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Neural Disorders

Neural Disorders. Advances and Challenges. Why Study Neural Diseases?. Application of neuroscience Coming together of research and medical applications Cost: Alzheimer’s alone costs the U.S. 150 billion dollars a year. Addiction. 9% of Americans abuse drugs… Drug abuse  Drug Addiction

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Neural Disorders

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  1. Neural Disorders Advances and Challenges

  2. Why Study Neural Diseases? Application of neuroscience Coming together of research and medical applications Cost: Alzheimer’s alone costs the U.S. 150 billion dollars a year

  3. Addiction • 9% of Americans abuse drugs… • Drug abuse  Drug Addiction • Altered structure and chemical brain makeup • Abused drugs activate brain reward system • Tolerance, dependence

  4. Alcohol • Legal and Addictive • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome • 2/1000 births • Ethanol-active ingridient • Reduces anxiety and tension • depressant • effects GABA and NMDA

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. Brain Reward System • Evolved to mediate pleasurable effects of natural rewards • eating when hungry • drinking when thirsty • Drugs activate system and promote continued use

  9. Alzheimer’s Disease What do you know?

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. Autism • Communication difficulties • Impaired social skills • Developmental: disruption in neuron proliferation and migration • Specialized education and learning environments needed

  14. Bipolar Disorder • Alternating episodes of deep depression and manic highs • Increased risk of suicide • Lithium treatment • safe and very effective • New anticonvulsants- mood stabilization

  15. 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

  16. 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

  17. 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

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