Since we have been learning about muscles, I decided to write about muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophy is an inherited disorder. It involves degeneration of musculature that can get worse over time.  There are many different types of muscular dystrophy but they all have the obvious in common, the affect the muscles. However, some affect the upper body, some the lower body, and some the entire body. Also, in the different types, some muscles can be affected slowly and some quickly. Something not as obvious is that in some types of muscular dystrophy a symptom is mental retardation.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the branch of muscular dystrophy which mental retardation is common. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is from a defect on the X chromosome and is more common in boys than girls. Mental retardation occurs in about thirty percent of the boys in which it affects. Along, with mental retardation DMD symptoms still include muscle weakness.

Unfortunately, muscular dystrophy is not an uncommon disease. Treatment is to control the symptoms because there is no cure for any of the variations of this illness. However, making more and more people aware of the disease is a goal. The more people involved in helping find a cure are making steps in the right direction. Once we find a cure it could help many people both young and old.

references

1.Kaneshiro, Neil K. “Muscular dystrophy.” U.S. National Library of Medicine – The World’s Largest Medical Library. A.D.A.M., Inc., 1 February 2012. Web. 7 November 2012. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMT0002172/.

2. NARDES, Flávia; ARAUJO, Alexandra P. Q. C.  and  RIBEIRO, Márcia Gonçalves. Mental retardation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J. Pediatr. (Rio J.) [online]. 2012, vol.88, n.1 [cited  2012-11-23], pp. 6-16 . <http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0021-75572012000100003&lng=en&nrm=iso>.

The nervous system is no doubt one of the most important systems in the body. While the body, of course, needs all its systems to function, the nervous system plays a crucial role in sustaining life, and controlling every other system of the body. It is made up of the central nervous system, consisting of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, consisting of various nerves that reach to regions of the body. While this system is in control of the entire body, there are plenty of efforts individuals should make regarding their health to facilitate the brain in functioning as well as possible.

While diet, reading, brain exercises, and a good night’s rest all contribute to brain health and function (Wenk, 2012), recent research shows that a cat nap can contribute to right brain activity. The right side of the brain is associated with “big picture” thinking and creativity, while the left side of the brain controls more analytical thought processes, as well as number and language processing (Gardner, 2012). Researchers recently found that after a quick “power nap” or “cat nap” the right hemisphere of the brain in the study subjects chattered busily, while the left hemisphere was mostly still. Researchers conducted the study by monitoring the brain activity of 15 at-rest individuals. The study observations lead neuroscientists to believe that short, restful periods of sleep increase cognitive ability.

While the brain and its functions are largely still a mystery, studies such as these help contribute to our overall understanding of how the brain works. Specifically, this study helps contribute to better understanding of left and right brain functions; how they work individually, as well as how they communicate with each other. Furthermore, this study contributes to a better understanding of how sleep affects brain function. As the effects of sleep are discovered, they can be used intentionally to contribute to overall brain health and function. In the future, perhaps this study could be replicated to include a larger sample size. While finding a statistically significant relationship between sleep and brain function in 15 participants is note-worthy, a more large-scale study would help increase validity of the findings.

Gardner, Amanda. “’Power Naps’ May Boost Right Brain Activity” CNN 17 October, 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/17/health/health-naps-brain/index.html

Wenk, Gary. “Your Brain On Food.” Psychology Today, 14 May 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brai

The human brain is a vastly complex organ consisting of billions of interconnected neurons that are making different connections every day; this gives evidence that the brain is one of the most important parts of the body.  Studying the brain as it grows is crucial, especially the adolescent brain as it develops from childhood to adulthood.  Research is now looking at the teenage brain as it grows and functions cognitively and structurally.

ScienceNews reviewed an article looking at how crucial brain development is during teen years and how “pushing the limits” in daredevil behaviors are a necessary phase.  Eveline Crone is studying brain development using MRI scans seeing how teen brains react when playing computer games.  The high risks and rewards of casino games were seen to stimulate more brain activity in teens than children or adults.  High amounts of dopamine were seen and increased activity in the ventral striatum which acts in reward-based decision making.  A study completed in 2007 showed that the activity from the ventral striatum changes over time in development of the brain and is influenced more in teenage years resulting in higher risk behaviors than in adulthood.

Understanding how the brain works is crucial in comprehending how a certain behavior begins and continues through a person’s life.  More studies need to be completed so certain behavioral patterns can be predicted from MRI scans early in life and can inhibit specific ones and encourage other parts to development more adequately.

References:

“Role of ventral striatum in reward-based decision making.” National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 02 July 2007. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Role[Title] AND ventral[Title] AND striatum[Title] AND reward-based[Title] AND decision[Title] AND making[Title]>.

“The Teenage Brain.” Science News. N.p., 17 Oct. 2012. Web. 08 Nov. 2012. <http://www.sciencenews.org/2012/10/the-teenage-brain/>.

The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system that extends from the brain. The spinal cord controls movements and rapid reactions to environmental changes. Transection of the spinal cord occurs when tracts are partially or completely disconnected. Transection can result in death, loss of all limbs, and damage to motor and sensory functions. Also, scar tissue that forms after a spinal cord injury creates a barrier to nerve restoration, which causes paralysis from spinal injuries.

Scientists at Liverpool and Glasgow have found that heparin sulfates, which are long chain sugars, play a role in scar formation. Researchers are discovering new ways to manipulate the scarring process and improve cell transplant therapies in spinal cord injury patients. A way to repair nerve damage is to transplant support cells from peripheral nerves, but the scientists discovered that the cells produce heparin sulfate sugars, which promote scarring. However, the scientists found that they could chemically modify heparin which could prevent the scarring.

This discovery could give hope to spinal cord injury patients. By modifying these cells, scientists can now help restore sensations to these patients. The patients could regain some functions one day, allowing them to live normal lives. This could also lead to other types of central nervous system repair, which could become treatments for a number of things.

References:

J. Tortora, Gerald, and Bryan Derrickson. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 13th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken NJ, USA  2012. Page 359. Print.

University of Liverpool. “Discovery may help nerve regeneration in spinal injury.” ScienceDaily, 6 Nov. 2012. Web. 7 Nov. 2012.

As we have learned in previous chapters, the body is made up of numerous muscles that allow people to move and create heat. However, what happens when there is a homeostatic imbalance in the muscles? A homeostatic imbalance could result in a minor, painless muscle spasm in a single muscle. However, something more serious like a type of fibrosis called pulmonary fibrosis could result.

Fibrosis is a replacement of muscle fibers by excessive amounts of connective tissue. Pulmonary fibrosis, on the other hand, is more specific. It scars and thickens the tissue around and between the alveoli of the lungs (1). It makes it more difficult for oxygen to pass through the blood stream (1). Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis vary but often include shortness of breath, coughing, and diminished exercise tolerance (2). In some people, there is no identifiable cause for the disease (2). However, in some cases, the disease is thought to be a result of trauma to lung tissue which lead to swelling and a buildup of collagen (3). People who develop this disease usually die within five years (2). Dyspnea and signs of heart failure can occur (2). As the lungs fail, the blood pressure in lungs rises which result in the increase work for the right side of the heart (2). Eventually, the side of the heart will fail as a result of overworking (2). This failure in the heart can result in fatigue and buildup of fluid in the body (2). There is no cure for this disease, but there are things people can do to help treat it such as taking medication and participating in pulmonary rehabilitation (2).

Although there is no cure for the disease at the present, it is still significant to take steps to try to prevent and treat the disease. In order to prevent the disease, people could stop smoking. In order to treat the disease, people can take medication like prednisone (1). They can do physical exercises and breathing techniques as a part of rehabilitation to treat the disease (1).

(1)Mayo Clinic Staff. “Pulmonary fibrosis.” Mayo Clinic. 15 March 2011. 5 Nov. 2012 < http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pulmonary-fibrosis/DS00927/DSECTION=causes>

(2)Stoppler, Melissa C. “Pulmonary Fibrosis (cont.).” MedicineNet.com. 2 Dec. 2010. 5 Nov. 2012 < http://www.medicinenet.com/pulmonary_fibrosis/page4.htm>

(3)Schoenstadt, Arthur. “Causes of Pulmonary Fibrosis.” MEDTV. 19 Sept. 2008. 5 Nov. 2012 < http://diseases.emedtv.com/pulmonary-fibrosis/causes-of-pulmonary-fibrosis.html>

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an inherited disease that weakens the muscles of the body (Tortora 2012). Each year, approximately 2,500 people around the world are born with this devastating disorder. It affects mostly males, and many patients are confined to a wheelchair before the age of 12. Most of them are dead by their late teens or early 20s. All patients who manage to survive to the age of 21 develop a heart disease known as dilated cardiomyopathy that ensures their demise. Fortunately, a new invention may be a breakthrough in the treatment of the disease.

The Cincinnati Children’s Heart Institute has developed a ventricular assist device that is designed to help a weakened heart pump blood to other parts of the body. Though these devices are relatively new and still in the experimental stage, it did not deter Jason Williams, a 29 year old with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, from being the first patient to have one implanted in his chest. It was actually one of his only hopes for prolonging his survival, since Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients are not candidates for heart transplants or other treatment options available to patients with other kinds of muscular dystrophy. Doctors plan to monitor the device’s effect on Williams, in order to determine if it should be made available to others with the disease.

Ventricular assist devices could enable thousands of men born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy each year to live better lives. No longer would they have to endure the agony of their bodies slowly shutting down. Their hearts would be able to function properly, and they would not succumb to the disease. Many men might finally get to experience the joys of growing old and leading normal lives.

Sources:

J. Tortora, Gerald, and Bryan Derrickson. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 13th ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken NJ, USA  2012. Page 359. Print.

“Docs: Heart Device Might Be Breakthrough for Muscular Dystrophy.” U.S. News Health. HealthDay, 17 2012. Web. 26 Oct 2012.