Neurological Disorders Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Neurological Disorders - Research Paper Example Asia particularly the West and Central areas also are not spared from the disorder. Russia, Middle East and India have high prevalence of neurological disorders with multiple sclerosis on the top list. With this situation, not only the budget of the country and families with neurological cases are challenged but also in the treatment and researches. The discussion of pathophysiology, prognosis, treatment, considerations, and impact on self and family may lead to a better understanding of the disease. Among the neurological disorder that is of interest is the Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a slow degenerative disorder of the central nervous system affecting the cognitive, motor, and other bodily functions (Tortora, 2008). Despite the many medical researches that were conducted regarding the Parkinson illness, it still is the second neurological disorder affecting many. Unfortunately, the treatments are focused not on Parkinson itself but on alleviating the s igns and symptoms of it because the cause is unknown. It is believed that the disorder is the result of the interplay of genetics and the environment. It has been known that mutations in the genes are being passed from one generation to the next. Other factors like smoking, toxins, and deficiency in vitamin E are all contributory factors to the sensitivity of the nervous system which may in turn elicit its prevalence. Age is also found to be another culprit of the disease. In the study of Stephen and company (2003), they revealed that the rapid increase of incidences occur at the age of 60 with lesser percentage of victims below 50 of both sexes. They further found out that ethnicity and race also plays a role in the prevalence of Parkinson. Physiological Basis Although the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease is not fully understood, the disorder is a result of the interplay of several factors. Normally, stimulus from either outside or within the body causes impulses that could travel several meters along the billion neurons in just seconds to the brain. The impulse travels to the pre synaptic axons where it activates calcium gated channels that may trigger calcium influx. This may in turn activate neurotransmitters which diffuse into the synaptic gaps of the myelinated sheath to stimulate the next node. Thus, impulses leap from node to node along the mylelinated sheath until it is conducted to the brain for interpretation and proper action to take place. The fastest impulses involve those that innervate the skeletal muscles (Thibodeau & Patton, 2003). This might be the reason why individuals can retrieve their hands immediately if subjected to hot iron. Furthermore, actions are refined with the help of chemicals in the brain to adjust and guide actions. In the case of Parkinson’s disease, neurons of the substantia nigra undergo degeneration resulting in dopamine depletion. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter related to purposeful movement that inh ibits the excitatory action of another neurotransmitter called acetylcholine to maintain balance. In addition, it controls emotion and pleasure. Dopamine is believed to be located within the nuclei thus the role of cerebral nuclei is very crucial in Parkinson disorder. Cerebral nuclei are diencephalic gray matters located in the cerebral cortex within the basal ganglia that function to inhibit several motor actions. For the cerebral nuclei to function normally, neurons from