Bio 105 Quizzes

Current treatments for spinal cord injury that results in paralysis include all of the following EXCEPT: a. Treating with steroids to limit inflammation. b. The spine is realigned and immobilized c. Physical therapy to maintain muscle tone. d. Occupational therapy to teach patients new ways to take care of themselves. e. Treating with antihistamines to stimulate new neurons to grow.

Treating with antihistamines to stimulate new neurons to grow.

Stem cells therapy may have the ability to treat conditions as different as baldness, missing teeth, diabetes, and spinal cord injury. True False

True Since all cells of the body are derived from a single, totipotent (all powerful) cell, understanding how to best obtain stem cells and coax them to contribute to missing or damaged tissue can be used to treat many different disorders.

Current research to aims to develop new techniques to detect concussions using sports equipment, eye exams, and even blood tests. True False

True False

The brain is better able to regenerate compared to the spinal cord, which is why people can recover from concussion but not spinal cord injury. True False

False The brain and spinal cord are made of similar material and have similar regenerative capacity. Concussion differs from spinal cord injury in that a concussion is a less severe trauma. In fact, the spinal cord can be less severely injured, resulting in a spinal cord concussion.

The vast majority of funding to support research in spinal cord injury in the United States is provided by pharmaceutical corporations, such as Merck and Pfizer. True False

False The vast majority of funding is provided by the federal government. In particular, the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense. Tax payer dollars at work!

The spinal cord carries information in only one direction, from the brain to the body. True False

False! The spinal cord carries information in BOTH directions, motor commands from the brain to the body and sensory information from the body to the brain.

In a new therapy now being tested to treat paralysis, an _______ implant explant is placed on the spinal cord in the lower back ______ belowabove where the injury occurred. When it's turned on, this pacemaker-like device can deliver electrical stimulation to muscles, which allows stepping movements to occur. This therapeutic strategy is an attempt to ______reactivateregrowprotect those spinal cord networks that have become isolated from the brain due to injury.

Implant, Below, Reactivate

Which of the following are possible symptoms of Second Impact Syndrome? There is more than one answer, so indicate all possible symptoms. a. Loss of consciousness b. Dilated pupils and loss of eye movements c. Greatly increased risk of death d. Brain swelling e. Respiratory failure

(all) Brain swelling, Loss of consciousness, Greatly increased risk of death, Dilated pupils and loss of eye movements, Respiratory failure All of these are possible symptoms of second impact (concussion) syndrome. The condition progresses rapidly, with often catastrophic, permanent brain damage. The correct answers are: Brain

The goal for new prosthetic limbs are for them to be bidirectional, meaning the subject can move them up and down and left to right. True False

Although new prosthetic limbs are being designed to move in all directions, referring to them as bidirectional means that the subject can receive sensory information (feel) as well as send motor commands (move). The correct answer is 'False'.

A pioneering surgery took cells from which part of the body to help promote and nourish neurons in the spinal cord to grow? Select one: a. Skin b. Ear c. Tongue d. Nose e. Eye

Nose To help Darek Fidyka, support cells were harvested from his nose and transplanted into his spinal cord. The neurons in your nose are exposed to pollutants and virus and undergo constant renewal. Olfactory ensheathing cells support the growth of those neurons and, apparently, were able to support the regrowth of neurons in Darek's spinal cord.

Which of the following would NOT be expected to occur if an injury completely severed the spinal cord at the level of the ribs? a. Paraplegia b. The person would be unable to breathe without using a respirator. c. Sexual dysfunction d. Loss of bladder and bowl control e. Quadriplegia

Quadriplegia If a person severed their spinal cord at the portion of the ribs, the thoracic portion of the spinal cord, it would result in paraplegia. The person would be able to use their arms, chest and upper back and breath normally.

Which of the following is NOT a strategy under consideration for treating spinal cord injury? a. Resuscitate dead cells b. Replace cells that have died as a result of the injury c. Protect surviving cells d. Reactivate spinal cord circuits e. Stimulate regrowth of damaged cells.

Resuscitate dead cells Cells that die as a result of injury are rapidly cleared from the site by being broken down and consummed by other cells. Hence, even if we knew how to revive dead cells, they would not be available for rescucitation.

Which of the following is NOT a region of the spinal cord? a. Lumbar b. Sacral c. Temporal d. Thoracic e. Cervical

Temporal

Typical symptoms of concussion include all of the following EXCEPT: a. Irritability b. Uneven pupil dilation c. Difficulty concentrating d. Sensitivity to light e. Headache

The correct answer is: Uneven pupil dilation Uneven pupil dilation is not a typical symptom of concussion. It is a sign of more severe brain damage. If this symptom is ever observed, the individual should go to an emergency room immediately.

Which of the following animals is being used to explore new treatments for spinal cord injury? a. Monkeys b. Zebrafish c. Catfish d. Horses e. Woodpeckers

Zebrafish, Monkeys Zebrafish and monkeys are model systems to better understand spinal cord injuries and develop new therapies for treatment. Although we didn't discuss it in class, mice and rats are also widely used.

Which one of the following statements about the human central nervous system is FALSE: a. It is protected by the skull and vertebral column. b. It contains billions of cells, called neurons. c. It is bathed in fluid. d. It is surrounded by protective membranes. e. It consists of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

e. It consists of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Although the central nervous system contains the brain and spinal cord, the peripheral nerves, which innervate the arms and legs for example, are not considered part of the central nervous system. They are part of the peripheral nervous system.

Mike, the headless chicken, demonstrated that the spinal cord: a. has the ability to support locomotion in isolation from the brain. b. requires continual input for the brain. c. is susceptible to concussion. d. is required to feel pain. e. is not well protected in chickens.

has the ability to support locomotion in isolation from the brain.