Multiple Sclerosis the Disease Multiple

Multiple Sclerosis

The disease multiple sclerosis, often shortened to MS, affects the central nervous system. The disease inflames the nervous system and scars nerve receptors leading to scarring and a process called demyelination. The cause of the disease is still under debate, but it is a combination of genetic and infectious. Despite having genetic factors that cause the disease to recur in families anywhere from a fifth to a third of the time once it happens to one family member, the disease is not considered hereditary and is driven by a lot of environmental factors. Overall, the basic cause of MS is not known at this time and there is no known cure to the disease.

Symptoms of the disease include weakness in the muscles, loss of balance and spasms with the early symptoms being weakness, blurred vision, numbness and tingling throughout the body. The disease can be triggered by stress and other nerve disorders often team up with MS to attack the patient. Viral infections such as the flu can also cause increased attacks and discomfort within a patient. Less common symptoms of MS include slurred speech and cognitive issues. Rarer still are instances of seizure and breathing problems.

The effects of MS can be managed but cannot really be stopped. The prognosis for an MS patient is generally not short-lived but the nervous system attacks that occur have to be managed. Drugs taken for MS include interferon beta drugs such as Betaseron, Avonex and Rebif. Also used are Glatiramer, Novantrone and therapies such as Tysabri and Cytoxan. Less common drugs that are used when others do not work are steroids, Baclofen and Gilenya.

1). Stimulation by the autonomic nervous system results in the increase insulin secretion from the pancreas during and after a meal. This increased production of insulin is a result of parasympathetic stimulation. An example of a parasympathetic function would be salivation. Also, acetylcholine agonists will stimulate insulin secretion. These are agents such as poisons and drugs that imitate or stimulate parasympathetic functions. Nicotine is one of many such substances.

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2). When a person consumes a substantial amount of nicotine, the response is an increase in parasympathetic and sympathetic responses. Parasympathetic responses and sympathetic responses oppose each other but in a symbiotic way. Parasympathetic would be body functions such as salivation, digestion and defecation whereas sympathetic relates to organ function.

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3). The cochlear neurons are stimulated by hairs in the inner ear which allows people to hear. Death of these hairs leads to deafness.

4). When people smoke cigarettes, they damage some of their taste buds. Which type of sense has been damaged by the smoking?

That would be a special sense. Special senses are those that have specialized organs devoted to them. This would include vision, hearing, balance, taste and smell. These senses have the eyes, ears, nose and tongue that assist in execution of the use of these senses.

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5).Which of the following functions is most likely to be performed by the visual association area?

Answer: When a person "sees" the shape of the visual image. The mind sees an image as parlayed to him/her by his eyes working together with his/her mind.