Deck 49: Epidemiology of Parkinsons Disease

Question 1

Parkinson's disease is characterized by death of neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain resulting in a deficit of the important neurotransmitter, dopamine.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Misfolded forms of the protein, alpha-synuclein, accumulate in abnormal inclusions called Lewy Bodies that cause the death of neurons in Parkinson's disease.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Familial clustering of Parkinson's disease is associated with heritable missense mutations in the gene encoding alpha-synuclein.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

In 2005, approximately 4.1 million people were suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Question 5

In the US population, Parkinson's disease is diagnosed in about 1% of adults over the age of 60 years and 4% over the age of 80 years.

Question 6

Parkinson's disease is frequently diagnosed in adults under 50 years of age.

Question 7

The age-specific prevalence of Parkinson's disease is higher in women than men.

Question 8

Smoking increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Question 9

Autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive genes have been discovered that cause familial Parkinson's disease.

Question 10

After crossing the blood brain barrier, MPTP is converted to a neurotoxic compound specific for neurons of the substantia nigra.

Question 11

MPTP has a chemical structure similar to many pesticides and herbicides.

Question 12

Excess exposure to certain pesticides and herbicides has not been proven to increase the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Question 13

Excess exposure to manganese increases the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Question 14

Regular use of NSAIDs has no influence on the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.

Question 15

Dementia is an uncommon development in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Question 16

Approximately what percentage of cases of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed in adults 50 years or older?

A) 50%
B) 75%
C) 90%
D) 99%

Question 17

Risk factors for Parkinson's disease include all of the following except:

A) excess exposure to pesticides and/or herbicides.
B) excess exposure to manganese.
C) genetic predisposition.
D) chronic tobacco smoking.

Question 18

What is the approximate cumulative risk of developing Parkinson's disease during one's lifetime?

A) 0-1%
B) 2-3%
C) 4-5%
D) 6-7%

Question 19

Favorable prognostic indicators for survival in patients newly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease include all of the following except:

A) mild disease.
B) young age.
C) being female.
D) being male.

Question 20

Mutant forms of all of the following genes predispose to Parkinson's disease except:

A) BRCA-1,2.
B) Parkin.
C) Leucine Rich Repeat Protein Kinase (LRRK2).
D) alpha-synuclein (SNCA).
E) PTEN-induced kinase (PINK-1).

Question 21

All of the following have been found to protect against the development of Parkinson's disease except:

A) coffee consumption.
B) cigarette smoking.
C) regular intake of NSAIDs.
D) repeated head trauma.

Question 22

Lewy Body dementia is characterized by:

A) Parkinsonian symptoms.
B) clumps of alpha-synuclein and ubiquitin protein in neurons.
C) declining levels of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine.
D) gradual progression.

Question 23

Indicators of a poor prognosis for patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease include all of the following except:

A) APOE $\varepsilon$ 4 genotype.
B) avoidance of caffeine.
C) continuation of cigarette smoking.
D) smoking cessation.

Question 24

Characterize the pathologic features of Parkinson's disease.

Question 25

Discuss the molecular biology of Parkinson's disease.

Question 26

Discuss the global distribution of Parkinson's disease.

Question 27

Discuss risk factors for Parkinson's disease.

Question 28

Discuss results of studies of cigarette smoking and Parkinson's disease.

Question 29

Describe rare genetic syndromes that predispose to the development of familial Parkinson's disease.

Question 30

What are the effects of MPTP exposure on the neurons of the substantia nigra?

Question 31

Discuss results of studies of Parkinson's disease and exposure to herbicides/pesticides.

Question 32

Discuss manganese exposure and Parkinson's disease.

Question 33

Discuss strategies for the prevention, control, and treatment of Parkinson's disease and other forms of dementia.