Download Drugs

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.
2.
3.
4.
Increased production of norepinephrine and
dopamine
Decreased transmission in acetylcholine
(ACH) systems
Increased transmission in GABA systems
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
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”
<http://www.benbest.com/science/anatmind/anatmd10.html#glutamate>03/13/06
BUPA’S Health Information Team. “Epidurals for Surgery and Pain Relief”
<http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/epidural.html> 03/13/06
Chudler, Eric. “Alcohol” <http://staff.washington.edu/chudler/alco.html> 03/13/06
Dreyer, Jean-Luc. “Glutamate”
<http://www.unifr.ch/biochem/DREYER/Neurotransmitters/glutamate.htm>
03/13/06
Gale, Thomas. “Tetanus (Lockjaw)” <http://www.humanillnesses.com/InfectiousDiseases-Sk-Z/Tetanus-Lockjaw.html> 03/13/06
March of Dimes. “Polio”
<http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1283.asp> 03/13/06
Merck. “Polio” <http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec23/ch273/ch273h.html> 03/13/06
Nemours. “Infections: Tetanus”
<http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/tetanus.html> 03/13/06