Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example

Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example

Neurological and musculoskeletal systems have a corresponding effect on each other’s functions. APRN’s understanding of this interaction is critically important in diagnosing and treating the associated diseases and disorders.  Equally, APRNs have an appropriate positioning to provide appropriate education and guidance to patients on their clinical interventions. This essay discusses the neurological and musculoskeletal pathophysiologic processes of the neurological and musculoskeletal process, the interactions between the systems, and the associated racial/ethnic variables that affect the physiological functions of a case patient.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Both The Neurological And Musculoskeletal Pathophysiologic Processes Would Account For The Patient Presenting These Symptoms.

The patient is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is a neurological disorder. PD is caused by the degeneration of dopamine neurons in pars compacta, elevating the excitatory impulse in the basal ganglia, affecting voluntary motor activities. This means that PD results in the deafferentation of the striatal dopamine and consequent classical impairment of motor neurons in the extrapyramidal circuits (Wu et al., 2020). A disrupted voluntary mot activity is presented with symptoms such as tremors, stiffness, gait disability, shaking, and difficulty in walking, postural instability, and coordination as presented by the patient (Olson et al., 2019). Equally, the changes in the brain’s neurons lead to cognitive impairment associated with slow memory and thinking capability, which are further exacerbated by psychosocial factors such as stress, depression, and medication.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Increased PD severity increases dopamine neuron depletion, leading to additional alterations in the basal ganglia circuits. PD’s effect on basal ganglia affects neurotransmitters associated with muscular function (Mishra et al., 2018). The disease causes the aggregation of proteins in the nerve cells and loss of dopaminergic neurotransmitters resulting in movement abnormalities s presented by the patient’s masked-like face, pill-rolling movement.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Racial/Ethnic Variables That Influence Physiological Functioning

There is limited data to back the racial/ethnic disparities causing the differences in the clinical manifestations of PD. However, some studies have shown that PD predominantly affects white populations, while black and Hispanic PD patients are more likely than whites to develop cognitive impairment (Ben-Joseph et al., 2020). Equally, early diagnosis and management of PD among African Americans is relatively low, which increases the possibility of adverse health outcomes. Furthermore, during diagnosis, African-American patients present more significant physical disability and disease severity than whites due to inadequate access to healthcare (Saadi et al., 2017).(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

How These Processes Interact To Affect The Patient

The changes in basal ganglia circuits affect the synthesis and function of associated neurotransmitters such as serotonin, GABA, and glutamate. The depletion of these neurotransmitters leads to reduced muscle activity; thus, a patient presents symptoms such as those presented by the case patient (Mishra et al., 2018). Serotonin alters the motor neurons that allow the muscles to contract, while GABA regulates muscle tone. Similarly, glutamate controls muscle contraction and linkage between muscles and nerves. All these neurons are required for neurological communication.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

The impaired motor function is also a consequence of muscle disuse. The brain consists of the default mode and executive attention networks affected by its deficits (Wu et al., 2020). Default mode network impairment is associated with akinesia, rigidity, and frailty shown by PD patients, while executive attention network affects gait and motivational function.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example)

Conclusion

In conclusion, PD causes several neurological and musculoskeletal deficiencies that limit physical functions greatly. Moreover, PD is predominant among Americans of Caucasian descent, while African Americans have a greater risk of adverse health outcomes due to inadequate access to health care. Thus, APRNs can play a crucial role in diagnosing, prescribing, implementing, and managing treatment plans and guiding PD patients across ethical divides to achieve positive health outcomes.

References

Ben-Joseph, A., Marshall, C. R., Lees, A. J., & Noyce, A. J. (2020). Ethnic variation in the manifestation of Parkinson’s disease: A narrative review. Journal of Parkinson’s disease, 10(1), 31-45(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example). 10.3233/JPD-191763

Mishra, A., Singh, S., & Shukla, S. (2018). The physiological and functional basis of dopamine receptors and their role in neurogenesis: possible implication for Parkinson’s disease. Journal of experimental neuroscience, 12, 1179069518779829(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example). 10.1177/1179069518779829

Olson, M., Lockhart, T. E., & Lieberman, A. (2019). Motor learning deficits in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their effect on training response in gait and balance: A narrative review. Frontiers in neurology, 10, 62.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example) 10.3389/fneur.2019.00062

Saadi, A., Himmelstein, D. U., Woolhandler, S., & Mejia, N. I. (2017). Racial disparities in neurologic health care access and utilization in the United States. Neurology, 88(24), 2268-2275.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example) https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004025

Wu, Y. N., Chen, M. H., Chiang, P. L., Lu, C. H., Chen, H. L., Yu, C. C., … & Lin, W. C. (2020). Associations between Brain Structural Damage and Core Muscle Loss in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease. Journal of clinical medicine, 9(1), 239.(Neurological and Musculoskeletal Systems Comprehensive Nursing Paper Example) 10.3390/jcm9010239