Test Questions Flashcards
(24 cards)
What type of effects do seizures produce?
seizures produce both somatic and autonomic effects
What is epilepsy?
A disease of the nervous system
Which cranial nerve does VNS stimulate?
number 10
What type of fibers is the left Vagus nerve composed of?
Mainly afferent - 80% sensory
Where is the VNS lead located?
Above the cardiac branch of Vagus nerve and below the laryngeal nerve
What are the two types of nerve cells?
Neurons which are excitable
Glial – which are non-excitable that support and protect neurons
What is a synapse?
A.k.a. the synaptic cleft is the space between the neurons because neurons do not touch
What is a myelin sheath?
Fatty white substance on axon that speeds up impulses from cell body down the axon
What is faster - a myelinated axon or an unmyelinated axon
A myelinated axon produces a faster nerve impulse
Is the goal of VNS to stimulate A, B or C fibers?
The goal is to saturate a fibers
What is an action potential?
An action potential is a short lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell rapidly rises and falls.
also known as nerve impulses or spikes
What is resting potential?
When nerve fibers are not transmitting a signal they have a resting membrane potential.
The resting is an important part of seizures because the body compensates for the uptick in energy. Sometimes overcompensates with postictal period
What is GABA?
It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter
What is the name of procedure that separates right and left hemispheres?
Corpus Callosotomy
What are the four lobes?
Frontal, parietal, occipital, Temporal
What is the frontal lobe function?
Speech, motor and emotion
What is the parietal lobe function?
Sensory – hot and cold, tingling, numbness
What is the temporal lobe function?
Expressive language and primal functions like fear. Also memory
What is the occipital lobe function?
Vision
What lobe is most susceptible to seizures?
Temporal
How do partial seizures begin?
Partial seizures usually begin with symptoms that reflects site of origin
How is the nervous system divided?
It is divided into central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
What is the central nervous system comprised of?
Brain and spinal cord
What is epilepsy a disease of and where is VNS therapy initiated?
Epilepsy is a disease of central nervous system
VNS is initiated in peripheral nervous system
