Describe the three types of neurons involved in this response and their role in the reflex arc.

For this assignment you will address the first case study and then
choose ONE of the other two case studies to address in your assignment.

What
is a Case Study? “A case study is a narrative used to help you practice
real-life analysis and communication skills. It is a learning tool that
provides readers with “enough detail…to understand the nature and scope
of the problem, and…serve as a springboard for discussion and learning”
(O’Rourke, 2007, p. 391).

Use your textbook and academic
resources from the Purdue Global Library to support your responses. You
can access the Library directly from the Course Resources area for this
class, or through the student portal. Be sure to cite and reference all
your sources. The Library has a feature that allows you to automatically
create an APA formatted reference.

Your assignment should be between 750–1000 words, and all sources must be properly cited using APA format.

CASE STUDY #1 (Required)

Chen
is cooking dinner for his family. He moves to pull a pot off the stove
and accidentally touches the burner. Reflexively he pulls his finger
away from the stove and immediately feels the pain.

1. What is the role of the brain and spinal cord in this response?

2. Describe the three types of neurons involved in this response and
their role in the reflex arc. Explain the withdrawal reflex that results
in Chen moving his hand away from the stove.
3. Evolutionary, why do you think the human body has this system in place? Why is this reflex important?

4. Chen’s wife, Amira, was born with congenital insensitivity to pain,
a condition that inhibits the ability to perceive physical pain. Find a
reliable source related to congenital insensitivity to pain and address
the following questions:
A. What is congenital insensitivity to pain?
B. What are some of the signs and symptoms of this condition?

C. In this week’s reading, you learned about the role of sodium
ions in the conduction of nerve impulses. Individuals with congenital
insensitivity to pain are unable to make a sodium channel called NaVi.7.
How is this related to the signs and symptoms of the disease?
D. What might happen if Amira had touched the burner? How would her response be different than Chen’s?

E. What advice would you give to a child who has this condition
and is interested in playing contact sports? What would happen if this
child experienced a fracture?

CASE STUDY #2

Agnes is 45
years old when she notices that her hands shake (tremor) when she is
performing everyday tasks like signing contracts at her law firm. Her
friends and family also notice that she is moving slower than usual, and
that she shuffles when she walks. After consulting with a neurologist,
Agnes is diagnosed with Early-Onset Parkinson’s disease.

1. What is Early-Onset Parkinson’s disease? How is the disease different from Parkinson’s disease?

2. What is the neurotransmitter affected by this disorder? What is
this neurotransmitter’s role? How does the decrease in the concentration
of this neurotransmitter explain Agnes’ symptoms?
3. What is the most common treatment for this disorder? What is the mechanism of action of the treatment?

4. Agnes’ neurologist refers her to a geneticist who later determines
that she carries an autosomal dominant mutation in the SNCA gene
associated with Early-Onset Parkinson’s disease. Find a reliable source
related to the relationship between the SNCA gene and Early-Onset
Parkinson’s Disease. Summarize the information you obtain. Based on your
research, would you advise her three children to have genetic testing
performed to determine if they also carry the disease mutation? Why or
why not? Include the appropriate reference and citation for the source
you consulted.

CASE STUDY #3

Monica just celebrated her
30th birthday. During her annual physical exam, Monica mentions symptoms
she has been experiencing over the last few months. These symptoms
include blurred vision, numbness in her fingers and face, dizziness,
fatigue, weakness, and depression. Although Monica believes that these
symptoms are related to stress and aging, her physician is concerned and
suspects that Monica may have multiple sclerosis (MS).

1. What is MS?
2. What is the main cell structure affected in MS? What is the role of this structure?

3. How does the impact of MS on this cell structure help to explain
Monica’s symptoms? Include an explanation of how the action potential of
a neuron is affected in MS.

What is the treatment for multiple sclerosis? What is the mechanism of action of the treatment?

4. The origin or etiology of MS is not clear. Find a reliable source
related to the etiology of multiple sclerosis. Based on your research,
what do scientists hypothesize to be the causes of MS? Include the
appropriate reference and citation for the source you consulted.

Basic Writing Requirements:

– Essay should be formatted as per APA- formatting guidelines, double
spacing the assignment, and using a 10 or 12 font size.
– Essay should include a title page, an introduction, and a conclusion.
– The body of the essay should address the different topics and questions described above.
– All statements of fact should be included in an APA reference list at the end of the essay.
– The essay should be a minimum of 750 words in length not including the title page and reference list.

When you are ready, submit your work via the Dropbox.

Reference

O’Rourke, J. S. (2007). Management communication: A case-analysis approach. Pearson/Prentice Hall.

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