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Lecture

Neurological Disorders: Alzheimer's & Anxiety

In course

CH-317: Drug discovery and development

This course discusses the molecular basis of diseases and how drugs work. Concepts and processes employed in today's drug discovery and development are covered. The first part of the course focuses on small molecule drugs and the second one on biotherapeut ...

Description

This lecture covers the molecular and chemical basis of neurological disorders, focusing on Alzheimer's disease and anxiety. It delves into the morphological changes in the brain of Alzheimer's patients, the pathophysiology of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, available therapies, such as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and NMDA receptor antagonists, and the molecular basis of anxiety. Additionally, it discusses pain, analgesic agents, and the renin-angiotensin system. The development of aliskiren, the first renin inhibitor for clinical treatment, is also explored, along with the need for new blood pressure-lowering drugs and the clinical trials conducted post-approval.

Instructor

Christian Heinis

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Health sciences

Cardiology: Cardiovascular disease

Psychiatry: Topics in psychiatry

Related concepts (32)

Amyloid plaques

Amyloid plaques (also known as neuritic plaques, amyloid beta plaques or senile plaques) are extracellular deposits of the amyloid beta (Aβ) protein mainly in the grey matter of the brain. Degenerative neuronal elements and an abundance of microglia and astrocytes can be associated with amyloid plaques. Some plaques occur in the brain as a result of aging, but large numbers of plaques and neurofibrillary tangles are characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease. Abnormal neurites in amyloid plaques are tortuous, often swollen axons and dendrites.

Antihypertensive drug

Antihypertensives are a class of drugs that are used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Antihypertensive therapy seeks to prevent the complications of high blood pressure, such as stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and myocardial infarction. Evidence suggests that reduction of the blood pressure by 5 mmHg can decrease the risk of stroke by 34% and of ischaemic heart disease by 21%, and can reduce the likelihood of dementia, heart failure, and mortality from cardiovascular disease.

Renin inhibitor

Renin inhibitors are pharmaceutical drugs inhibiting the activity of renin that is responsible for hydrolyzing angiotensinogen to angiotensin I, which in turn reduces the formation of angiotensin II that facilitates blood pressure. Renin inhibitor is often preceded by direct, called direct renin inhibitor in order to distinguish its mechanism from other renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system-interfering drugs such as angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and aldosterone receptor antagonists.

Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response to a real threat, whereas anxiety is the anticipation of a future threat. It is often accompanied by nervous behavior such as pacing back and forth, somatic complaints, and rumination. Anxiety is a feeling of uneasiness and worry, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing.

Anxiety disorder

Anxiety disorders are a cluster of mental disorders characterized by significant and uncontrollable feelings of anxiety and fear such that a person's social, occupational, and personal function are significantly impaired. Anxiety may cause physical and cognitive symptoms, such as restlessness, irritability, easy fatiguability, difficulty concentrating, increased heart rate, chest pain, abdominal pain, and a variety of other symptoms that may vary based on the individual.

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