What complication occurs when a person has Cushing syndrome?

Choice A reason: Abnormal tau proteins contribute to Alzheimer’s, forming neurofibrillary tangles, but damage is not limited to the frontal lobe. The hippocampus and other regions are primarily affected, leading to memory loss. This choice is too specific and incomplete, making it incorrect.

Choice B reason: Damaged blood vessels interrupting brain blood flow describe vascular dementia, not Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s involves neuronal degeneration from protein accumulation, not primarily vascular pathology, although vascular factors may contribute, making this choice incorrect for Alzheimer’s pathophysiology.

Choice C reason: Repeated traumatic brain injuries cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy, not Alzheimer’s. While trauma may increase Alzheimer’s risk, the primary pathology involves amyloid and tau proteins, not trauma-induced encephalopathy, making this choice incorrect for the disease’s core pathophysiology.

Choice D reason: Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by amyloid-beta plaques and tau protein tangles, which disrupt neuronal function, particularly in the hippocampus, leading to memory impairment. These protein aggregates cause synaptic loss and neurodegeneration, accurately describing the disease’s pathophysiology, making this the correct choice.

Choice A reason: Visceral pain arises from internal organs due to stretching or inflammation, not from musculoskeletal injuries like an ankle sprain. An ankle sprain causes localized tissue damage, producing sharp, immediate pain, not the dull, diffuse pain typical of visceral sources, making this incorrect.

Choice B reason: Chronic pain persists beyond three months, often from ongoing conditions like arthritis. An ankle sprain causes immediate, short-term pain due to acute tissue injury, not prolonged pain, making chronic pain incorrect for the immediate aftermath of a sprain.

Choice C reason: Acute pain occurs immediately after injury, like an ankle sprain, due to tissue damage, inflammation, and activation of nociceptors. It is sharp and localized, resolving with healing, matching the description of pain right after a sprain, making this the correct choice.

Choice D reason: Referred pain is felt in a different area from the injury source, such as shoulder pain from a heart attack. An ankle sprain causes localized pain at the injury site, not referred pain, making this choice incorrect for the described scenario.