- Consider the impact of spinal cord injury and the potential scope of lifetime disability and sequelae associated with spinal cord injury. The greatest challenge facing the neuroscience community involves developing therapy that will allow damaged nerve tissue to be regrown and regenerated. Reflect on this article and discuss the importance of Schwann cells and their impact on damaged axons.
- Describe the genetic components, pathophysiology, and major neurologic features of neurofibromatosis, Cri du chat syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, and Parkinson disease (early onset).
- Define dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and describe the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, evaluation and treatment.
- Consider the following scenario: Your patient has suffered from schizophrenia for two decades and has received classic dopaminergic treatments since the onset of illness. The latest research supporting use of the glutamatergic model has not been tried on your patient, and there is an opportunity for your patient to enter clinical trials utilizing glutamate-based treatments. Your patient suffers significant executive function impairment and memory impairment. Do you recommend participation in the clinical trial? Why or why not?
- Discuss the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs)—thrombotic, embolic, hemorrhagic, and lacunar—their incidence and prevalence, clinical manifestations, evaluation, and treatment.
- Discuss the characteristics of common headaches—migraine, cluster, and tension—and describe their evaluation and treatment options. What prevention strategies would you advise?
