Biology 30S

Name

Film: Lorenzos Oil Part One

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the film, Lorenzos Oil.
Characters:
Lorenzo Odone child
Michaela Odone mother
Augusto Odone- father
1. Lorenzo begins to experience problems at school and at home. What symptoms of the disease first
appeared?
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2. What medical tests were done to assess Lorenzos condition?
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3. When Lorenzo is diagnosed with Adrenoleukodystrophy, the doctor explains the prognosis for this
disorder. What does he tell Mr. and Mrs. Odone?
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5. The inheritance pattern for this disease is referred to as _______________ ___
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6. Lorenzo inherited this disease from which parent? ___________________

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7. The biochemical basis of this disease is related to the metabolism of what molecules?
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8. What is myelin?
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9. How is the buildup of molecules affecting the myelin sheath of Lorenzos neurons?
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10. What two trial studies did Lorenzos parents try to help their son fight the disease?
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11. What changes are apparent in the lives of the Odones that are related to Lorenzos illness?
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12. What decision did Lorenzos parents make about the way they would fight the disease to save their
son?
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13. How was Lorenzos disease progressing?
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Biology 30S

Name

Film: Lorenzos Oil Part Two

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the film, Lorenzos Oil.
1. What is the attitude of the people in the foundation towards research and new treatments?
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2. What is the response of the foundation leader to the ideas of the Odones.
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3. What opposition do the Odones face from the medical community and care givers?
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4. What is an orphan drug?
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5. Augusto Odone makes a model to compare Lorenzos condition to a kitchen sink. What is the
significance of the spigots and the drain?
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6. Michaela found an interesting research article on Polish rats. What was the significance of this
research?
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7. During a medical conference what ideas are open to discussion on possible solutions to providing a
treatment for Adrenoleukodystrophy?
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8. What oil offers a possible solution to Lorenzos high level of VLCFA?
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9. Where did Lorenzos father get this oil?
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10. How did Lorenzo consume the oil?
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11. How is Lorenzos response to the oil measured? This oil is only partially effective; explain why.
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12. What does the paper clip model demonstrate to Augusto? What is his dream?
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13. When Augusto explains the dream to the doctor, the paper clip model is shown to have this property of
an enzyme reaction?
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Biology 30S

Name

Film: Lorenzos Oil Part Three

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the film, Lorenzos Oil.
1. What is the name of the second oil?
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2. What plant is this oil is extracted from?
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3. What is the medical basis of using this oil?
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4. Who is Lorenzos rat?
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5. Why can the therapy of erucic acid be tested on Michaelas sister or Michaela?
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6. Why are the doctors and family concerned about toxicity?
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7. At this point, what is Lorenzos condition?
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8. How is Lorenzo breathing?
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9. After the administration of the oil, how does Lorenzos condition begin to change?
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10. When the Odones present their findings how do the parents in the foundation respond?
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11. How is the news received in the medical community?
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12. Augusto gets a new idea for a cure for Adrenoleukodystrophy from shaking puppies. Explain.
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13. How would a cure for the ALD boys offer hope to other neurological conditions?
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Biology 30S

Name

Adenoleukodystrophy (ALD) Questions

Adenoleukodystrophy has only ever affected boys. That is because boys have always died before reaching
puberty. With the number of ALD boys living beyond puberty increasing, could there ever be an ALD
girl? Explain.
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___________________________________________________________________________
Adenoleukodystrophy:

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Biology 30S

Name

Film: Lorenzos Oil Part One (Key)

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the film, Lorenzos Oil.
Characters:
Lorenzo Odone child
Michaela Odone mother
Augusto Odone- father
1. Lorenzo begins to experience problems at school and at home. What symptoms of the disease first
appeared?
-Tantrums, disoriented, easily annoyed
2. What medical tests were done to assess Lorenzos condition?
-x-rays, MRI, CT scans, hearing tests and EEG (electroencephelograph)
3. When Lorenzo is diagnosed with Adrenoleukodystrophy the doctor explains the prognosis for this
Disorder. What does the doctor tell Mr. and Mrs. Odone?
- That Lorenzo would die within 2 years or less. His condition would gradually deteriorate.
5. The inheritance pattern for this disease is referred to as mother to son or x-linked.
6. Lorenzo inherited this disease from which parent? His mother
7. The biochemical basis of this disease is related to the metabolism of what molecules?
-Long chain fatty acids
8. What is myelin?
-The tissue surrounding nerve cells
9. How is the buildup of molecules affecting the myelin sheath of Lorenzos neurons?
-it is breaking the myelin down
10. What two trial studies did Lorenzos parents try to help their son fight the disease?
-changing his diet and immunosuppressant chemotherapy
11. What changes are apparent in the lives of the Odones that are related to Lorenzos illness?
-their lives are dominated by the quest for a cure to ALD
12. What decision did Lorenzos parents make about the way they would fight the disease to save their
son?
They decide not to wait for conventional treatment but to develop an alternative
13. How was Lorenzos disease progressing?
-he was digressing at a rapid rate

Film: Lorenzos Oil Part Two (Key)

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the film, Lorenzos Oil.
1. What is the attitude of the people in the foundation towards research and new treatments?
-they were cautious about giving anyone false hopes and didnt really believe that a cure was
attainable. Their focus was on helping families cope.
2. What is the response of the foundation leader to the ideas of the Odones.
-assumed that they were arrogant and just wanted to go through the motions
3. What opposition do the Odones face from the medical community and care givers?
-the caregivers focus is more on coping than actually healing
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Biology 30S

Name

4. What is an orphan drug?

-a drug used to treat a rare disease affecting fewer than 200,000 Americans
5. Augusto Odone makes a model to compare Lorenzos condition to a kitchen sink. What is he
significance of the spigots and the drain?
-the spigot was the intake of the LCFA and the drain was enzymes that metabolize them
6. Michaela found an interesting research article on Polish rats. What was the significance of this
research?
-dietary modification could lower certain fat levels
7. During a medical conference what ideas are open to discussion on possible solutions to providing
a treatment for Adrenoleukodystrophy?
-olive oil and fatty acid manipulation
8. What oil offers a possible solution to Lorenzos high level of VLCFA?
-oleic acid
9. Where did Lorenzos father get this oil?
-Protochem lab that produced industrial lubricant,
10. How did Lorenzo consume the oil?
-tube feeding
11. How is Lorenzos response to the oil measured? This oil is only partially effective; explain why.
-the LCFA levels in his blood (15% drop), they were too low down on the fatty acid chain and couldnt
be completely metabilized
12. What does the paper clip model demonstrate to Augusto? What is his dream?
-they model the different types of fatty acids, that Lorenzo is eating both types of paper clips
13. When Augusto explains the dream to the doctor, the paper clip model is shown to have this
property of an enzyme reaction?
-both types of fatty acids are being metabolized by the same enzyme (competition)

Film: Lorenzos Oil Part Three (Key)

Directions: Answer the following questions based on the information provided in the film, Lorenzos Oil.
1. What is the name of the second oil?
-erucic acid
2. What plant is this oil is extracted from?
-canola/rapeseed
3. What is the medical basis of using this oil?
-it distracts one of the enzymes, thereby, preventing it from metabolizing the wrong fatty acid
-in many eastern countries canola oil was found to prevent heart disease
4. Who is Lorenzos rat?
-his maternal aunt (Deirdre)
5. Why can the therapy of erucic acid be tested on Michaelas sister or Michaela?
-they are the carriers
6. Why are the doctors and family concerned about toxicity?
-they are concerned that high levels of canola oil could be fatal
7. At this point, what is Lorenzos condition?
-he is almost dead and in a vegetative state
8. How is Lorenzo breathing?
-humidified and his breating is very laboured
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Biology 30S

Name

9. After the administration of the oil, how does Lorenzos condition begin to change?
-no longer needs constant suctioning, his breating became less laboured and he was able to interact by
blinking his eyes
10. When the Odones present their findings how do the parents in the foundation respond?
-they are cautious at first but when they realize how positive the results are they become angry about
this treatment being withheld from their children
11. How is the news received in the medical community?
-humiliated, doubtful, dumbfounded
12. Augusto gets a new idea for a cure for Adrenoleukodystrophy from shaking puppies. Explain.
-transplant neurons and brain tissue, myelin regeneration
13. How would a cure for the ALD boys offer hope to other neurological conditions?
-myelin deterioration is also the cause of other illness like MS
Adenoleukodystrophy (ALD) Questions
Adenoleukodystrophy has only ever affected boys. That is because boys have always died before reaching
puberty. With the number of ALD boys living beyond puberty increasing, could there ever be an ALD
girl? Explain.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Adenoleukodystrophy:

Science Movie Worksheets http://www.NewYorkScienceTeacher.com/movies

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