Drugs Alcohol & Epidurals

Alcohol Alcohol is a Central nervous system depressant. Works in the reticular formation, spinal cord, cerebellum and cerebral cortex, as well as other neurotransmitter areas. Alcohol is a small molecule and has the ability to get into the blood stream, and even pass the blood brain barrier.

Neurochemical Affects of Alcohol 1. Increased production of norepinephrine and dopamine 2. Decreased transmission in acetylcholine (ACH) systems 3. Increased transmission in GABA systems 4. Increased production of beta-endorphin in the hypothalamus

Chronic Alcohol Drinking And withdrawal of alcohol to someone who is dependent can cause shaking, nausea, and sleep problems, and even seizures. Can cause: – Damage the frontal lobes of the brain – overall reduction in brain size and increase in the size of the ventricles. – vitamin deficiency

Effect of Alcohol Fetal Development that is exposed to alcohol causes problems in development of the corpus callosum, damage to cerebrum and cerebellum, and reduction of size of basal cell ganglia

Epidural Helps control pain during or even after a surgery. Painkilling drugs are injected into the epidural space that surrounds the spinal cord

How it works: Epidurals The injection of the painkillers into the epidural space creates a loss of sensation in the pelvic and leg regions. Mostly the injection is located in the lumbar region. The anesthetist can control the amount of sensation lost based on the amount injected.

Disorders: Diseases Poliomyelitis & Tetanus

Poliomyelitis aka Polio An acute viral infection, that can cause a small illness but eventually destroy ventral horns of the spinal cord (spinal polio) It is highly contagious and sometimes fatal disease that affects the nerves, and can cause paralysis. Can be caught by swallowing something with the virus on it. As the infection spreads from the intestines it goes to the brain and spinal cord that controls the muscles. The virus multiplies in the intestine and then moves to the brain where the cells like the cell bodies of motor neurons in the brain.

Polio 10% of people develop a high fever, meningitis, and severe neck and back pain. 1 out of 100 people have a virus that attacks the part of the spinal cord responsible for sending messages to the muscles in the arm, legs, and other vital areas. Bulbar Polio is when the virus attacks the brain stem, and kills the nerves needed to send signals to the muscles that control breathing, swallowing, and other vital things.

Tetanus aka Lockjaw Affects the bodies muscles and nerves. Caused by an open wound that has become infected from a bacteria, normally Clostridium tetani. Once the bacteria is in the body it produces a neurotoxin, tetanospasmin, that acts as poison to the nervous system and causes muscle spasms.It inhibits the release of the neurotransmitter that sends messages

Lockjaw At first the neurotoxin just affects the muscle close to the wound but over time it spreads to the whole body through the blood stream, and lymph system. This neurotoxin can also attach at neuromuscular junctions, and even nerves of the spinal cord. Tetanus’ first symptom is normally muscle spasms in the jaw hence the nickname. Without treatment, tetanus can be fatal.

Lockjaw Normally in the US, cases that cause tetanus are from rusty old nails. These incidents are normally rare because of the vaccines that are now available and are good for 14 years. Neonatal tetanus is another form that is caused from unsanitary conditions in the delivery room. The umbilical cord gets bacteria in it.

Neurotransmitters Glutamate

Known as the primary excitatory amino acid in the Central nervous system. And is widely spread among the neuroaxis. Found in the granular cells of the cerebellum, the pyramidal cells of the hippocampus, the Betz cells of the motor strip, and the projections of the frontal lobe to the basal ganglia

Glutamate Only a small percentage of glutamate is found in synaptic vesicles, while the rest is found in part of the intermediary metabolism. The glutamate binds to receptors and is thought to help with learning and memory in the brain.

Bibliography Best, Ben. “Brain Neurotransmitters” 03/13/06http:// BUPA’S Health Information Team. “Epidurals for Surgery and Pain Relief” 03/13/06http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/epidural.html Chudler, Eric. “Alcohol” 03/13/06http://staff.washington.edu/chudler/alco.html Dreyer, Jean-Luc. “Glutamate” 03/13/06http:// Gale, Thomas. “Tetanus (Lockjaw)” 03/13/06http:// Diseases-Sk-Z/Tetanus-Lockjaw.html March of Dimes. “Polio” 03/13/06http:// Merck. “Polio” 03/13/06http:// Nemours. “Infections: Tetanus” 03/13/06