A 35-year-old male is admitted to a hospital following a minor car accident. He was driving home and fell asleep at the wheel. This is the third accident he has had in the past year. He also falls asleep regularly anywhere. When he becomes excited or enraged, he suddenly becomes weak and falls. At night, he often has bizarre, terrifying dreams. During these dreams, he feels as if he were paralyzed. Describe how a nerve impulse is transmitted from one neuron to the next. Compare the structure and functions of the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Based on the probable diagnosis of narcolepsy, what parts of the person’s brain could have been affected ? What sleep state do these symptoms resemble?

Nerve Impulse Transmission: A nerve impulse is an electrical signal that travels along the length of a neuron, from the cell body to its axon terminals. The impulse begins when stimulating chemicals (such as neurotransmitters) bind to receptor sites on the neuron’s dendrites, creating a change in potential across the membrane. This change propagates down the axon and across synaptic junctions until it reaches its target neurons or muscle cells, triggering them to generate their own electrical signals in response.

Central Nervous System vs Peripheral Nervous System: The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord and is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements and controlling information processing within the body. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) consists of all nerves outside of the CNS which collect sensory information from our environment, regulate involuntary bodily functions such as breathing or digestion, and relay motor commands from our brains back out into our muscles.

Probable Diagnosis Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is caused by dysfunction of various regions in both sides of the brain including the hypothalamus, amygdala & locus coeruleus which are involved in regulating circadian rhythm & sleep/wake cycles . Other areas affected include thalamus & prefrontal cortex which play key roles in controlling arousal states & REM sleep respectively .

Sleep State Resembled : Symptoms exhibited by this patient closely resemble those experienced during REM sleep , where individuals experience vivid dreams , paralysis-like sensations while sleeping etc . Additionally narcolepsy has been associated with significant increases in REM latency , meaning patients enter this state sooner than normal causing them to fall asleep relatively quickly during daytime hours even when feeling aroused/energized .

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“ A 35-year-old male is admitted to a hospital following a minor car accident. He was driving home and fell asleep at the wheel. This is the third accident he has had in the past year. He also falls asleep regularly anywhere. When he becomes excited or enraged, he suddenly becomes weak and falls. At night, he often has bizarre, terrifying dreams. During these dreams, he feels as if he were paralyzed. Describe how a nerve impulse is transmitted from one neuron to the next. Compare the structure and functions of the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Based on the probable diagnosis of narcolepsy, what parts of the person’s brain could have been affected ? What sleep state do these symptoms resemble? ”

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