THE DARK SIDE OF CELLS
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
This is a brain of an
Alzheimer's patient
What is Alzheimer's disease?
- A form of gradual dementia which affects the
brains ability to recall information.
- Medical professionals are still uncertain
as to what causes Alzheimer's, but they do know that cells are affected.
- People with Alzheimer's disease start to lose
functions like the ability to recognize a person or object, communicate,
and control their behavior.
What is
the role of the cell in Alzheimer's disease patients?
- In 1906 it was discovered that Alzheimer
patient’s brain cells were being destroyed.
- The brain has billions of nerve cells.
- Acetylcholine (a neuro-transmitter) helps the
brain to function properly.
- People affected by Alzheimer's disease have nerve
cells (which use Acetylcholine) which sometimes become unhealthy and die.
- Alzheimer's disease causes a loss of nerve cells
in the basal nucleus of Meynert (which is found in the brain) which is
full of Acetylcholine.
- Acetylcholine is important for the formation and
retrieval of memories.
- Damage to the basal nucleus causes a sharp drop
in Acetylcholine levels.
- Alzheimer's disease also affects other important
neurotransmitters.
- Eventually many parts of the brain are affected
by the disease.
- More synapses (points of communication between
cells) are destroyed as more neurons die.
- With the loss of nerve cells, the mass of the
brain shrinks.
- Thread like tips of dying nerve cells get tangled
with each other and masses of dead nerve endings called plaques appear in
Alzheimer's disease patients.
Sources:
Gold, Susan. Alzheimer's Disease.
Peterson, Ronald (Ed.) . MayoClinic on Alzheimer's Disease.
Epilepsy
This is a picture of a healthy Nerve
cell.
What is Epilepsy?
- Epilepsy is
a brain condition characterized by seizures that occur again and again.
- Epilepsy is not; a disease, contagious, or a psychological
disorder.
- Epilepsy is a seizure disorder.
- It is a common chronic neurological disorder, and often
begins in childhood.
What Creates Seizures?
- A sudden
excessive electrical discharge that disrupts the normal activity of the nerve
cell.
- A change in a persons function or behavior may result, this
change is a seizure.
What Are the Different Types of
Seizures That Can Occur?
- There are two categories of seizures: Partial and
Generalized.
1) PARTIAL SEIZURES:
~ Simple Partial - Person is aware
and may involve sensory, motor, or autonomic symptoms.
~ Complex Partial - Person experiences
changes in awareness, and often feels confused.
2) GENERALIZED SEIZURES:
~ Absence - Person stares blankly for
ten seconds and then continues as if nothing happened. This involves the whole
brain.
~ Tonic Clonic - Usually involves
jerking movements throughout the whole body. This can involve part or all
of the brain.
~ Atonic - Involves person falling
suddenly to the ground. This involves the whole brain.
~ Myoclonic - This is a sudden jerk of
one part of the body. This also involves the whole brain.
Sources:
Parkinson's Disease
What is
Parkinson’s Disease?
-
When cells that produce dopamine die it is called Parkinson’s disease.
- Parkinson’s Disease is called a neuro-degenerated
disease.
- There is currently no cure.
- Many research projects underway.
- Parkinson’s Disease progresses at a different
rate in each person.
What are the most common
Symptoms?
- Most common
symptoms are tremor, slowness, stiffness, impaired balance and rigidity of the
muscles.
- Other
symptoms are fatigue, soft speech, writing problems, stooped posture,
constipation and sleep disturbance.
What can people do to ease
these symptoms?
- Exercise
every day.
- See a physiotherapist for stretches and exercises that are
right for you.
- Eat properly.
- Keep informed on what you have.
- Join a support group.
- Continue doing what makes you happy.
- Talk to your physician about when and what type of
medication you can take.
Sources:
Parkinson Society
Parkinson’s
Society