Neuroscience For Kids
questions/answers
You've got the questions; here are the answers....well, at least some of them. Here at "Neuroscience for Kids," a team of neuroscientists has been assembled to answer your questions about the nervous system.
The team consists of basic and clinical neuroscientists from around the world who will try their best to answer your questions. Send your questions to Dr. Chudler at chudler@u.washington.edu. The answers will be posted as soon as possible. (The more recent questions are posted at the top of this page.)
NOTE: the Neuroscientist Network will not diagnose your illness or give you medical or legal advice. Feel free to ask questions about particular disorders and diseases, but please see a physician if you have any personal health concerns.
A.P.: What is the acronym for the four questions a
bystander should ask a person suspected of having a stroke?
Answer: According to the National Stroke Association the acronym for these questions is FAST:
- F = FACE Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
- A = ARM Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- S = SPEECH Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?
- T = TIME If you observe any of these signs, its time to call 9-1-1 or get to the nearest stroke center or hospital.
R.B.: Are there four or six lobes of the brain?
Answer: Most people know the four lobes of the cerebral cortex that are defined by the bones that overlie them: temporal, parietal, occiptial and frontal lobes. These four lobes are visible on the surface of the brain. Two additional lobes are buried deeper into the brain: limbic lobe and insular lobe. By the way, the cerebellum is also divided into several "lobes": anterior lobe, posterior lobe, flocculonodular lobe.
G.B.: What is an abstract?
Answer: An abstract is a brief (usually one paragraph) summary of a research project. Scientific papers usually place abstracts before the introduction. Scientific meetings often require abstracts that describe the research that will be presented.
A.Q.: What cranial nerves go
through the jugular foramen of the skull?
Answer: Cranial nerves IX (glossopharyngeal), X (vagus) and XI (spinal accessory) go through the jugular foramen.
K.L.: I am organizing a cow eyeball dissection lab.
However, I have come to a major roadblock in the project, namely
obtaining the eyes. I wonder whether you might have any advice for
places to contact.
Answer: You can purchase cow eyes from Carolina Biological Supply Company: Cow Specimen, Carolina's Perfect Solution (Catalog # = 22-8903), $2.35 each (or $1.75 each if you buy 10 or more). You can also get them from Fisher Scientific (package of 10 for $10.30).
K.L.: What is the name of the little bump on the outside
of the ear that if you press on it, it will close the ear?
Answer: This little bump is called the "tragus."
W.R.: Are there any medications that would cause a
false positive drug test response for PCP?
Answer: Yes. High doses of dextromethorphan, a drug used in many cough medicines, can cause a false positive response for PCP (phencyclidine).
(References: 1. Schwartz, R.H., Adolescent abuse of dextromethorphan, Clin Pediatr., 44:565-568, 2005; 2. Schier, J. and Díaz, J.E., Avoid unfavorable consequences: dextromethorphan can bring about a false- positive phencyclidine urine drug screen, Journal of Emergency Medicine, 18:379-381, 2000.)
S.K.: What is the first sense to develop in the fetus
during pregnancy?
Answer: Touch is the first sense to develop. The developing fetus responds to touch of the lips and cheeks by 8 weeks and to other parts of its body at 14 week. The sense of taste may develop by 12 weeks and that of sound at 22-24 weeks. (Reference: Hepper, P., "Unraveling our beginnings", The Psychologist, 18:474-477, 2005.)
K.P.: Can pets get Lyme disease and what symptoms would
they have?
Answer: Yes, pets (and wild animals) CAN get Lyme disease. Dogs, cats, horses, mice, cattle, deer, squirrels, opossum and raccoons can be infected. Many wild animals infected by the bacteria that cause Lyme disease do not show any symptoms. Dogs, however, may develop a fever and have pain in the joints. This can cause them to limp when they walk.
References:
T.L.: Is it possible for a single neuron to release more
than one neurotransmitter?
Answer: Yes. According to Kandel et al. (Principles of Neural Science, New York: McGraw Hill, 2000):
"Neuroactive peptides, small-molecule transmitters, and other neuroactive molecules can coexist in the same neuron."
Carol
A.: How much cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) does an average adult
have?
Answer: Humans have 125 to 150 ml of CSF. The CSF is replaced several times each day as 400 to 500 ml of CSF is produced every day.
J.S.: Are people who suffer from multiple
sclerosis more likely to have falls and break bones?
Answer: Many people with MS have trouble walking and maintaining their balance. Therefore, they may fall more often and break bones. Osteoporosis also puts people with MS at risk for broken bones.
R.B.: If the spinal cord ends at L1, how can lumbar punctures
be done at L4? How far do the meninges continue after the end of the
spinal cord?
Answer: The purpose of the lumbar puncture is to collect cerebrospinal fluid, not to enter tissue of the spinal cord. Therefore, it is much safer to insert the needle below the end of the spinal cord. By inserting the needle at L4, the needle might touch only spinal nerves that can be pushed away. At this level, the spinal cord will not be at risk of injury. Also, see:
According to Gray's Anatomy: the dura "...ends in a pointed cul-de-sac at the level of the lower border of the second sacral vertebra."
N.S.:
Adults have a total of 206 bones, but how many bones are infants born with?
Answer: According to The Handy Science Answer Book compiled by the Science and Technology Department of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, babies are born with 300 to 350 bones. Many of these fuse together to give us a final count of 206 bones when we are adults.
D.K.: Why is phencyclidine called PCP?
Answer: The drug Phencyclidine is called PCP because of the initials of its chemical name: Phenyl Cyclohexyl Piperidine.
M.M.: You mentioned that the highest recorded body
temperature was 115oF?
Did this person survive?
Answer: According to the Guinness Book of World Records (New York: Bantam Books, 2000, p. 263), the person with the highest body temperature who lived to tell about it is Willie Jones. On July 10, 1980, Mr. Jones was admitted to the hospital with heatstroke. His temperature was 115.7oF (46.5oC). After 24 days in the hospital, he was discharged.
K.L.: How large are the different lobes of the brain relative
to each other?
Answer: The percentages of total cerebral cortex volume for the different lobes are:
frontal lobe = 41% | temporal lobe = 22% | parietal lobe = 19% | occipital lobe = 18%
(Reference: Caviness Jr., et al., Cerebral Cortex, 8:372-384, 1998.)
Y.G. I saw a program on the Animal Planet called Eaten Alive. It told about all kinds of worms that live inside the human body. One kind of worm lives in some people's brain. They showed a patient who had this worm for three years before it was removed. Can you tell me more about this?
Answer: It is likely that the problem you describe was "neurocysticercosis." Neurocysticercosis is caused when the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, makes it way to the brain. Most people who get this parasite do so by eating raw or undercooked pork that is infected by eggs of the tapeworm. Common symptoms of neurocysticercosis are seizures, epilepsy, headache, nausea, pain, sensory disturbances and vomiting. For more information about neurocysticercosis, see:
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