Patient has chronic pain in her legs since being injured 8 years ago. As a physician, you would like to treat her pain, but it would help to first know what the cause of it is. Each of the physiological issues could alter neuronal function. The patient is a vegan who eats a very low-protein diet. As such, she is deficient in several of the essential amino acids, including isoleucine.

Below is a drawing of the pathway by which pain is communicated up to the brain.

1. Could defective Cl- channels lead to the perception of pain? - Yes or No

2. Could too much Na+ in the CSF lead to the perception of pain? - Yes or No

3. Could a deficiency in isoleucine lead to the perception of pain? - Yes or No

4. Could a depletion of calcium ions in the CSF and thus the entire nervous system, cause chronic pain? -Yes or No

5. As a potential treatment, you suggest administration of tetrodotoxin (pufferfish toxin). This drug acts as an antagonist to voltage-gated sodium channels. Would this drug help modulate her pain? - Yes or No.

 

Transcribed Image Text:

H Presynaptic Nociceptor Substance P GABA Inhibitory neuron Interneuron Pain perception in brain H Presynaptic Nociceptor Substance P GABA Inhibitory neuron Interneuron Pain perception in brain

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

5 yes tetrodotoxin can act as ... View the full answer