Reference no: EM132520948

CASE ANALYSIS

1. Lisa recently asked her mom to make her a doctor appointment to figure out what's going on with her hands. Sometimes her hands feel very cold and numb; at the same time, they look extremely pale. She didn't think too much of this for a while, but it seems to be getting worse, and now that she's entering high school she feels a bit more self-conscious about the problem. The doctor told Lisa that she appears to have a condition called Raynaud's disease, which actually isn't all that uncommon. Individuals with Raynaud's disease have excessive or hyperactive alpha-adrenergic receptors, which leads to decreased blood flow in the extremities. This problem doesn't always need treatment, but the doctor determined that Lisa's condition was severe enough that they could look into some treatment options. The doctor recommended that they try out a drug called Prazosin, which blocks 1 receptors. The doctor told Lisa this should clear up her problems, but that she should pay close attention to how she feels and call in if she notices any side effects.

Which division of the ANS is hyperactive in Lisa's case, and what neurotransmitter is most directly involved? What side effects do you predict would be most common in patients using 1 receptor blockers, like Prazosin? Hint: Identify other target organs with 1 receptors. Refer to your lecture notes in ANS.

2. A cyclist breaks his ankle. As part of his treatment, the ankle and leg are placed in a plaster cast. Unfortunately, the cast is too tight around the proximal portion of the leg and presses in against the neck of fibula. Where would you predict the patient would experience tingling or numbness in the leg? Explain.

3. Based on sensory response to pain in the skin of the hand, how could you distinguish between damage to the ulnar, median and radial nerves?

4. A child was brought to the clinic with a high temperature. The doctor states that the child's meninges are inflamed. What name is given to this condition and how is it diagnosed?

5. Neil, a man in his late seventies, has been diagnosed as having a benign tumor on the vestibular branch of cranial nerve no VIII. What symptoms will he likely experience, and why?

6. What sensations are included as "general senses"? In summary, what part of the body are the receptors of the general senses located?