October Post

October Service Hours: 3.5 hours

Total Service Hours: 3.5 hours

 After a busy October, I feel like I know more about the nervous system and how it innervates the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems than I thought was even possible to learn in a couple weeks. Funny enough, sympathetic vs. parasympathetic was always one of those things I would learn, remember for a test, and then pretty much forget, but after our October units, I don't think I can. It was really interesting to learn about sympathetic tone, and how our body is almost always in a state of rest, as it was never really taught to me from that perspective.

I also really enjoyed learning about the effects of epinephrine on the body, since I am prescribed an epi-pen for allergies. I never knew about beta-2 receptors in our airways, and it makes perfect sense that you want an agonist to bind to these receptors when you’re having an allergic reaction and your bronchial tubes are closing. I also knew, from working in an allergy clinic, that patients taking beta blockers should not be administered allergy shots, just in case they had an anaphylactic reaction, but never knew the reasoning. After this last unit, I know it’s because some beta blockers are antagonists for the beta 2 receptors epinephrine binds to, and if someone takes them, epinephrine can’t produce its dilatory effects on the airways. 

I also volunteered at the Huey P. Long Bridge Run for 3.5 hours on Saturday, October 21st. I was at the beer tent, giving beer to runners after completing the race. Interestingly, the alcohol in beer is an agonist for GABA receptors in the brain, and GABA is also released in exercise. It was great seeing people run sub-6 minute miles in the morning, and I’m glad I could be there waiting at the finish line to give them a well deserved beer.

Action shot from the beer tent. Let's get those GABA receptors stimulated!