Essays on Myelin

1. Biot’s respiration named after Camille Biot is an abnormal ataxic breathing pattern, where rapid series of shallow respiration are followed by a period of apnea. In order to known how AMP kinase, knock down leads to Biot respiration in mice; it is necessary to known how AMP kinase affects respiratory rate. AMP kinase is a metabolic sensor and is activated in response to stretching of the lung alveolar cells and other stressors. During respiration, the lung goes through cycles of expansion and contraction (Budinger et al., 2008). When the alveolar cells stretch during expansion, the 5′ AMP-activated ...

The function of golli-MBP is less understood than that of the classic MBP. However, golli-MBP is believed to play an important role in various physiological activities such as the regulation of calcium (Ca) homeostasis especially in oligodendrocytes (OLs) and in T-cells ( Paez et al., 2007). The latter authors investigated this particular property of golli-MBP using fluorescent protein clones, cell lines and imaging techniques. It was revealed that when overexpressed in OL cell lines (N19), the golli proteins activate the elaboration of processes and sheets which retract rapidly following a depolarization with high potassium ions (K+). Simultaneously, a substantial augmentation ...

Misconception Diary: Brain Myths

I feel that there are so many things about this lecture that showed me that I have many misconceptions about the brain. I am not sure if I can really just pick one misconception about the brain. One of these misconceptions would be the brain may need to grow or get rid of synaptic connections between the neurons. I would never think that the brain would need to lose these connections in order to learn something. I always imagined that the brain would get bigger and stronger with an intelligent person. I don’t know why I have this ...

Summary of the article

Background and perspective Weaning refers to the gradual replacement of breastfeeding with other foods as well as different methods of nurturing. The weaning process is said to begin the minute the baby takes food from a source other than breast milk. This can be in the form of mashed bananas or formula from a bottle. From a medical point of view, it is important for babies to receive breast milk. It is recommended that for ideal and adequate nutrition, a child needs to be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. Medics also insist that nursing of a baby ...

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder, which affects the central nervous system. It was first described as a separate disease in 1868 by Jean-Martin Charcot (Compston and Coles, 2008). The average prevalence of the disease globally is 30 people from 100000 (Milo and Kahana, 2010). However, the incidence of multiple sclerosis varies greatly depending geography. While in the African countries it happens comparatively rarely, its frequency is increasing consistently in Asia and America. In Europe, multiple sclerosis happens with the highest rate in the world. There are four clinical forms of multiple sclerosis (Compston and Coles, 2008). Relapsing-remitting MS ...

Definition of Some Terms

- Resting membrane potential: term denoting that Em is about -70mV - Depolarization: reversal of Em due to influx of sodium ions - Sodium (Na+): major extracellular cation - Threshold: minimal stimulus needed to cause an AP - Absolute refractory period: cell membrane insensitive to stimuli. - Potassium (K+): major intracellular cation

Answers to Questions

Describe a synapse, and include definitions of the pre- and post- synaptic neurons. A synapse is an anatomically specialized junction between two neurons, and it is where one neuron alters the activity of another. A presynaptic neuron conducts signals toward a ...

Multiple sclerosis, which is abbreviated MS, is an inflammatory disease that involves the damage of the fatty myelin sheath surrounding brain axons, as well as the spinal cord. The damage results to the demyelination of the axon scarring including a wide range of symptoms. The disease is also referred to as encephalomyelitis disseminate or disseminated sclerosis (Compston and Coles). The first instance of the disease was reported by Jean-Martin Charcot in 1868. The onset of the disease is mainly seen young adults and is mainly common in women. MS has a prevalence of between 2 to 150 people in a population of ...

Introduction:

This paper throws a light on the effects of alcohol on the brain, body and behavior of a human being. Alcohol is the oldest drug that has been used by mankind. Likeness for alcohol originated 30 to 40 million years ago when people lived on diet of ripe fruits. At that time, alcoholic drinks were low in alcohol content, but now the content of alcohol has increased with the discovery of distillation. Alcohol has both positive and negative effects on the brain, body and behavior of a human being. It has been considered as a drug for medicinal purposes by doctors. But, if ...

The nervous system can be divided into two groups: the central nervous system (CNS), which comprises of the brain the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS), which consists of the nerves. Nervous tissue consists of two types of cells: the nerve cells and supporting glial cells (or simply glia). Glia have different types and outnumber nerve cells. In the CNS, astrocytes provide structural support for neurons, regulate the extracellular concentrations of neurotransmitters and ions, and facilitate information transfer at synapses. Radial glia is critical in the development of the nervous system. Both astrocytes and radial glia can ...

LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

INTRODUCTION SLE and Multiple Sclerosis both being autoimmune conditions, still show lot of diversities in their clinical manifestations. SLE is now also termed as Connective Tissue Disease to avoid confusion with other related diseases. Whereas Multiple Sclerosis is more of an inflammatory disease affecting the Central Nervous System. *Prevalence of SLE : 30 in 100000 in Caucasians to 200/100000 in Afro-Carribeans *Prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis: 120 in 100000 (in UK) *Gender Distribution : Both the diseases are commoner in women than in men

ETIOLOGY OF THE DISEASES

Predisposing factors of SLE: - Genetic predisposition - Cigarette smoking ...

Educational Affiliation

Reading is essential in the acquisition of knowledge. Books are the source of power and many great leaders including Alexander the Great had been fond of reading during his lifetime. Dr. Seuss, a famous writer of children’s story books, once said in one of his books published in 1978 entitled, I Can Read with My Eyes Shut that: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you will go” (as cited from Dickinson et al. 2012). Going back to its neurological background, Love and Webb (1986) claimed ...

The regeneration of nerves throughout the human body has been a subject of much interest in biology recently. The unique characteristics of both the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) provide insights into the mechanisms occurring after once damage occurs. A good understanding of tThe differences between these mechanisms also may lead to new therapies for nerve-damaged patients, including stroke patients. Following injury, the nerves in the CNS of an adult mammal will not regenerate, while the PNS will. These differences appear in every stage of axon regeneration. Within hours of axotomy, the PNS begins ...

Claudia medical history has pointed towards demyelination as a major pathological feature responsible for the listed signs and symptoms said to affect her and made her visit the neurologist. The major initial symptoms noted by Claudia are that of the facial numbness on the chin and lower lip. This later seen to be referred to the upper jaw and then towards the eyes. All these events which occurred over several months and after the usage of certain medication a strong link with a chronic neurological degeneration which was not taking into consideration as earlier as possible in order to address the issue before ...

Questions and answers

- Multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis involves formation of lesions in the central nervous system, destruction of myelin sheaths and inflammation. These features get to interact in a complex manner and finally lead to breaking down of the nerve tissue causing the signs and symptoms characteristic of multiple sclerosis. The white matter is the part of the nervous system mostly affected. The tissues affected include the brainstem, the optic nerve, the basal ganglia, and the spinal cord. The white matter carries signals between the grey matter and the other body parts. Lesions in the optic nerve causes vision changes, ataxia ...

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that is hard to treat because of nature in which the body fails to identify itself and starts to destroy itself. The immune system of a MS patient initiates the destruction of the myelin layer around the nerves of the spinal cord, brain and nerves. The breakthrough in the first trial treatment to reset the immune system of MS patients was successful with the research therapy capable of reducing the immune systems reactivity to myelin by up to 75%. When the insulation of the nerves is destroyed, electrical signals transmission is negatively impacted leading ...

Multiple sclerosis

Introduction In order to understand the situation to be addressed and discussed in this case study, it is necessary to start by understanding the medical condition in question. Also referred to as disseminated sclerosis, multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease, commonly found in young adults, which leads to the damage of the accumulated fatty sheath of myelin, in which case, demyelination results. Demyelination is the occurrence of diseases of the nervous system, which comes as a result of the scarring of the myelin fat, leading to impaired conduction and coordination of the nerves. At the same time, it is ...

Lorenzo’s Oil, directed by George Miller, tells the story of Michaela and Augusto Odone’s struggle to understand adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare genetic disease that afflicts their son Lorenzo. This movie highlights the difficulty associated with trying to find a treatment for a devastating disease that affects only a small number of people. These “orphan” diseases like ALD are understudied and often the only treatment option is participation in experimental therapeutic trials. Lorenzo’s Oil takes the viewer on a journey through medical science as two devoted parents try to save their son’s life. Lorenzo (played by Zack O’Malley Greenburg) ...

Nervous System

1. Neurons communicate with other neurons and stimulate both glands and muscles. 2. Match the following parts of the neuron and their function:

Dendrites input area, receives signals from other neuron conductive region; generates an action potential Soma (cell body) input area; main nutritional and metabolic area input area; receives signals from other neurons Axon conductive region; generates an action potential input area; main nutritional and metabolic area 3. Signals from other neurons are received at junctions called synapses, located primarily on the dendrites and cell bodies, the receptive and integrative regions of the neuron. ...

1.0 Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neural degenerative condition involving the progressive degeneration of the myelin sheath (the protecting cover to the nerve fibres (axons)) around the nerve cell leading to a break down in transmission of nerve impulses. The impairment of the transmission results in loss of the body’s ability to control and coordinate muscle movement. The disease progresses through a complex and diverse symptoms making it challenging to diagnose, treat and manage. The symptoms of MS may range from gentle to severe weakness, impaired body movement, lack of ordered senses, uncontrolled bowel and bladder, damaged cognition, impaired vision and a variety ...

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neural degenerative condition involving the progressive degeneration of the myelin sheath (the protecting cover to the nerve fibres (axons)) around the nerve cell leading to a break down in transmission of nerve impulses. The impairment of the transmission results in loss of the body’s ability to control and coordinate muscle movement. The disease progresses through a complex and diverse symptoms making it challenging to diagnose, treat and manage. The symptoms of MS may range from gentle to severe weakness, impaired body movement, lack of ordered senses, uncontrolled bowel and bladder, damaged cognition, impaired vision and a variety ...