cerebellar circuits
• Weakened prefrontal regulation of behavior• Stimulant drugs used for treatment despite
negative side effects
Autism
• Communication difficulties
• Impaired social skills• Developmental:
disruption in neuron proliferation and migration
• Specialized education and learning environments needed
Bipolar Disorder
• Alternating episodes of deep depression and manic highs
• Increased risk of suicide
• Lithium treatment– safe and very effective
• New anticonvulsants- mood stabilization
Brain Tumors• Primary brain tumor-
within brain– metastatic spread from
other area• Symptoms vary by location
– headaches, seizures, blurred vision
• Gliomas: malignant brain tumors– release toxic amounts of
glutamate• Increased intracranial
pressure
Brain Tumors - Treatment• Surgery- depends on size +
location of tumor• Radiation- Stop progress of
tumor and shrink• Chemotherapy- destroy
remaining cells after surgery• Monoclonal antibodies• Anti-angiogenic therapy- cut
off blood flow• Immunotherapy• Gene therapy- engineered
genes placed in tumor cells
Down Syndrome• Most frequently
occurring chromosomal condition
• extra chromosome 21• As age of mother
increases, so does risk of disease
• Intellectual disabilities, low muscle tone, flat face
• Cognitive decline similar to Alzheimer’s by age 40