Chen is cooking dinner for his family. He moves to pull a pot off the stove and accidently touches the burner. Reflexively he pulls his finger away from the stove and immediately feels the pain.

1. What is the role of the brain and spinal cord in this response?
2. Describe the three types of neurons involved in this response and their role in the reflex arc. Explain the withdrawal reflex that results in Chen moving his hand away from the stove.
3. Evolutionarily, why do you think the human body has this system in place? Why is this reflex important?
4. Chen’s wife, Amira, was born with congenital insensitivity to pain, a condition that inhibits the ability to perceive physical pain. Find a reliable source related to congenital insensitivity to pain and address the following questions:
   1. What is congenital insensitivity to pain?
   2. What are some of the signs and symptoms of this condition?
   3. In this week’s reading, you learned about the role of sodium ions in the conduction of nerve impulses. Individuals with congenital insensitivity to pain are unable to make a sodium channel called NaVi.7. How is this related to the signs and symptoms of the disease?
   4. What might happen if Amira had touched the burner? How would her response be different than Chen’s?
   5. What advice would you give to a child who has this condition and is interested in playing contact sports? What would happen if this child experienced a fracture?

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1 What is the role of the brain and spinal cord in this response Ans The spinal cord is responsible for the initial reflexive withdrawal response while the brain processes sensory information and play... View the full answer