The Case Study Should Be Between 750 Minimum Words

The Case Study Should Be Between 750 Minumum Words And All Sources Mu

The case study should be between 750 minimum words, and all sources must be properly cited using APA format. Writen in Essa Format. Amy is cooking dinner for her family. She moves to pull a pot off the stove and accidently touches the burner. She reflexively pulls her finger away from the stove and immediately feels the pain. Which receptor neuron is responsible for sending information from her finger to her peripheral nervous system? Is this receptor neuron, an afferent or efferent neuron? Explain where the information from the receptor neuron is sent and how does it result in Amy moving her finger away from the stove. How many neurons are typically involved in this response? What are the names of these neurons? Evolutionarily, why do you think the human body has this system in place? What might happen if we did not have this response? Glen, who is 45 years old, begins to notice that his hands shake (tremors) when he is performing everyday tasks such as signing his signature. His family members have noticed that he also has muffled speech and tends to shuffle when he walks. He is diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson’s disease. What is Early Onset Parkinson’s disease? What specific cell type is affected in Parkinson’s disease? What is dopamine? What effects does dopamine have on the body? Explain the structure of a synapse and why Glen’s neurologist would prescribe him a dopamine agonist? Glen has genetic testing performed and it is determined that he does carry an autosomal dominant mutation in the SNCA gene associated with Early Onset Parkinson’s disease. Glen has three children. Would you advise his children to have genetic testing performed to determine if they also carry the disease mutation? Why or why not? Patricia, who is 37 years old, discusses with her physician recent symptoms that she has experienced including blurred vision, numbness in her fingers and face, dizziness, fatigue and weakness. The physician performs multiple neurological tests and she is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). What is MS? Is MS a disease of the central or peripheral nervous system? What is the main cell structure affected in MS? How is the action potential of a neuron affected in MS? The origins of MS are not clear. What do scientists hypothesize to be the causes of MS?

Paper For Above instruction

The human nervous system is an intricate and highly specialized network that allows organisms to respond to stimuli, maintain homeostasis, and coordinate various physiological processes. The rapid transmission of sensory information and subsequent motor response is essential for survival and functional interaction with the environment. This essay explores the neural mechanisms involved when Amy reflexively pulls her finger away from a hot stove, provides insights into the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease exemplified by Glen’s condition, and discusses multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease affecting neural conduction.

Neural Response to Pain and Reflexes

When Amy touches a hot burner, specialized sensory receptor neurons in her skin, known as nociceptors, are activated. Nociceptors are free nerve endings that respond to potentially damaging stimuli by transmitting pain signals. These neurons are afferent neurons, which carry sensory information from the peripheral tissues toward the central nervous system. The primary pathway involves a chain of neurons that relay the pain signal from the site of injury to the spinal cord and then to the brain.

The first neuron involved is a sensory afferent neuron, which transmits the pain signal to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Here, the signal may synapse directly onto a motor neuron or interneuron, which then activates skeletal muscles to withdraw the finger, resulting in the reflex action. Typically, a monosynaptic reflex arc involving two neurons— the afferent sensory neuron and the efferent motor neuron—is responsible for this immediate withdrawal response. The afferent neuron detects pain, and the efferent neuron carries the signal to muscles to produce movement.

This reflex system is evolutionarily conserved because it provides a rapid, automatic response to harmful stimuli, minimizing tissue damage. Without such a reflex, humans would be at greater risk of severe injuries, as the protective response might require conscious thought, delaying action.

Parkinson’s Disease and Dopaminergic Pathways

Early Onset Parkinson’s disease (EOPD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability that occur earlier than typical Parkinson’s disease, usually before age 50. The disease primarily affects dopaminergic neurons located in the substantia nigra pars compacta, a region in the midbrain.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter crucial for regulating movement, mood, and reward pathways. It facilitates communication between neurons within the basal ganglia, a group of nuclei involved in coordinating voluntary movements. In Parkinson’s disease, the loss of dopamine-producing neurons disrupts these pathways, leading to the characteristic motor symptoms. Dopamine acts at synapses by binding to specific receptors on post-synaptic neurons, modulating neuronal activity.

The synapse is a specialized junction where an axon terminal communicates with a postsynaptic neuron. In Parkinson’s, the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons results in decreased dopamine levels in the synaptic cleft, impairing signal transmission. A dopamine agonist is prescribed to mimic dopamine’s effect, stimulating dopamine receptors directly and alleviating motor symptoms by compensating for the loss of natural dopamine (Kalia & Lang, 2015).

Genetic Aspects of Parkinson’s Disease

Glen’s genetic testing revealed an autosomal dominant mutation in the SNCA gene, which encodes alpha-synuclein, a protein involved in synaptic function and implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. The presence of this mutation suggests a strong genetic predisposition.

Considering Glen's genetic status, his children may also be at risk. Genetic counseling and testing can help determine whether they carry the mutation. While knowing about the genetic risk can facilitate early intervention, it raises ethical considerations related to psychological impact and insurability (Vallance et al., 2018). Family members should be informed and encouraged to seek genetic counseling to make informed decisions.

Multiple Sclerosis: Pathophysiology and Hypotheses

Patricia’s symptoms—blurred vision, numbness, dizziness, fatigue—are indicative of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks the central nervous system’s myelin sheath, a layer of insulating material surrounding nerve fibers (Lublin & Reingold, 2016). The destruction of myelin results in disrupted nerve conduction, leading to the neurological deficits observed in MS patients.

MS specifically affects the central nervous system—comprising the brain and spinal cord. The main structural target in MS is oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for producing and maintaining myelin in the CNS. Damage to oligodendrocytes and the subsequent demyelination interfere with the ability of neurons to propagate action potentials efficiently.

In MS, the destruction of myelin impairs the propagation of electrical signals along axons, leading to slowed or blocked action potentials. This demyelination explains the diverse neurological symptoms seen in patients, as nerve signals cannot efficiently reach their targets (Compston & Coles, 2008).

Scientists hypothesize that environmental factors, genetic susceptibility, and triggers such as viral infections may contribute to MS development. The autoimmune response might be initiated by molecular mimicry, where immune cells attack myelin due to similarities with infectious agents, or by dysregulation of immune tolerance mechanisms (Ascherio & Munger, 2016).

Conclusion

The human nervous system's complexity allows for rapid and coordinated responses vital for survival, including reflexes like Amy’s withdrawal from heat. Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and autoimmune conditions like MS highlight the importance of neural integrity and the devastating consequences when these systems fail. Advances in understanding these conditions facilitate better treatments, early diagnosis, and potentially preventive strategies, emphasizing the importance of continued research in neurobiology.

References

• Ascherio, A., & Munger, K. L. (2016). Environmental risk factors for multiple sclerosis. Part II: Noninfectious factors. Annals of Neurology, 80(4), 504-520.
• Compston, A., & Coles, A. (2008). Multiple sclerosis. Lancet, 372(9648), 1502-1517.
• Kalia, L. V., & Lang, A. E. (2015). Parkinson's disease. The Lancet, 386(9996), 896-912.
• Lublin, F. D., & Reingold, S. C. (2016). Defining the clinical course of multiple sclerosis: The 2013 revisions. Neurology, 83(3), 278-286.
• Vallance, K., et al. (2018). Genetic counseling and testing in Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 56, 112-119.