Nervous Flashcards
(11 cards)
Alzheimer’s disease
- Most common type of dementia
- Progressive brain disease that causes dementia by damaging nerve cells in the brain.
- Loss or damage to the synapses in the brain, which in turn causes neural / cerebral atrophy (decrement in the size of the cell) within the brain.
- Usually occurs due to a buildup of proteins (plaques) which causes delays in the transmission of electrical signals within the brain.
- Over time causes certain parts of the brain (most commonly the hippocampus and temporal lobes) to shrink which causes the common signs and symptoms.
Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
- Confusion, disorientation and getting lost in familiar places.
- Difficulty planning or making decisions
- Problems with speech and language
- Problems performing daily activities without assistance and performing self-care tasks.
- Personality changes such as becoming aggressive, demanding or becoming suspicious of other people.
- Hallucinations and delusions
- Low mood or anxiety
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Chronic autoimmune disease that affects the CNS.
- Occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the myelin sheath, which is the protective coating around nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
- The attack disrupts the electrical impulses that travel through nerves to the rest of the body, causing the nerves to break down. The result is a loss of communication between the brain and spinal cord, and the body
- Cause is unknown.
- Reduces life expectancy
- Three main types - Relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), Secondary progressive MS (SPMS) and Primary progressive MS (PPMS)
Symptoms of MS
- Vision problems
- Difficulty with movement
- Balance issues
- Sensory problems
- Fatigue
- Muscle stiffness or spasms
Visceral pain
- Pain that originates in the internal organs and tissues of the chest, abdomen or pelvis.
- Can feel deep and squeezing and is often described as dull and diffuse.
- Hard to pinpoint
- poorly localised pain
Causes of visceral pain
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Cancer
- Pancreatitis
- Indigestion
- Interstitial cystitis (IC)
Somatic pain
- Pain that originates from the skin or musculoskeletal system such as muscles, bones, joints, ligaments and tendons.
- Aching, cramping or throbbing
Causes of somatic pain
- Cuts or impacts to the skin
- Burns
- Infections
- Torn muscles
- Muscle cramps
- Joint discolation
- Sprains
- Bone fractures
- Osteoarthritis
Brain structures associated with pain
Primary somatosensory cortex - activated during acute pain.
Secondary somatosensory cortex - activated during acute pain
Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) - integrates sensory, attentional and motivational aspects of pain.
Insular cortex (IC) - one of the most consistently activated regions during pain.
Prefrontal cortex (PFC) - regulates the affective component of pain.
Amygdala - major processing centre for emotions that links emotions to other brain abilities.
Thalamus - a subcortical structure involved in pain perception.
Cerebellum - motor control in response to pain, pain anticipation, pain processing, communications with other regions of the brain.
Peri-acqueductal grey - pain control, defensive behaviour, reproductive behaviour, maternal behaviour.
Chemoreceptors
Specialized nerve cells that detect changes in the chemical composition of the blood and environment
- oxygen levels, co2 levels, blood ph, sending signals to increase bp
- detect hypercapnia, hypoxia
Baroreceptors
Monitor bp and volume and send signals to the brain to adjust bp and heart rate
