2024-25 ANS Case Study PDF

Physiology School of Medicine Founded in 1845 2024-25 AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS) CASE Course: MD137 Introduction to Lecturer: Professor AM Wheatley...

Physiology School of Medicine Founded in 1845 2024-25 AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM (ANS) CASE Course: MD137 Introduction to Lecturer: Professor AM Wheatley Email: [email protected] Physiology Autonomic nervous system: case A married couple in Queensland, Australia, identified what they thought were some edible mushrooms, during a walk in the bush. They partially cooked the mushrooms over a camp fire and the 55-year old man ate one of the mushrooms, while 53-year-old woman ate two of the largest mushrooms. Within 30 mins, the woman’s face became flushed, she began to salivate, her eyes began to water and she grew nauseous. At this stage her husband vomited but was otherwise unaffected. They suspected the mushrooms were poisonous so immediately drove 200 km to the nearest hospital. When they arrived (3 hr later) he woman was complaining of headache, chest and abdominal pain, frequent urinations, vomiting, and profuse sweating. She had also developed diarrhoea. At this stage, her arterial blood pressure was measured at 80/60 mmHg, and her heart rate was 45 beats/min. The patient was given a therapeutic dose of the drug Atropine and with minutes her blood pressure and heart rate had risen to 110/65 mmHg and 65 beats/min, respectively. With time the remainder of her symptoms subsided and the patient made a full recovery. Scientific examination revealed that the mushroom as a Bolete mushroom, Rubinoboletus sensu lato pro tempe, which contains muscarine. Questions: 1. Describe organization of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), paying particular attention to pre- and post-ganglionic neurotransmitters and effector organ receptors. 2. Which branch of the ANS will muscarine affect and how? 3. What are normal arterial blood pressures and heart rate in a 50 year-old woman and why did ingestion of the mushrooms change them? 4. Account for the other physiological changes caused by the ingestion of the mushrooms in the woman. 5. Account for the effect of the drug, Atropine, on the physiological changes that occurred following ingestion of the mushroom. 6. What action do you think Atropine had on the autonomic nervous system? 7. Why did the man not experience any long-term ill effects after ingesting the mushroom? 8. How might the cooking of the mushrooms have affected the sequence of events?