TeachableMedicalNews article 12262022
Teachable moment in classrooms:
- nervous tissue chapter – conduction of nerve impulses by axons of neurons
- nervous tissue chapter – starting a new nerve impulse by neurotransmitters
- brain chapter – anatomical location of thalamus and postcentral gyrus
- brain chapter – anatomy and function of trigeminal nerve, cranial nerve V
- somatic senses chapter – nerve impulse pathway from pain receptors (nociceptors)
The news item: Recently the following report appeared online:
New migraine medication given the green light
Migraine sufferers are excited when a new anti-migraine option is available. In this case, it’s medicine called Reyvow.
The article states that migraine is a neurological disorder that causes recurring pain, sensitivity to light, and nausea. Migraine affects 30 million people worldwide, and it is the leading cause of disability. While there are approved medications to treat migraine, this new option, called Reyvow, can be taken by people who have heart disease, high blood pressure, or a history of stroke. The article also states that Reyvow activates the (5-HT) 1F receptors that increase serotonin neurotransmitters and inhibit pain pathways.
So, Why Do I Care?? According to the American Migraine Foundation over 10 million adults in the US suffer from migraine, causing each year over $11 billion economic loss from lost workdays and lost productivity. Because existing migraine treatment do not work for all patients, new treatments are welcome, because they widen the circle of patients who can be effectively treated.
Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about how migraine occurs. This disorder is characterized by sudden onset feeling (perception) of headache pain, sensitivity to light, or nausea. These symptoms appear suddenly and repeatedly, and can distract and disable people from carrying out daily functions. At first it was thought that abnormal dilation (widening) of blood vessels of the brain caused it, but recently migraine has been linked to the malfunctioning of our nervous system. According to that during migraine the neurons that make up the pain pathways create unwanted nerve impulses.
Second, let’s talk about what pain pathways are. In our nervous system the word “pathway” means a bundle of axons that carry and deliver nerve impulses to their destination. The pain-carrying nerve