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Neurological Disorder Essay

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WHAT IS EPILEPSY

Neurological disorder
Primarily characterized by repetitive spontaneous seizures
Many different types
Wide range of symptoms that vary from person to person
Characterized by abnormal electrical activity in brain
CAUSES
Caused by abnormal activity in brain cells
Directly influenced by any head injury or family-related condition
Genetic influence: over 500 genes identified which could lead to epilepsy
Head trauma
Tumors
Strokes
Infectious diseases (AIDS, meningitis)
Prenatal Injury
High correlation of epilepsy in older individuals
SIGNAL MECHANISM
Intracellular Ca2+ levels and calcium homeostatic mechanisms stimulate ligand-gated ion channel receptors
Elevations in Ca2+ levels can cause acquired epilepsy
Glutamate is a …show more content…

rubbing, chewing generalized seizures involve all areas of the brain absence: occur in clusters; blank staring and subtle movement e.g. blinking tonic: muscles stiffen atonic or “drop: sudden loss of muscle control clonic: rhythmic jerking of neck, face, arms myoclonic: sudden brief jerking of limbs tonic-clonic: loss of consciousness, whole body stiffening or jerking
CORRECT MECHANISM glutamate ionotropic receptors: all permeable to Na and K ions alpha-amino-2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-oxo-4-isoxazolepropanoic acid (AMPA kainate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) has Ca channel blocked by Mg ions in membrane depolarization, Mg is displaced and Ca floods cell glutamate metabotropic receptor

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