3. Corticobasal Degeneration (10 pts.) Kathryn is a 30 year old biomedical resea

Question

3. Corticobasal Degeneration (10 pts.) Kathryn is a 30 year old biomedical researcher who has recently obtained a faculty position at a university near her hometown. This has allowed her to spend more time with her 65 year old mother Eleanor, who was widowed last year when Kathryn's father died following a heart attack. Kathryn notices that over the course of the past several months, her mother has been showing increasing signs of both motor impairment (e.g. difficulty walking) and cognitive impairment (e.g. memory problems). She is also experiencing some personality changes, such as increased irritability and obsessive-compulsive activities. Concerned, Kathryn urges her mother to see a neurologist. The neurologist does a few simple tests and also orders an MRI. Based on the results, the neurologist concludes that Eleanor is likely showing signs of a rare and progressive condition called corticobasal degeneration (CBD). a. Look up and list/briefly describe at least 5 symptoms of CBD. (5 pts.) b. How are the symptoms of CBD similar to the more common movement disorders (Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases)? (2 pts.) c. Select three symptoms from your list in part a and indicate which brain area(s) are implicated for each of these symptoms. (3 pts.)

Explanation / Answer

Symptoms of CBD:

Corticobasal degeneration is a rare progressive neurodgenerative disorder which is characterized by loss of cells and deterioration of the particular area of the brain. The symptoms include:

1. Progressive asymmetric rigidity: Progressive stiffening or tightening of muscles in the limbs.

2. Apraxia:  Inability to make voluntary, purposeful movements with the affected limb.

3. Aphasia:  Inability to speak or a difficulty in initiating spoken dialogue.

4. Alein hand syndrome:  Unable to control the movement of a limb.

5. Bradykinesia, akinesia and cognitive disorder: Bradykinesia indicates slowness of movements while akinesia indicates lack of movements.

Similarity to perkinson and Hutington's disease: The similarity with perkinson and Hutingto's disease make the diagnosis of CBD more complex. Rigidity, tremor, bradykinesia and akinesia are the major symptoms in perkinson and Huntingtons disease. These symptoms are also dominant in case of CBD. Thus symptoms related to muscular movement are common in case of CBD and perkinson and hutinftons disease.

Implicated brain area:

Apraxia: Frontal, parietal, and basal ganglia structures thought to be implicated for apraxia. This brain region controls motor movement.

Aphasia: Left posterior temporal regions of the brain. This brain area is mainly responsible for speaking and speech cordination.

Rigidity: Basal ganglia and substantia nigra. This brain region is mainly responsible for muscular movement.

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