Approaches to Treatment

Address the following Short Answer prompts for your Assignment.

1. In 4 or 5 sentences, describe the anatomy of the basic unit of the nervous system, the neuron. Include each part of the neuron and a general overview of electrical impulse conduction, the pathway it travels, and the net result at the termination of the impulse. Be specific and provide examples.
2. Answer the following (listing is acceptable for these questions):
   • What are the major components that make up the subcortical structures?
   • Which component plays a role in learning, memory, and addiction?
   • What are the two key neurotransmitters located in the nigra striatal region of the brain that play a major role in motor control?
3. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain how glia cells function in the central nervous system. Be specific and provide examples.
4. The synapse is an area between two neurons that allows for chemical communication. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain what part of the neurons are communicating with each other and in which direction does this communication occur? Be specific.
5. In 3–5 sentences, explain the concept of “neuroplasticity.” Be specific and provide examples.

 

 

Approaches to Treatment

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliations

 

 

Approaches to Treatment

1. In 4 or 5 sentences, describe the anatomy of the basic unit of the nervous system, the neuron. Include each part of the neuron and a general overview of electrical impulse conduction, the pathway it travels, and the net result at the termination of the impulse. Be specific and provide examples.

The anatomy of the basic unit of the nervous system or the neuron is comprised of the cell body with dendrites and axons extending from it. Inside the cell body is the cell nucleus. The axon is covered by a myelin sheath with spaces in between called Nodes of Ranvier. The electrical impulse conduction originates from the dendrites and travels through the cell body and the axon to the synapse where it is converted to chemical signals. An impulse is terminated when conduction decreases (Luo, 2021).

2. Answer the following (listing is acceptable for these questions):

o What are the major components that make up the subcortical structures?

The thalamus, basal ganglia, and the cerebellum are the major components of the brain that make up the subcortical structures (Bostan & Strick, 2018).

o Which component plays a role in learning, memory, and addiction?

Amygdala and the hippocampus are involved in memory and learning respectively (Carmack et al., 2017). The cerebellum plays a role in addiction processes (Ranjbar et al., 2021).

o What are the two key neurotransmitters located in the nigra striatal region of the brain that play a major role in motor control?

Acetylcholine and dopamine are the two key neurotransmitters located in the nigra striatal region of the brain that play a major role in motor control (Rizzi& Tan, 2017).

3. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain how glia cells function in the central nervous system. Be specific and provide examples.

Glia is a collection of distinct and heterogenous cells that make up a large proportion of the central nervous system (CNS). Their function is to ensure that the nervous system in functioning effectively. For example, Muller Glial cells play a role in the regeneration of neurons, maintenance of ion balance, and recycling neurotransmitters (Neely & Lyons, 2021).

4. The synapse is an area between two neurons that allows for chemical communication. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain what part of the neurons are communicating with each other and in which direction does this communication occur? Be specific.

The dendrites, the cell body, the axon, the end of the axon, and the synapse are involved in the conduction of an impulse in a neuron. The direction of communication is from the dendrites to the synapse in the named direction. For example, an electrical signals travels from the dendrites to the cell body, the axon, and end of the axon where they become chemical signals or neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters take part in chemical communication at the synapse where they travel to the dendrites of the neighboring neurons (Luo, 2021).

5. In 3–5 sentences, explain the concept of “neuroplasticity.” Be specific and provide examples

Neuroplasticity refers to the reorganization of the structure and functions of the nervous system. These reorganizations may be part of physiological development or pathophysiological changes. Examples include maturation of the brain cells and the recovery of the brain tissue after injury (Chatterjee et al., 2021).

 

References

Bostan, A. C., & Strick, P. L. (2018). The basal ganglia and the cerebellum: nodes in an integrated network. Nature Reviews: Neuroscience, 19(6), 338–350. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0002-7

Carmack, S., Koob, G. & Anagnostaras, S. (2017). Learning and memory in addiction. Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference, 2(4), doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-809324-5.21101-2.

Chatterjee, D., Hegde, S., & Thaut, M. (2021). Neural plasticity: The substratum of music-based interventions in neurorehabilitation. NeuroRehabilitation, 48(2), 155–166. https://doi.org/10.3233/NRE-208011

Luo, L. (2021). Architectures of neuronal circuits. Science (New York, N.Y.), 373(6559), eabg7285. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abg7285

Neely, S. A., & Lyons, D. A. (2021). Insights into central nervous system glial cell formation and function from zebrafish. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 9, 754606. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.754606

Ranjbar, H., Soti, M., Banazadeh, M., Saleki, K., Kohlmeier, K. A., & Shabani, M. (2021). Addiction and the cerebellum with a focus on actions of opioid receptors. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 131, 229–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.021

Rizzi, G., & Tan, K. R. (2017). Dopamine and acetylcholine, a circuit point of view in Parkinson’s Disease. Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 11, 110. https://doi.org/10.3389/fncir.2017.00110