SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND MRI

Substance Misuse and MRI

Substance Misuse and MRI

Introduction

This paper has been written with regards to pain pathways in the central nervous system and the impact of substance misuse issues. Focus has been laid on opiate dependence, more particularly, and the contributions of MRI scan findings. Furthermore, Central nervous system and the involvement of brain and spinal cord in processing pain have also been discussed.

Discussion

Central Nervous System

This is considered as the part of the nervous system, and this is the system that integrates the information that it receives. Moreover, it also coordinates the activity of the parts of the body and the majority of the nervous system that it consists of is the brain and the spinal cord. Besides this, there are other classifications that have also been made, and this reveals that it also contains retina and the cranial nerves in the central nervous system. This is the reason why it plays a very crucial role as it controls human behaviour. The central nervous system is within the dorsal cavity, and the brain is in the cranial cavity while the vertebrae protect the spinal cord. Substance misuse also leads to the Central nervous system effects which are responsible for the changes in mood levels and perceptions. Besides CNS, drugs also alter the other systems and they also lead to uncontrolled use of drugs (Virginia Nurses Today 2003, pp. 10).

Involvement of Brain and Spinal Cord in Processing Pain

With regards to the way in which the brain and the spinal cord are involved in processing pain, it can be said that it plays a very crucial role. The cerebrospinal fluid enables in the protection of the brain from outside influences. In the brain, are also listed by fluid-filled cavities known as ventricles with about 130 ml volumes; however, the rest carry waste to the brain. Additionally, there are three layers that enclose the brain and these are known as protective membrane. These cover the spinal cord of the central nervous system. Although the brain contains 10 to 10 people in nerve cells, it connects eight to ten thousand neurons, which are a very high number. For the brain to operate, the energy in watts that are required is15 to 20 watts that equal the power that is needed by a small light, bulb (Noddings 2011, pp. 100.).

The brain stem extends the network, and the brain stem starts at most of the 12 cranial nerves pairs. These includes optic nerve, olfactory nerve, facial nerve, hearing and balance nerve, drilling nerve with optic nerve, eye movement and roll nerve, upper and lower jaw, nerve, tongue and pharyngeal nerve, tongue muscle nerve, visceral nerve and leg nerve. Medulla oblongata, acts as a boundary between the brain stem and, the spinal cord. These nerves are referred as pyramid train. Some of the most important functions of the body are controlled by medulla oblongata. These include breathing, heartbeat and metabolism.

Cerebellum is more or less like the cerebrum that has two parts and is ...