Alpha motor neuron

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a genetic disorder which affects the connective tissue of the body. MFS is autosomal dominant, with “approximately seventy five percent of people” diagnosed with MFS having a parent that has the disorder. The other “twenty five percent” of people with MFS have developed this disease through new gene mutation (NIH. National Human Genome Research Institute). This disease is not specific to gender, race or region, and is potentially life threatening. MFS affects multiple…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a muscular disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) which consists of the brain and the spinal cord. This disease was discovered by Dr. Jean Martin Charcot. Eventually, improvements in microscopes helped doctors in the search of understanding the disease. In 1916, a Scottish doctor named James Dawson was able to clearly describe the inflammation after viewing the brain cells of a patient with multiple sclerosis through a microscope. Over the years,…

Parkinson's disease, also abbreviated as “PD”, is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects a person's nervous system, making them have trouble moving. A human has certain kinds of nerve cells in the brain called dopamine, these cells transmit and send signals to the brain allowing a person to control their movement. When these cells start breaking down and having problems, they cause a person to lose their control of movement, due to the lack of dopamine. PD is not a communicable disease – it…

Investigation of the potential TNT transmission of α-syn between neurons in PD pathogenesis A.SPECIFIC AIMS Parkinson’s disease (PD) is defined on a molecular level as an abnormal level of Lewy-body formation, as well as the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia-nigra in the midbrain . The major protein component found in Lewy-bodies is α-synuclein. This protein is most commonly found in synaptic clefts of neurons in the brain. In familial cases, the excess of these proteins is…

Spinal muscular atrophy is a disorder that takes away the ability to walk, eat, or breathe. The major causes of this disorder are caused by a mutation in the survival motor cell neuron gene. The symptoms of this disorder are having breathing difficulties, leading to a lack of oxygen. Also if you have a poor muscle tone like a floppy infant. You cannot cure or treat this disorder. Nothing else contributes to this disease, and they have not found anything for it. Basically if you have Spinal…

Overview Optic neuritis is the term used when there is inflammation in the optic nerve, which is the bunch of nerve fibers tasked with transmitting visual information to the brain. A rare condition, it is most commonly associated with multiple sclerosis in that it can possibly be an early indication of the disorder. It is also often related to neuromyelitis optica, which is a condition similar to MS in that it causes an inflammation of the spinal cord and optic nerve. It is not yet known what…

It is now well established that the brain and the gut are engaged in constant bi-directional communication. Most individuals are made aware of such communication when alteration in gastrointestinal function is communicated to the brain bringing about the perception of visceral events such as nausea, satiety, and pain or when, in turn, stressful experiences lead to altered gastrointestinal secretions and motility. The mechanisms which allow communication between the central nervous system (CNS)…

In 1906, Alois Alzheimer described the pathological features of presenile dementia. He noted the presence of military foci (Plaques) and fibrils in the brain of one of his cases, although he was not the first to describe the clinical features nor was he the first to describe the plaques. He was, however, the first to describe the fibrils. This disease was named after him by his senior colleague because of his statement that he was describing a new disease entity. (Hardy 2006).…

synapse is speed, as electrical synapses allow action potentials to pass directly from neuron to neuron through the use of gap junctions. This direct passage and resulting speed of transmission isn’t present in chemical synapses. Chemical synapses rely on the transformation of the action potential into a chemical called the neurotransmitter, which is diffused across the synapse to bind to receptors in another neuron and then transformed into another action potential to continue the signal…

number of mechanisms to help post-stroke patients continue with their usual activities normally. Cho, Kim and Lee (2010) investigated how motor imagery training combined with gait training can improve balance and gait in the post-stroke patient. This experiment shows that motor imagery training has been demonstrated to increase motor performance as well as motor learning efficiency. It helps in providing muscle strength in cases of muscle problems (Cho et al., 2010). The research was conducted…