- SUBJECT: CNS lab ideas
- DATE: 4/97
-
-
- To the list:
-
- I am looking for a lab experience for the Central Nervous System. I
am
- currently using the Interactive Physiology software on the Nervous
System
- and doing a sheep brain dissection with the help of the WEB sheep brain
- dissection guide at U of Scranton and a vat of sheep brains. This is
for
- an intro level physiology course (first-year college students).
-
- What I am looking for is something interactive, student inquiry based,
- all that wonderful stuff. Any ideas how I can sparkle up some CNS intro
- material in the lab. I do not want to do Sensory material, nor
- muscle/nerve. I need something for CNS which currently has a strong
- anatomical flavor.
-
- Thanks for any suggestions.
-
- Blystone in Texas
-
- --------------------------------
- Robert V. Blystone, Ph.D.
- rblyston@trinity.edu
-
- Department of Biology
- Trinity University
- 715 Stadium Drive
- San Antonio, Texas 78212
- 210.736-7243 FAX 210/736-7229
-
-
- I recommend a lab studying reflexes. simple equipment (reflex hammers,
- flashlight) suffices. Stretch reflexes (e.g. knee jerk) requires a
good
- knowledge of musculoskeletal anatomy to evoke. Phenomena leads to probing
- the underlying CNS circuitry, etc. Pupillary light reflex leads to
- discussion of visceral reflexes, adaptive value of reflex, clinical
uses
- for reflex studies. All are fun to do, hands on, and provoke a need
to
- understand underlying neural organization.
-
- Cordial regards,
-
- Alan Magid, Ph.D.
- Lecturer in Human Anatomy & Physiology
- Durham Technical Community College
- 1637 Lawson Street
- Durham, NC 27703
- 919.686.3311
- WWW: http://www.ntrnet.net/~alanm/
-
-
- Along the same lines, I remember doing a lab a number of years ago
where we
- had the students pair up in teams. One person portrayed a neurological
- patient and was expected to display or at least describe the symptoms
- associated with a particular neurological disease or syndrome. The
other
- partner was the neurologist and did or described the appropriate tests
- required for diagnosis. They then explained to the class what parts
of the
- nervous system were involved and how these problems produced the symptoms.
- Most tests involve observations of patient behaviors and reflex testing.
- The students seemed to have a pretty good time once they got over their
- initial inhibitions about acting out their conditions in front of the
- class.
-
-
- Liane Cochran-Stafira
- Dept. of Ecology and Evolution
- The University of Chicago
- 1101 East 57th Street
- Chicago, Illinois 60637-5415
- phone: 773-702-1930
- fax: 773-702-9740
- e-mail: lcochran@midway.uchicago.edu
-
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