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