Download Alzheimer`s Disease Tyree` Barnes Dioval Remonde

Alzheimer’s Disease
SHOTS PROGRAM 2008
“How soon will YOU forget?”
Tyree’ Barnes
Dioval Remonde
NC A&T University
Greensboro, NC
Department of Biology
The Basics

Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
A progressive degenerative brain disease
that gradually destroys a person’s memory
and mental functioning.
 Alzheimer’s Disease
The most common form of dementia
The Basics

Alzheimer’s is most commonly found
within individuals along the ages of 60 and
older.
Alzheimer’s is linked to
the deposit of betaamyloid protein plaques in
the brain. [Hippocampus]

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The Basics
Amyloid Precursor Protein
 Encodes the beta-amyloid protein
 Has been mapped to chromosome 21

Other diseases linked to chromosome 21
 Down Syndrome (Trisomy)


Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Motor Neurons)
Experimental Overview

Lisa (17) & her cousin Jen (18) were
concerned about their grandmother and
her older sister’s genetic link to
Alzheimer’s.
 During this time of concern, along
with their mothers, they decided to get
tested for any genetic traces of the
disease
Experimental Overview
Possible methods for this study
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
 A method used in the
amplification of specific DNA
sequences.
Western Blotting
 A method of detecting specific
proteins in a given sample of
tissue homogenate or extract.
Method Of Choice
Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Experimental Process
Polymerase Chain Reaction
 Obtained our patients samples
Patient 1)
Patient 2)
Patient 3)
Patient 4)
Patient 5)
Patient 6)
Lisa
Jen
Grandma Eloise
Grandma Florence
Lisa’s Mother
Jen’s Mother
Experimental Process
Polymerase Chain Reaction
 Samples were prepared for the PCR reaction
and then placed into a thermocycler
 DNA products were visualized using a 0.8%
agarose gel and gel electrophoresis
Experimental Analysis
 The results of the six patients after the gel
electrophoresis process
Experimental Analysis (cont.)
 Patient’s Results
1) Normal -- Homozygous (-/-)
2) Lisa -- Homozygous (+/+)
3) Jen -- Heterozygous (+/-)
4) Eloise -- Homozygous (+/+)
5) Florence -- Heterozygous (+/-)
6) Lisa’s Mother -- Heterozygous (+/-)
7) Jen’s Mother -- Homozygous (-/-)
Conclusion
 As of now scientists are still conducting
research to cure Alzheimer’s
 However there are several
available medications used
in the treatment of mild to
moderate cases of the disease
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Mr. John Patterson
Dr. Catherine White
S.H.O.T.S Staff
2008 S.H.O.T.S Participants
THE MAGNIFICENT CLASS OF “2009”