Neurofibrillary tangles are associated with: March 2007
**Core Concept:** Neurofibrillary tangles are abnormal protein aggregates found in the neurons of the brain, primarily composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein. They are a characteristic feature of Alzheimer's disease, although they can also be seen in other neurodegenerative disorders.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right:** Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles within the brain. These tangles are formed due to the misfolding and aggregation of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, which disrupts the normal microtubule function, leading to neuronal dysfunction and death.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect:**
A. **Incorrect because:** Neurofibrillary tangles are not a primary feature of Huntington's disease, which is characterized by chorea, cognitive impairment, and psychiatric symptoms due to the aberrant expansion of the HTT gene. Huntington's disease is caused by the expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats in the HTT gene, leading to a toxic huntingtin protein.
B. **Incorrect because:** Neurofibrillary tangles are not a primary feature of Parkinson's disease, which is characterized by motor symptoms like tremors, bradykinesia, and rigidity due to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Parkinson's disease is primarily caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to dopamine deficiency and motor symptoms.
C. **Incorrect because:** Neurofibrillary tangles are not a primary feature of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which is characterized by behavioral and cognitive changes due to the involvement of the frontal and temporal lobes. FTD is caused by the dysfunction or loss of neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes, leading to behavioral and cognitive symptoms.
D. **Incorrect because:** Neurofibrillary tangles are not a primary feature of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), which is a rapidly progressive neurological disorder characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and motor symptoms. CJD is caused by the misfolding and aggregation of the prion protein, leading to neuronal dysfunction and death, rather than neurofibrillary tangles.
**Core Concept:** Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, caused by the abnormal processing and aggregation of amyloid-beta and tau proteins, respectively. Alzheimer's disease is a result of the progressive loss of neurons in the cortex and hippocampus, leading to memory loss, cognitive decline, and dementia.
**Core Concept:** Neurofibrillary tangles are composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, which is a microtubule-associated protein that helps maintain the structural integrity of axons. The abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau protein results in its loss of function, leading to the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles in the neurons of the brain and subsequent neuronal dysfunction and death.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right:** Alzheimer's