III. Post-reading activities.

1. Answer the following questions.

1. What organs is the nervous system composed of?

2. How do we call the cells the nervous system is composed of?

3. How many parts has a neuron? What are they?

4. What is synapse?

5. How fast do the impulses travel along the chain of neurons?

6. How do we call the collections of neurons within the brain and spinal cord?

7. What is ganglia?

8. In what two major systems are the nerves of the body organized?

9. What is the PNS subdivided into?

10. What is the main organ of the nervous system?

11. What is the largest division of the brain?

12. How many sides does it consist of?

13. What are the functions of the cerebellum?

14. What is thalamus?

15. What are the functions of hypothalamus?

16. What does the brain stem consist of?

17. What is the spinal cord composed of?

18. What are the general functions of the spinal cord?

2. Say whether the following sentences are true or false.

1. Dendrites conduct outcoming signals.

2. Messages passed to and from the brain take the form of electrical impulses.

3. The white matter, so-called because of white myelin sheath.

4. The central nervous system consists of the brain.

5. The brain typically divided into two parts.

6. The hemispheres are covered by a thin layer of white matter.

7. The cerebellum performs functions, all of which have to do with skele­tal — muscle control.

8. Diseases or injuries affecting the medulla often prove fatal.

9. The spinal cord lies within the spinal cavity.

3. Write out of the text all anatomical terms with definitions.

IV. Speaking.

Make up a dialogue between a neurologist and a patient. Here is vocabu­lary for you to speak about nervous system problems.

QUESTIONS Could you please frown? Can you whistle for me, please? (...always look on the bright side...) Could you open your mouth and show me/ stick out your tongue? Do you often have headaches?

INSTRUCTIONS You should just try to relax, I am going to test your reflexes, now. This hammer looks more dangerous than it actually is: so, do not be afraid; I won't hurt you. Do you have a sensation of pulsation (compression) in the head? Do your hands tremble? Do you fall asleep at once? Do you sleep well?

V. Supplement.

Text 1

1. Read the information about some pathological conditions of the ner­vous system. Be ready to answer the questions after the text.

NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes people to have recurring seizures¹. The seizures happen when clusters² of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain send out the wrong signals. People may have strange sensations and emotions or be­have strangely. They may have violent muscle spasms or lose consciousness. Epi­lepsy has many possible causes, including illness, brain injury and abnormal brain development. In many cases, the cause is unknown. Doctors use brain scans and other tests to diagnose epilepsy. It is important to start treatment right away. There is no cure for epilepsy, but medicines can control seizures for most people.

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. The usual cause is a viral infec­tion, but bacteria can also cause it. Cases can range from mild to severe. For mild cases, you could have flu-like symptoms. Serious cases can cause severe headache, sudden fever, drowsiness³, vomiting, confusion, seizures. For mild cases, you may just need rest, plenty of fluids and a pain reliever. For severe cases, you might need to be hospitalized.

Dementia⁴ is a word for a group of symptoms caused by disorders that affect the brain. People with dementia may not be able to think well enough to do normal activities, such as getting dressed or eating. They may lose their ability to solve problems or control their emotions. Their personalities may change. They may be­come agitated or see things that are not there. Memory loss is a common symptom of dementia. However, memory loss by itself does not mean you have dementia. People with dementia have serious problems with two or more brain functions, such as memory and language. Many different diseases can cause dementia, includ­ing Alzheimer's disease and stroke. Drugs are available to treat some of these diseases. While these drugs cannot cure dementia or repair brain damage, they may improve symptoms or slow down the disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. AD begins slowly. It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. People with AD may have trouble remembering things that happened recently or names of people they know. Over time, symptoms get worse. People may not re­cognize family members or have trouble speaking, reading or writing. They may forget how to brush their teeth or comb their hair. Later on, they may become anxious or aggressive, or wander away from home. Eventually, they need total care. AD usually begins after age 60. The risk goes up as you get older. Your risk is also higher if a family member has had the disease. No treatment can stop the disease. However, some drugs may help keep symptoms from getting worse for a limited time.

Parkinson's disease is a disorder that affects nerve cells, or neurons, in a part of the brain that controls muscle movement. In Parkinson's, neurons that make a chemical called dopamine die or do not work properly. Dopamine normally sends signals that help coordinate your movements. No one knows what damages these cells. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease may include:

• Trembling of hands, arms, legs, jaw and face.

• Stiffness of the arms, legs and trunk.

• Slowness of movement.

• Poor balance and coordination.

As symptoms get worse, people with the disease may have trouble walking, talking or doing simple tasks. They may also have problems such as depression, sleep problems or trouble chewing, swallowing or speaking. Parkinson's usually begins around age 60, but it can start earlier. It is more common in men than in women. There is no cure for Parkinson's disease. A variety of medicines sometimes help symptoms dramatically.

Brain Cancer

There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain cancer starts somewhere else in the body and moves to the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly. Brain tumors can cause many symptoms. Some of the most common are:

• Headaches, usually worse in the morning.

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Changes in your ability to talk, hear or see

• Problems with balance or walking

• Problems with thinking or memory

• Muscle jerking or twitching

• Numbness or tingling in arms or legs

No one knows the exact causes of brain tumors. Doctors can seldom explain why one person develops a brain tumor and another does not.

Notes:

¹seizure — припадок, приступ

²cluster — група, скупчення

³drowsiness — сонливість, в'ялість

⁴dementia — набуте слабоумство

⁵stiffness — нерухомість

⁶jerking — судорожне сіпання