Week 1 Assignment: Short Answer Assessment NURS 6630

 

 

 

           

Week 1 Assignment: Short Answer Assessment

 

 

 

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Week 1 Assignment: Short Answer Assessment

1. In 4 or 5 sentences, describe the anatomy of the basic unit of the nervous system, the neuron. Include each part of the neuron and a general overview of electrical impulse conduction, the pathway it travels, and the net result at the termination of the impulse. Be specific and provide examples.

The human brain contains approximately 100 billion neurons. The anatomical structure of the neuron is made up of a cell body, that includes the cell nucleus and the axons, and the dendrites (Camina & Güell, 2017). The dendrites and the axons allow the neurons to communicate across any distance, long or short, through electrical conduction and chemical transmission. The electrical conduction involves a short electrical fluctuation that propagates down the dendrites, through the cell body, and out at the axon terminal. Chemical conduction on the other hand occurs in the synapse between two neurons, enabling the transmission of nerve impulses from one neuron to another.

1. Answer the following (listing is acceptable for these questions):
   • What are the major components that make up the subcortical structures?

• Basal ganglia (Javaid et al, 2020).
• Limbic structures
• Pituitary gland
• Diencephalon

1. • Which component plays a role in learning, memory, and addiction?

The limbic structures

1. • What are the two key neurotransmitters located in the nigra striatal region of the brain that play a major role in motor control?

• Gamma-aminobutyricric acid (GABA)
• Dopamine

1. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain how glia cells function in the central nervous system. Be specific and provide examples.

Glial cells mainly provide supporting functions to the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. In the CNS, glial cells are made up of ependymal cells, rapid glial cells, oligodendrocytes, microglia, and astrocytes (Slominski et al., 2017). Microglial cells are responsible for the normal development of the brain in addition to the defense mechanisms, whereas oligodendrocytes are responsible for the production of the myelin sheath which promotes rapid transmission of electrical impulses. Astrocytes play a significant role in maintaining a balance in the chemical environment to control local blood flow and promote oxygenation in addition to maintaining the homeostasis of the brain.

1. The synapse is an area between two neurons that allows for chemical communication. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain what part of the neurons are communicating with each other and in which direction does this communication occur? Be specific.

The synapse allows one neuron to send a message to the target neuron in another cell. Communication through the synapse normally occurs by the use of chemical messengers (Durkee & Araque, 2019). However, other synapses are normally electrical where ions flow directly between two cells. At the chemical synapse, the communication occurs by triggering an action potential at the presynaptic neuron releasing neurotransmitters that carry the message to the next neuron.

1. In 3–5 sentences, explain the concept of “neuroplasticity.” Be specific and provide examples.

Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the nervous system to alter its activity following intrinsic or extrinsic stimuli by recognizing its function, connections, or structure (Innocenti, 2022). Through neuroplasticity, the brain neurons can compensate for disease or injury and adjust their activities in response to the change in environment or the new situation. Neuroplasticity can occur in two main mechanisms, neuronal regeneration/collateral sprouting which is associated with concepts such as neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, or through functional reorganization which is associated with concepts like diaschisis,  vicariation, and equipotentiality.

 

 

References

Camina, E., & Güell, F. (2017). The neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and psychological basis of memory: Current models and their origins. Frontiers in pharmacology, 8, 438.

Durkee, C. A., & Araque, A. (2019). Diversity and specificity of astrocyte-neuron communication. Neuroscience, 396, 73-78.

Innocenti, G. M. (2022). Defining neuroplasticity. Handbook of clinical neurology, 184, 3-18.

Javaid, M. A., Schellekens, H., Cryan, J. F., & Toulouse, A. (2020). Evaluation of Neuroanatomy Web Resources for Undergraduate Education: Educators’ and Students’ Perspectives. Anatomical sciences education, 13(2), 237-249.

Slominski, T. N., Momsen, J. L., & Montplaisir, L. M. (2017). Drawing on student knowledge of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology. Advances in physiology education, 41(2), 212-221. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00129.2016