Case Study 1
Overview of the Case Study
It is evident from the instant case study that the patient could initially read, right and function normally. A catastrophic event must have resulted in a substantive memory loss. It is evident from the video that she is learning how to read from the very basics, including learning the alphabet (NBC Nightly News, 2013). Further, from the elaborate effort her boyfriend is undertaking to teach her something as elementary as the alphabet, it is evident that she has a serious learning impairment alongside memory loss.
Analysis of the Learning Impairment
Memory loss and learning impairments can result from a non-trauma related injury to the brain. The most probable cause of the injury for the instant patient is a stroke. For the human brain to remain healthy, it requires a constant supply of oxygen through oxygenated blood. A stroke happens when blood vessels that supply oxygenated blood to brain are either blocked or raptured. Consequently, the brain will remain without a supply of oxygen for a period leading to some form of injury (Baldassarre et al., 2016). The extent of injury depends on which part of the brain lost oxygen supply and for how long. In the case of the instant patient, the brain may have lost oxygen supply for a substantive duration.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Possible Treatment Options
There is no substantive surgical or pharmacological treatment for the instant patient’s conditions. Rehabilitation and seeking to re-learn rudimentary activities such as reading may help the brain recover some of its lost capabilities.
Case Study 2
Overview of the Case Study
The instant case study shows Andrea Briggs, a young adult undertaking lessons that only a very young should be undertaking. In the video, a set of experts reveal how they have been strenuously teaching Ms. Briggs rudimentary activities such as walking and brushing her teeth (NBC News, 2012). These are lessons that a human can easily learn through observation yet it take the patient a lot of time and effort to undertake them.
Analysis of the Learning Impairment
Based on the video, Ms. Briggs suffered major physical trauma to her brain. This trauma resulted in her memory loss and learning impartment. The human brain is an actual physical organ hence capable of physical damage in some circumstances (Khan et al., 2016). Examples of situations that would cause physical damage to the brain is physical trauma from an accident or an assault. The brain is a large collection of neurons divided into different compartments each of which handles a specific task. The effects of physical injury to the brain depend on which part of the brain was harmed the extent of the harm and how well the harm was repaired (Khan et al., 2016). In the case of Ms. Briggs, the affected compartment handles learning and coordination.
Possible Treatment Options
As with any injury, healing is the most important area of treatment after injury (Khan et al., 2016). After treatment and healing, rehabilitation and re-learning follow to try to recover the skills lost through the injury.
Case Study 3
Overview of the Case Study
The instant case study involves Patient EP, an 82-year-old man who once worked as an electronics technician. Based on the video, EP has vivid memories about events that took place decades ago. However, he is unable to create fresh memories and cannot recall events even a few minutes after they have happened. For example, the team makes him recite the names of four animals and after fifteen minutes, he cannot recall any of the animals (Chedd, 2004).
Analysis of the Learning Impairment
Patient EP did not get a memory loss but he suffers from a catastrophic learning impairment. As with the two cases above, EP’s problem emanates from an injury to his brain, but this time caused by an infection. The infection affected Patient EP’s Hippocampus making it almost impossible for the patient to form any new memories (Vasek et al., 2016). After such an injury, the brain records things in detail but cannot recall those details later.
Possible Treatment Options
Normally, treatment for infections involves seeking to get rid of the pathogens causing the infection ten reversing the damage caused by the pathogens. The human brain is a resilient organ and will in some cases recover even after massive damage from infections. However, with advanced age, the brain loses its ability to regenerate; hence, there may not be a plausible treatment for the instant patient (Vasek et al., 2016).
References
Baldassarre, A., Ramsey, L. E., Siegel, J. S., Shulman, G. L., & Corbetta, M. (2016). Brain connectivity and neurological disorders after stroke. Current opinion in neurology , 29 (6), 706.
Chedd, G. (Writer/Director). (2004, May 11). Don’t forget [Television series episode]. In Chedd-Angier (Producer), Scientific American Frontiers. Available from http://chedd-angier.com/frontiers/season14.html
Khan, F., Amatya, B., Judson, R., Chung, P., Truesdale, M., Elmalik, A., & Galea, M. P. (2016). Factors associated with long-term functional and psychological outcomes in persons with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Journal of rehabilitation medicine , 48 (5), 442-448.
NBC News. (2012, June 14). Learning to live after brain injury [News report]. NBC Universal Media.
NBC Nightly News. (2013, January 23). Teaching his girlfriend to read again [News report]. NBC Universal Media
Vasek, M. J., Garber, C., Dorsey, D., Durrant, D. M., Bollman, B., Soung, A., ... & Funk, K. (2016). A complement–microglial axis drives synapse loss during virus-induced memory impairment. Nature , 534 (7608), 538.
