When Things Go Wrong
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What are the symptoms of a seizure?
A person loses consciousness and may fall to the ground, become stiff and shake
What happens during a seizure?
There is an increase in the firing of action potentials by neurons followed by a period of reduced excitability
What is the cyclical process of a seizure modulated by?
Inhibitory (GABA) and excitatory (glutamate) neurotransmitters
What is seizure triggered by?
When the reduction in excitatory is incomplete, seizures may be triggered by uncontrolled recruitment of neighbouring neurons
When is a seizure partial?
When the recruitment of neighbouring neurons is localized
When is the seizure generalised?
When the recruitment of neighbouring neurons spread to the entire cortex
What is the EEG like during a generalised seizure?
Normal alpha rhythm of the EEG is replaced by large, slow, synchronous waves of electrical activity in both cerebral hemispheres
What is epilepsy?
Recurring seizures
What is the treatment for epilepsy like?
• Drugs that dampen down abnormal seizure activity without damping down normal brain activity • Use brain imaging to localise source of seizures accurately and for neurosurgeon to cut out this brain tissue
What is meninges?
Lining of the brain
What are the symptoms of meningitis?
Fever, headache, neck stiffness, confusion, vomiting, rash for some cases of meningitis like those caused by meningococcal disease
What are the symptoms of migraine?
Feel sick, find bright lights or noises discomforting, experience migrainous aura consisting of flashing lights or jagged lines
Do migrainous aura come before or after the headache?
Before
Which part of the brain does migraine start?
The part that processes pain sensations coming from cerebral blood vessels
What causes symptoms like flashing lights in migraine?
Thee is increase activity in regions that process pain sensations that cause an increase in local blood supply
What causes the temporary weakness in migraines?
After the brief increase in local blood supply, it is immediately followed by reduced blood flow
What drugs that effective at stopping migraine headaches?
Triptans
How do triptans work?
They activate a particular group of serotonin receptors
What causes stroke?
Interruption of energy supply that the brain needs to function
How are fuels delivered to neurons and gila?
Through the four major blood vessels that supply the brain
What are the raw materials to make ATP?
Oxygen and carbohydrate in the form of glucose
What is energy provided used to do?
Driving the flow of charged ions that underlie the electrical activity of neurons, about two thirds of a neuron’s energy is used to fuel an enzyme called Sodium/ Potassium ATPase which recharges the ionic gradients of sodium and potassium after an action potential has occurred
What happens during a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)?
Blood supply to a part of the brain fails and the supply of ATP is interrupted, neurons cannot recharge their ionic gradients and can no longer conduct action potentials
How long does TIA last?
Typically last few minutes and under 24h