Geriatrics Study Guide Questions | Western Sydney University

University:
Western Sydney University
Course:
MEDI 2003 | Clinical Sciences 2
Academic year:

2024
Views:

228

Pages:

2
Author:

Mariam A. A.

GERIAT RICS ST UDY GUIDE QUEST IONS 1. a. Explain the process of apoptosis. (3 marks) b. Define aging. (1 mark) Answer: a. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Cell shrinks and condenses. Chromatin condenses. Cell membranes blebbing Nuclear collapsing and breaks into fragments. Apoptotic cell bodies. Engulfed by macrophage. b. Aging refers to the organism losing its’ ability to adapt as time passes. 2. What is the mechanism that opposes transcription and how does that work. (2 marks) Answer: • • • • The opposing process is DNA methylation. This involves adding a methyl group to the cysteine on DNA. This inhibits transcription and thus impair DNA and the cell cannot replicate or proliferate, and hence undergo senescencing. This will cause the cell to eventually die. 3. Describe the pathogenesis of Werner Syndrome. (2 marks) Answer: • • • In this disease there is a mutation in the RECQL2 gene so there is abnormal production of the WRN helicase. This will cause loss of helicase and thus increased rate of DNA damaged. Due to this, there will be pre-mature expression of inhibitors of DNA synthesis and thus DNA mutations will accumulation and thus the cell will pre-maturely die. 4. a. What is Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome? (0.5 marks) b. What is the pathogenesis of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. Make reference to the inheritance pattern. (2 marks) c. What is the prognosis of this disease? (0.5 marks) Answer: a. Pre-mature aging. Appear very old at a very young age. b. • The inheritance pattern is autosomal dominant. What happens is that there is a mutation in the Lamin A gene. • This causes the prelamin A not to be cleaved into Lamin A. This will cause the accumulation and build up of prelamin A. • This causes nuclear blebbing and thus causing cellular apoptosis. 5. With aging what are the SIX preserved cognition. (3 marks) - Hint: Margret loves violet and emerald gems Answer: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. General intellectual functioning. Attention Executive function Memory Language Visuospatial skills. 6. Explain the process of sarcopenia. (5 marks) Answer: • • • • • • • • Sarcopenia refers to the process of muscle atrophy and muscle fibre loss with aging (increase in time). This happens due to Hayflick’s principle. This is because with each cell division, the telomere gets shorter. The telomere is present at the end of the chromosome, of which its’ main role is to protect the chromosomes of the cell from damage. With increasing age, this means that over the lifetime, there has been plenty of cell division, so the telomere gets shortened. The cell will eventually reach a senescence which mean that the cell cannot proliferation and thus divide. That means that after the cell reaches the end of it is life span, it will die, without being able to make copies that will replace it. Moreover, usually the enzyme telomerase, which usually has a small activity in adult somatic cells. The function involves preventing telomeres from excess shortening, however, with age, the function of this enzyme gets greatly reduced, so the cells undergo apoptosis, without this being opposed in any shape or form.