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Diseases of Aging
Learning Objectives:
Describe symptoms and
etiology/ progression of
Alzheimers and Parkinsons
Disease
List plants that are used in
prevention and treatment of
Alzheimers and Parkinsons
and describe their activities.
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Aging population
Percentage of population:
Year % 65+ % 80+
1975 10.5 2.1
2000 12.6 3.3
2015 14.7 3.8
2030 20.0 5.3
US Census Bureau
Baby Boomers
(1946 1964)
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Panaxspp.
Ginsenosides
anticarcinogenic
anti-inflammatory
antiatherosclerotic
antidiabetic
antistress
effects on the centralnervous system (may
protect neurons and
modulate neurotransmitters
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Dementia
Usually found in older patients
US population growing older
US Census Bureau
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Alzheimers Disease
= Slowly progressing dementia as nerve cells degenerate
and die
- Affects approx. 4.5 million Americans (doubled since 1980)
- Patients live average 8 yrs after diagnosis
- Usually develops after age 65
But.rare, inherited form can appear in patients 30-40 yrs
1 in 10 indiv. over age 651 in 2 indiv. over age 85
- Genetically / family based in 10% cases
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Alzheimers Disease
Symptoms:
Memory loss and
confusion
Personality changeBehavior problems
Indicated by:
Amyloid plaques
Neurofibrillary tangles
- clumps of protein accumulatingoutside brain nerve cells
- twisted protein strands formed
inside cells
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Alzheimers-amyloid clumps block cell-cell signaling at synapses
Tangles destroy transport system within nerve cells
Normal synapse
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Alzheimers
Cortex shrivelsaffecting thinking,
planning and
remembering
Ventricles expand
Hippocampus,involved in memory
formation, shrinks
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Disease Progression of Alzheimers
Learning, memory,
thinking, planningSpeech center,
orientation
Cell death is widespread
Communication, recognition, self-care lost www.Alz.org
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TurmericCurcuma longa
(Zingiberaceae)
Antioxidant
Anti-amyloid
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-tumor
Active ingredient: Cucurmin
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Alzheimers Disease
Treatment:
Ginkgo bilobaextracts
- Evidence suggests they may
inhibit formation of beta-amyloid(protein that forms amyloid plaques)
- May improve blood circulation in
brain- Antioxidant
(protects
neurons fromdamage)
- Anti-inflammatory
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Parkinsons Disease
Neurodegenerative Disease
- Neurons disintegrate in basal ganglion
- Dopamine is selectively depleted
Effects:
Difficulty initiating movements
Muscle rigidityTremors
Anxiety & depression
Loss of voice volume, speed, clarity
Memory loss
The average age of onset is 60 years;
(estimated 5 - 10 % under age 40).
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Imbalance in
Dopamine/
Acetylcholine
Neurotransmitters
Loss of neurons
in substantia nigra
Parkinsons
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Parkinsons Disease Treatment:
Enhancement of dopamine levels
Problem: Dopamine is not readily transported across
blood-brain barrier
Solution: Immediate precursor,
L-dopa, does!
Blood
Brain
Dopamine L-dopa
Dopamine
Rxn catalyzed by enzyme:
Aromatic-L-amino-acid
decarboxylase
3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Levodopa.png7/31/2019 May 22 - Diseases of Aging(1)
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L-dopa - Obtained in 1913 from Broad Bean
Vicia faba (Fabaceae)
Ingestion
produces
substantial
increase inL-DOPA
plasma
levels &
improvedmotor
performance
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Potential Parkinsons Treatment
Marijuana - Cannabis sativa
THC - tetrahydrocannabinol
Produced in trichomes;(Mahlberg & Kim, 2005)
- Conflicting evidence of its
potential for PD treatment
- Antagonists may offer the most
benefit
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THC - tetrahydrocannabinol
Complex interactions between CB and dopamine transmission
Cannabinoid chemical receptors:
CB1 - brainCB2 - peripheral immune system
Endogenous cannabinoids (anandamide)
* Roles in:
regulation of motor behavior
cognition
learning and memory
reduced pain perception
neuronal development
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CB1 receptors abundant in the basal ganglia and the
cerebellum, areas that control movement
Decrease with age
Increased in patients with Parkinsons Disease (PD)
CB1 receptor binding altered in the basal ganglia of
humans affected by several neurological diseases
Overactive in people with PD
Cannabinoids (synthetic,
plant-derived, &
endogenous) strongly
affect motor activity (mostly
inhibitory)
(reviewed in Romero et al. 2002)
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Cannabinoids
May reduce L-Dopa induced dyskinesia in Parkinson'sdisease
Dyskinesia: distortion or impairment of voluntary
movement (spasm, tic)
Antagonists may be useful in treatment of PD (since CB
receptors are overexpressed
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Life expectancy is increasing:
National Vital Statistics Report 2004 and U S Census Bureau 2012
Year Both Male Female
2008 78.0 75.5 80.5
2000 76.8 74.1 79.3
1990 75.4 71.8 78.8
1980 73.7 70.0 77.4
1970 70.8 67.1 74.7
1960 69.7 66.6 73.1
1950 68.2 65.6 71.1
1940 62.9 60.8 65.2
1930 59.7 58.1 61.6
1920 54.1 53.6 54.6
1910 50.0 48.4 51.8
1900 47.3 46.3 48.3