1) Riku, a 19-year-old college student, experienced Bell's palsy after a long night of studying. Bell's palsy is a temporary paralysis of the facial nerve causing half of the face to droop. 2) Ramandeep, a 23-year-old nurse, experienced jaw pain and headaches that radiated to her ear. Her dentist diagnosed her with temporomandibular joint syndrome and recommended heat therapy, NSAIDs, and relaxation exercises. 3) John, a 63-year-old patient, demonstrated signs of Parkinson's disease like resting tremor. His occupational therapist is helping him maintain flexibility, balance, and independence through adaptive techniques.

1. Mn 551 unit 9 dq 1
Topic 1: Case Study Case Study Posting Requirements Make sure all of the topics in the
case study have been addressed. Cite at least three sources—journal articles,
textbooks or evidenced-based websites to support the content. All sources must be
within five years. Do not use .com, Wikipedia, or up-to-date, etc., for your sources.Case
Study 1 Organization and Control of Neural Function Riku is a 19-year-old college student.
One morning, after a long night of studying, Riku woke up and made himself a hot cup of
coffee and toast. Much to his surprise, when he brought the cup to his mouth to drink, the
coffee spilt onto the table. Riku went to the bathroom mirror and noticed the left side of his
face seemed to droop. He quickly got dressed and ran to the medical clinic on the college
campus. As he ran, his left eye began to feel scratchy and dry, but he could not blink in
response. The physician at the clinic listened to Riku’s story and then did a careful cranial
nerve examination. She concluded that Riku had Bell palsy, an inflammatory condition of
the facial nerve most likely caused by a virus. What are an afferent neuron and efferent
neuron? What are efferent components of the facial nerve and their actions? Under
certain circumstances, axons in the peripheral nervous system can regenerate after
sustaining damage. Why is axonal regeneration in the central nervous system much less
likely? At a healthy myoneural junction, acetylcholine is responsible for stimulating
muscle activity. What mechanisms are in place to prevent the continuous stimulation of a
muscle fiber after the neurotransmitter is released from the presynaptic
membrane? Case Study 2 Somatosensory Function, Pain, and Headache Ramandeep is an
active 23-year-old. She works as a part-time nurse during the day and is studying for a
postgraduate certificate in the evening. Ramandeep started to wear a bite plate at night
after she began to experience jaw pain and headaches. Sometimes the pain radiated to her
ear, and she would apply a hot water bottle to it to ease the discomfort. Her husband
mentioned to her that he heard her grinding her teeth at night while she was sleeping. She
knew then that her headaches might be from temporomandibular joint syndrome, and she
went to her dentist to confirm her thoughts. In addition to the bite plate, the dentist also
recommended she should continue with the application of heat, use NSAIDs when needed,
and incorporate regular relaxation exercises throughout her stressful days. What effect does
heat have on nociceptors so that it makes a good nonpharmacologic treatment for
pain? Heat and cold treatment are both hypothesized to have an effect on the release of
endogenous opioids. What are these chemicals, and why are they hypothesized to be
beneficial in the body? Using your knowledge of physiology, how do NSAID analgesics

2. function in the management of pain? Case Study 3 Disorders of Motor Function John is 63
years old and receives home care by an occupational therapist twice a week. His therapist is
currently working with John on maintaining joint flexibility and balance. John demonstrates
resting tremor, so his therapist is also working on adaptive techniques, so John can continue
to use his hands to write, use the computer, and cook simple meals. John’s wife assists with
his mobility and walks slowly beside him, holding his arm. Sometimes she needs to help him
open his prescription bottles, so he can take his medicine, a combination of levodopa and
carbidopa. What motor disease does John demonstrate? One of his signs is resting
tremor. What is the difference between a resting tremor and an intention tremor? What
is the advantage of combining levodopa with carbidopa? What is the benefit of
anticholinergic drugs in the management of Parkinson disease? Parkinson disease
involves the destruction of the substantia nigra and the nigrostriatal pathway. Where are
these structures anatomically? The patient with Parkinson disease typically
presents with a masklike facial expression. Why does he or she have a masklike facial
expression? How are the eyes, mouth, and laryngopharynx affected by this disease? Case
Study 4 Disorders of Brain Function Bonnie is a 70-year-old woman who lives alone. One
evening, she felt light-headed and dizzy. When her head began to ache, she decided to take
an analgesic and go to bed early. The following morning, upon awakening, she was unable to
move the bed sheets with her right arm. At this point she was experiencing tingling
sensations in her limbs, and she had difficulty keeping her balance. She dialed 911 for help,
and by the time the ambulance arrived, she was confused and unable to articulate her
words although she knew what information he was asking of her. In the hospital, she was
examined and treated for ischemic stroke. Stroke, or brain attack, involves brain tissue
injury. Describe ischemic penumbra and what factors contribute to the survival of the
neurons involved. What happens if the cells of the penumbra are unable to be
preserved? Compare and contrast hypoxia and ischemia. What condition is more
dangerous to the brain? Explain your answer. Knowing what you do about the effects of
ischemia on the brain, why would someone with ischemic stroke develop cerebral
edema? What type of aphasia was Bonnie exhibiting when talking to her caregivers?
Explain your answer. Case Study 5 Sleep and Sleep Disorders Jessica is six years old. Her
parents recently saw her pediatrician because they were concerned about the sleeping
difficulties Jessica has been having. Often she would scream out loud in her sleep. Her
parents would rush to her room and find her sitting upright in bed, panting heavily in a
state of panic. Jessica would not respond to her parent’s words of consolation, and the next
morning she would have no memory of the incident at all. Her parents were worried about
the anxiety their daughter was experiencing and asked the pediatrician what they could do
about her nightmares. The pediatrician explained Jessica was likely suffering from sleep
terrors and carefully described what that meant. What are the similarities and differences
between nightmares and sleep terrors? What are the characteristics of motor, sensory,
and autonomic function during REM sleep? What is thought to be the importance of
this stage of sleep? Jessica’s pediatrician said that the careful management of sleep
hygiene may help to decrease the incidence of her sleep terrors. What is included in an
overview of the general features that demonstrate good sleep hygiene? Case Study

3. 6 Disorders of Thought, Emotion, and Memory Ella is 88 years old and was living at home
until very recently. Her children, who visited her regularly, noticed she was becoming more
forgetful. At first, she mislaid objects, and then she began to forget her doctor’s
appointments. With time, her personality changed and she became withdrawn. At home she
would forget to turn off the stove or leave the kettle on until it boiled dry. After seeking
advice from a gerontologist and social worker, Ella’s children placed her in a nursing home
with a unit equipped for patients with Alzheimer disease. What is dementia? Why is
Alzheimer disease based on a “diagnosis of exclusion”? What are the macroscopic and
microscopic features of the brain that are typical in Alzheimer disease? One of Ella’s
children brought her a new pair of slippers to wear in the nursing home. A minute after
she received them, Ella could not remember the exchange and asked what they were
doing on her bed. What part of the brain has largely been affected to produce
this behavior, and what is the pathophysiology involved? To view the Grading Rubric for
this Assignment, please visit the Grading Rubrics section of the Course Home.