Teacher resource 1 - Quick test – Alzheimer’s
disease
Use your factsheet on Alzheimer’s disease and text book to answer the following questions.
1.
Which parts of the brain are most likely to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease?
The temporal and frontal lobes
2.
State 4 factors associated with the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Factors include – increasing age, family history, severe or repeated head injury, stroke, low
level of education and intellectual ability
3.
What is vascular dementia?
Dementia associated with cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure, smoking and
high cholesterol
4.
List 3 symptoms of the following stages of Alzheimer’s disease:a) Early-stage
Early-stage – symptoms include mild memory loss, repeating themselves, poor judgement,
inability to make decisions, increased anxiety and mild confusion.
b) Mid-stage
Mid-stage – symptoms include requiring care for daily activities such as washing and dressing,
difficulty with communication, confusion, disorientation, repetitive and compulsive behaviour,
disturbed sleep and mood swings.
c) Late-stage
Late- stage – loss of bodily functions resulting in incontinence, need care for simple activities,
cannot be left alone, personality changes, speech can be lost completely, may be violent,
demanding and suspicious, can lose ability to swallow.
Version 1
Delivery Guide - 5.2 Nervous control
1
© OCR 2016
5.
Describe 3 changes in brain tissue that could be identified during a post mortem to confirm a
diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Changes include:• Build-up of Tau protein tangles within neurones resulting in neurone death
• Plaques of β-amyloid proteins around axons and dendrites of the brain
• Reduction in size of brain areas including the temporal lobe, parietal lobs and parts of
the frontal cortex
6.
Describe 2 possible molecular causes of Alzheimer’s disease.
Molecular causes include:• Age related myelin breakdown which results in iron release that causes further damage
• Inflammatory processes associated with ageing that prevent neurones communicating
with each other
• Herpes simplex virus may be a cause in individuals with a particular version of a gene
called apoE gene
7.
Where is the enzyme acetylcholinesterase found in the nervous system?
Acetylcholinesterase is found at synapses where it breaks down the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine.
8.
Explain how giving an Alzheimer’s sufferer a drug containing an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
will increase levels of acetylcholine in the patient’s brain.
The inhibitor in the drug could be either a competitive inhibitor – with a similar shape to
acetylcholine, which binds to the enzymes’ active site, or a non-competitive inhibitor – binding
away from but changing the shape of the active site. Either way – acetylcholine cannot bind to
the active site of the acetylcholinesterase, so it will not be broken down.
Extension activity:
Work in groups to suggest lifestyle changes that may help to prevent or delay Alzheimer’s disease
and look for evidence to support or contradict your ideas. Be critical and sceptical in your research
and think about the quality, impartiality and dependability of the sources you use
OCR Resources: the small print
OCR’s resources are provided to support the teaching of OCR specifications, but in no way constitute an endorsed teaching method that is required by the Board, and the decision to
use them lies with the individual teacher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, OCR cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions within these
resources.
© OCR 2016 - This resource may be freely copied and distributed, as long as the OCR logo and this message remain intact and OCR is acknowledged as the originator of this work.
OCR acknowledges the use of the following content:
Please get in touch if you want to discuss the accessibility of resources we offer to support delivery of our qualifications: resources.feedback@ocr.org.uk
Version 1
Delivery Guide - 5.2 Nervous control
2
© OCR 2016