The Complexity of Arnold-Chiari Malformation
To the medical doctor, Arnold-Chiari Malformation, which may have a genetic link, is characterized by a small or misshapen posterior fossa (the depression in the back of the skull), a reduction in cerebrospinal fluid pathways and a protrusion of the cerebellar tonsils through the bottom of the skull (foramen magnum) into the spinal canal resulting in a multitude of sensory-motor problems and even some autonomous malfunctions (1). These many symptoms can come in a variety of forms which often makes a clinical diagnosis difficult. To the patient this disorder can present not only physical difficulties but also mental distress. Treatment options and their success rates vary widely, and proponents of the cause are demanding more recognition, research, and success. The study of Arnold-Chiari malformations can lead to additional questions and new understandings about the I-function, sensory-motor input/output paths and the general make-up of the brain and nervous system, but a complete understanding of the disorder may be a long time coming.
Impairment and sometimes loss of motor control of the body and its extremities is one of the many effects of this disorder. Patients may complain of headaches, neck pain, coughing, sneezing, dizziness, vertigo, disequilibrium, muscle weakness, balance problems, and loss of fine motor control (1). The senses (hearing, sight, smell etc.) may also be affected in deleterious ways. On can have blurred vision, decreased sensation of limbs, unable to locate them without looking, decreased sense of taste, ringing of the ears etc. (2).
Two ideas about the nervous system that can be better understood from these observations are the concepts of having and locating the I-function. It seems that the I-function here is very often affected in terms of voluntary movement. A person with Arnold-Chiari malformation who has lost the feeling in and control of his arm for example will not be able to move it even upon someone's request and his or her own desire to do so. Some use of the I-function is definitely impaired. However, these observations do not seem to necessarily imply that some part of the I-function was damaged, because it may very well be located elsewhere- connections may have simply been lost. A person with Arnold-Chiari can still think and have a sense of self, but somehow can not connect with the various body parts that can be affected. Some uses and pathways of the I-function can be understood, but the exact location of it remains vague.
The symptoms of a right-hemisphere stroke are very much similar like the symptoms Mr. Fix-it is experiencing. For example, both suggest that functions on the left side of the body are completely neglected; therefore, the left visual section of the body does not respond effectively to stimuli due to the neglect. Damage to the right occipital lobe is very likely. The patient may have experienced some damage to areas 18 and 19 of the occipital lobe. “Damage to these association areas resulted in the patient’s failure to recognize items even when they have been seen before”, such as Mr. Fix-it’s deficiency to recognize geometric shapes (Carlson, 2010). Moreover, the patient could have also experience damage in the frontal lobe, specifically on area 8, in which it could have r...
Baseball?s reputation has been painted with a red asterisk. The non-medical use of steroids has been banned according to the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990. Many baseball athletes have been caught or presumed illegal users of HGH or Steroids since the act passed in 1990. All these athletes have one thing in common, they want to have an edge or advantage on the game. Some athletes even admit to administering the drug to other athletes and themselves. Jose Conseco testified to personally injecting the steroids into Mark McGuire (Cote).
Histological examination shows severe degeneration of Purkinje cells, reduction in the number of cells in the molecular and granular layers of the cerebellar cortex, severe loss of the number of cells in the pontine nuclei and olives, and demyelination of the middle cerebellar peduncle. The cerebellar nuclei are well preserved. The tegmentum of the pons, the corticospinal tracts, and the restiform body are also usually unaffected. In clinical cases involving extrapyramidal symptoms, degenerative changes in the striatum, espec...
Flaccid dysarthria results from damage to the lower motor neurons (LMN) or the peripheral nervous system (Hageman, 1997). The characteristics of flaccid dysarthria generally reflect damage to cranial nerves with motor speech functions (e.g., cranial nerves IX, X, XI and XII) (Seikel, King & Drumright, 2010). Lower motor neurons connect the central nervous system to the muscle fibers; from the brainstem to the cranial nerves with motor function, or from the anterior horns of grey matter to the spinal nerves (Murdoch, 1998). If there are lesions to spinal nerves and the cranial nerves with motor speech functions, it is indicative of a lower motor neuron lesion and flaccid dysarthria. Damage to lower motor neurons that supply the speech muscles is also known as bulbar palsy (Pena-Brooks & Hedge, 2007). Potential etiologies of flaccid dysarthria include spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular accidents, tumors or traumatic brain injury (Pena-Brooks & Hedge, 2007). Possible congenital etiologies of flaccid dysarthria include Moebius syndrome and cerebral palsy. Flaccid dysarthria can also arise from infections such as polio, herpes zoster, and secondary infections to AIDS (Pena-Brooks & Hedge, 2007). Additionally, demyelinating diseases such as Guilian-Barre syndrome and myotonic muscular dystrophy can also lead to flaccid dysarthria (Pena-Brookes & Hedge, 2007). The lower motor neuron lesion results in loss of voluntary muscle control, and an inability to maintain muscle tone. Fasciculations, or twitching movements, may occur if the cell body is involved in the lesion (Seikel et. al., 2010). The primary speech characteristics of flaccid dysarthria include imprecise consonant production, hypernasal resonance, breathiness, and harsh voice (...
A large concern of the field of neurobiology seems to be finding and understanding a connection between the structure and function of the nervous system. What tangible system of tissues is responsible for creating a given perceived output? Some outputs can be more easily traced back to a specific 'motor symphony' and the involved structures isolated. This problem has obsessed generations of scientists. One of the first of this generation of researcher was F.J. Gall who promoted the idea that observable features of the brain could lead to an understanding of specific traits of action (7). Gall's greatest opponent, Marie-Jean-Pierre Flourens published research on localization of function and among his findings was evidence for sensory perception in certain sub-cortical structures (7). However, when Flourens examined the cerebrum he did not get such clean results. He found that damage to the cerebrum would not compromise specific abilities in the patient based on area, but incapacitate the patient in different ways based on the extent of the created lesion. In other words, damage to the cerebrum effected a diminution of 'higher mental faculties' such as "perception intellect and will" according to how great the lesion actually was, not according to where in the hemispheres it occurred (7). His conclusion proposed these higher mental faculties as existing throughout the structures of the cerebrum, and not isolated as with sensory perception. How is it possible to attribute, say elements of personality to a specific structure? Is their a region of the brain responsible for the way we are? A 'nice' region, an 'angry' gland? Here we encounter the ever ephemeral concept of where the I-function lies within the nervous system.
In the history of baseball there are any legends that exceed many incredible records in every aspect of the game. There are players who defy the rules of records because some are very hard to reach or to get close. many of those players have been name hall of fame that will go down as players of hard sweat and blood put in and out the field. At least there will always be that moment of knowing the truth behind their abilities that will affect the evolution of the game. The impact of knowing the truth from many players has been devastating. A disappointment is the word that most fans would say when talking about some of the greatest hitters in baseball history. From 1976 to 2014 the list of names that have been investigated has multiply and more will be on the list. Names that hold titles like Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Jason Giambi and many more faced or still facing accusations of using steroids. “March 17, 2...
Travelling was very common in this tribe and they covered land all over the eastern United States. Prior to the European settlers the Osages’ active region included southeast Colorado to north Texas through most of Kansas and Missouri into southern Michigan, Indiana and Ohio; as well as the northern border of Kentucky and West Virginia and lastly south...
Baseball is known as America’s pastime and is one of the most popular, respected sports on earth. Since the beginning of the sport, it seemingly advances with technology every year making faster and stronger players. The use of steroids became rampant and spread among players and has carried them away from the true history of the game they play. Controversy still today runs around the sport today about fines, punishments and record breaking. The past two decades of Major League Baseball have been tainted because of the use of performance enhancing drugs, also known as steroids, causing the loss of many fans and the true meaning of America’s favorite sport.
Neurologically, the amygdala (which associate emotions to recognized faces) might be affected. The neural disconnection creates in the patient a sense that the face he/she is observing is not the face of the person to whom it belongs. Therefore, that face lacks the familiarity and recognition usually associated with it, which results in “derealization” and disconnection from the environment. If the patient sees his/her own face, he/she might perceive no association between the face and his/her sense of “Self”. Medicine indicates that Cotard's syndrome is associated with lesions in the parietal lobe and brain atrophy, especially of the median frontal
The most common types of topographical types are diplegia, hemiplegia, double hemiplegia, and quadriplegia. The basal ganglia are part of the extrapyramidal system and work in conjunction with the motor cortex in providing movement and serve as the relay center. Damage to this area results in Athetoid Cerebral Palsy, the second most common form of cerebral palsy. Involuntary, purposeless movements, particularly in the arms, hands, and facial muscles, characterize athetosis. In addition, the individual can become “stuck” in abnormal positions or postures and require specific positioning to maintain normal tone and movement.
Anabolic steroids have been abused by Major League Baseball players for years, it’s time to forever ban the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs before they ruin America’s past time. Why should athletes be able to cheat when teammates or rivals are competing with honest effort? Every year records are broken and new heights are achieved, the game of baseball is very simple yet very humble, and to deceive the game you love, forever will you be punished. Let me inform you with the origin in which PEDs were first used and where they came from, regulation, and a possible solution.
The thyroid is a small gland at the base of the neck. The thyroid is shaped like a butterfly. It releases hormones that deliver energy to the cells of the body (Shomon). The thyroid releases two hormones called T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine). The hormones control rates in the body such as, how fast the heart beats and how fast calories are burned. These activities make up the metabolism (“Publications”).
Conversion Disorder is diagnosed solely by its physical symptoms seen in patients. Symptoms can be divided up into three groups: sensory, motor and visceral. Sensory symptoms include anesthesia, analgesia, tingling, and blindness. Motor symptoms may consist of disorganized mobility, tremors, tics, or paralysis of any muscle groups including vocal cords. Visceral functions include spells of coughing, vomiting belching, and trouble swallowing (1). Most of these symptoms are strikingly similar to existing neurological disorders that have definitive organic causes. Conversion Disorder, on the other hand, defies the nerve patterns and functions from which the symptoms should follow. CT scans and MRIs of patients with Conversion Disorder exclude the possibility of a lesion in the brain or spinal cord, an electroencephalograph rules out a true seizure disorder, and spinal fluid eliminates the possibility of infections or ot...
When couples become parents, the first thing on their minds should be on how they will work as a team. Most parents will never choose to parent alone unless it was necessary. According to Zartler (2014), single-parenting has been a strongly pronounced trend in family behavior. Many families are single-parenting households. There are a lot of reasons that can cause a household to become a single-parenting household, and the most common reason is divorce. Most marriages just do not work out and this can cause a lot of stress within the family. There is a lot of hardships that can come with divorce including financial risks. Also, how the children will react can be hard as well. Most parents who are single parents can have a harder time dealing with the financial costs then parents that are married. There can definitely be negative impacts on single-parenting
Reviewing single-parent families, the challenges seem to outweigh the advantages. Since a majority of single parents are mothers, all the burdens normally carried out by two people fall upon women (Lauer, 2012). Raising a child with both parents is a hard enough task, but being on your own creates issues within issues, no matter what your race or