A.

Check your Knowledge

B. 1. The short fibers which extend from the neurons allowing it to receive messages from other
neurons are.
a. axons c. nerve bundles
b. dendrites d. synapses

B. 2. Which of the following neurotransmitters is known for its role in schizophrenia and Parkinson's
disease?
a. acetylcholine c. serotonin
b. dopamine d. norepinephrine

C. 3. The cell body is enclosed by the

a. axon c. cell membrane
b. dendrite d. myelin sheath

B. 4. The myelin sheath:

a. is a fatty substance protecting the dendrites.
b. helps to speed up neural messages within the cell.
c. is found in all neurons.
d. protects the cell's vesicles.

C. 5. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions: _.

a. central and peripheral c. sympathetic and parasympathetic
b. receptors and effectors d. limbic and endocrine

C. 6. Calm is to aroused as is to _.
a. parasympathetic; sympathetic c. sympathetic; parasympathetic
b. autonomic; motor d. central; peripheral

B. 7. The area in the back of the temporal lobe that is important in our ability to listen and in
processing and understanding what others are saying is .
a. Korsakoff's area c. Broca's area
b. Wernicke's area d. Sach's area

B. 8. The part of the brain that helps process hearing and give meaning to words is the ______.
a. the occipital lobe c. the parietal lobe
b. the temporal lobe d. the frontal lobe

D. 9. Eating, drinking, sexual behavior, temperature control, and sleeping are most strongly
influenced by the:
a. medulla c. thalamus
b. cerebral cortex d. hypothalamus

C. 10. Damage to the medulla can seriously impair one's ability to:
a. sing c. breathe
b. write d. metabolize food
B. Analysis/Application

1. When is a person considered brain-dead? Read the Terri Schiavo Case. After reading it answer
the following questions:
a. What part of the brain allows Terri to breathe?
Terri’s condition which is PVS occurs when the cerebrum the part of our brain that
controls thought and behavior fails to function, but the part of her brain: medulla or brain
stem controls her vital functions, such as sleep cycles, body temperature, breathing, blood
pressure, heart rate, swallowing and consciousness continue to function. This means this part
of the brain help her to perform breathing.

b. How would Terri respond to being poked with a needle?

According to research, the person in a persistent vegetative state like Terri’s condition
is still unconscious. They are completely unaware of themselves or their surroundings. They
can move parts of their bodies, but it is not a voluntary movement. Grinding their teeth,
thrashing, and facial expressions such as grimacing, yawning or smiling are example of
movements. They can react in response to loud noises or move their hand away from a
source of pain. They can make noises such as grunting or moaning or even say a few words.
Some people report that the patient shows no signs of pain. However, patients may exhibit
facial expressions or responses to painful stimuli that cause families to worry that they are in
pain.

c. Which type of brain scan would a neurologist use to determine how much of Terri’s
cortex is present?
An fMRI scan, which is a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan that monitors
and maps the brain’s activity, may be helpful in a person with PVS like Terri Schiavo. The
same equipment is used in an fMRI scan as in an MRI scan. An MRI scan can only produce
an image of organs/tissue, while an fMRI will produce an image showing the blood flow in the
brain. By observing the blood flow, it is possible to see which areas of the brain are being
stimulated. fMRI may provide useful information on residual cognitive processes in the PVS. It
can identify which areas of the brain become active and how long they remain active. This
imaging technique can be used to pinpoint brain regions responsible for expression, motor
control, or sensation. FMRIs can demonstrate as things happen, how brain areas change with
experience, and which brain areas cooperate. This test can identify when a person responds
to questions and commands, even when the answer is not evident or when the person does
not talk or move in response to the question or order (covert consciousness).

d. Do Terri’s abilities to function fit with severe damage to the cortex?

Our cortex is the controlling senses and movement of our brain, it is responsible to the
sensory information and the higher thought process. In Terri’s condition, PVS, only the part of
her brain medulla allow her to live, it means that it is possible that there was a damage at the
part of her cortex, so she has an inability to functions things in this world.

e. What defines brain death?

Brain death, also known as brain stem death, occurs when a person on an artificial life
support loses all brain functions. This means they would not be able to recover consciousness
or breathe without assistance. An individual who is brain dead is legally declared to be dead.
They have no hope of survival because their bodies are incapable of surviving without artificial
life support. Our brain stem often relays information from the brain to the rest of the body, so it
 is essential to the brain's core functions, such as consciousness, memory, and movement. It is
not probable for anyone to stay alive after brain death.

f. What type of treatment can be used to help regenerate neurons?

According to research, cells in the central nervous system almost entirely rely on
aerobic metabolism. Oxygen deficiency, such as injury-associated ischemia, causes apoptotic
and necrotic cell death. There is evidence that repetitive hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT)
enhances outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury. However, there are no clinical
studies have been conducted to investigate the mechanism of repetitive long-term HBOT
treatment-associated protective effects. Using the lateral fluid percussion model for rats, they
investigated the impact of long-term repetitive HBOT treatment on brain trauma-associated
cerebral modulations. Within three weeks post trauma, the group of HBO-treated animals
regressed substantially in terms of neurological dysfunction. Following HBOT, somatosensory-
evoked potentials suggested possible remyelination of neurons in the injured hemisphere. The
hypothesis was supported by a substantial increase in myelin basic protein isoforms, PLP
expression, and myelin after three weeks of repetitive HBO treatment. The findings suggest
that protective effects of HBOT after brain injury are mediated by marked remyelination in the
ipsilateral injured cortex, as shown by the related recovery of sensorimotor function.

References:
Kraitsy, Klaus et. al., (2014) Repetitive Long-Term Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT)
Administered after Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats Induces Significant Remyelination
and a Recovery of Sensorimotor Function Retrieved from:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0097750

Neurological Diagnostic Tests and Procedures", NINDS., (April 10, 2019), Neurological
Diagnostic Tests and Procedures Fact Sheet, Retrieved from:
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Neurological-
Diagnostic-Tests-and-Procedures-Fact

Maiese, Kenneth, (2020) Vegetative State Retrieved from: https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-

sg/home/brain,-spinal-cord,-and-nerve-disorders/coma-and-impaired-consciousness/vegetative-
state