SavannahBrock

NervousSystemLabReport

Thislabreportwilladdressanormalcellenvironmentwheretheactionpotentialoccursinthe
triggerzonewhenthemembranepotential(electricalcharge)risesandfalls,theneuronthen
sendelectricalimpulsedownanaxonawayfromthecellbodyanditwillalsoaddressthe
effectsoftoxinsontheactionpotentialfollowedbycranialnerveandreflextesting.Action
potentialalsoknownasanerveimpulseistheeventofelectricalresponsethattakesplaceina
cell,causedwhendifferentionscrosstheneuronmembrane.Thefirsteventinanaction
potentialisdepolarization,wherethesodiumionsflowintothecellchangingthesodiumions
fromanegativetoapositivelevelatthemembraneoftheneuron.Theeventafter
depolarization,knownasrepolarization,iswhenthecellrepolarizesitselfbyusingits
sodiumpotassiumpumplocatedinthemembraneforeverythreesodiumionsitpumpsout,it
pumpsintwopotassiumionsuntiltheproperchargeisreached.Duringtherefractoryperiod,
whichlastsaround1/2500ofasecond,theaxonsvoltagegatedsodiumchannelsarenot
responsiveatall,andtheaxoncannotbestimulatedtoproduceanotheractionpotential.The
figuresbelowrepresentallinformationanddatacollectedbyresearchingactionpotentialfurther
andlabsperformedwiththeinformationabove.

Figure1:Normalactionpotential.Showsthenumbersandvisualofdepolarization,
repolarization,andrefractoryperiod.


Toxins:
ToxinName

EffectonActionPotential

Maculotoxin

Blocksactionpotentialsatcertain
concentrationsandblocksneuromuscular
transmissionbyhinderingactionpotentialsin
motornerveterminals.

Latrotoxin

Stimulatesexocytosisofneurotransmitters
thatarenotcontrolled.

Bungarotoxin

Affectsthemotornerveswhichgenerates
spontaneousactionpotentialsthroughthe
contractionofthemusclesbutendsin
paralysis.Alsoaffectsnerveendings.

Tetrodotoxin

Effectssignaltransmissionfromthenervesto
themusclesandcausesparalysis.
Spontaneousactionpotentials.

Apamin

InhibitsCalciumdependentPotassium
channelsaffectingtheslow
afterhyperpolarization.Increasesthe
magnitudeanddurationoftheaction
potential.

Charybdotoxin

APotassiumCalciumK(Ca)channelblocker
toxinthatresultsintheincreaseandduration
oftheactionpotential.Verysimilarto
Apamin.

Conotoxin

InhibitsCalcium(Ca)channelsandcontract
musclesresultinginspontaneousaction
potentialsandendinginparalysis.Thetwo
typesofparalysisthatcanoccurareexotoxic
shockandflaccidparalysis.

Figure2:Thischartshowsdifferenttypesoftoxinsandhowtheyaffectactionpotential.They
usuallyaffectactionpotentialinwaysthattheyaffecttheneurotransmitters.Ifthetoxinaffects
themusclesthenitusuallyresultsinanincreaseinactionpotential.Shuttingdownachannel
canalsoincreasetheactionpotentialsmomentumandduration.

CranialNervesandFunctions:
NerveName

Function

OlfactoryBulb

Givesasenseofsmell.

OpticNerve

Transmitselectricalimpulsesfromtheretina
tothebrain.

Trigeminal

Sensationofthefaceandmotorfunctions.

Oculomotor

Controlsmosteyemovement.

Trochlear

Providesmotorfunction.

Abducens

Controlsthelateralrectusmuscleoftheeye.

Vagus

Commandsinvoluntarymuscleprocedures.

Glossopharyngeal

Receivesvariousformsofsensoryfibers,
suppliesparasympatheticfibersandmotor
fibers,andisapartofthepharyngealplexus.

Accessory

Controlscertainneckmuscles

Vestibulocochlear

Responsibleforhearing,balance,and
transmittinginformationfromtheeartothe
brain.

Facial

Transportssomesensoryinformationfrom
thetongueandinteriormouthandinnervates
facialmusclestoproducefacialexpressions.

Hypoglossal

Controlstonguemovement.

Figure3:Thischartshowsthecranialsnervesandwhattheydointhebody.Thesegenerate
actionpotentialsbecausetheneurotransmitterstotellthemusclesandbodywhattodo.
Differentmovementsmaycreatealargeractionpotentialthanothers.

Test

Results(Left)

Results(Right)

Biceps

++

Musculocutaneous,C5C6

Triceps

RadialNerve,C7C8

++

++

RadialNerve,C5C6

++

+++

+++

SaphenousNerveandtheLateral,
Intermediate,andMedial
CutaneousNerve.L2L3

Brachioradialis
Hoffmanns
Patellar

NerveTested

Achilles

S1S2

Babinski

S1S2,L4L5

CrossedExtensor

+++

+++

Glabellar
Other

Figure4:Thischartshowshowmuchofareactionoccurredwhentestingthenervesinvarious
areasofthebody.+++=thehighestpossiblereactionand0=noreaction.Thishastodowith
actionpotentialandhowfasttheycomeintocontactwiththeneuronsinthebraintocausea
reaction.Thedifferentlevelsofreactioncanmeanthattheactionpotentialhadmoreorless
momentumand/orthatthedurationwaslongerorshorter.