Stanley sat in the exam room anxiously awaiting the doctors

Stanley sat in the exam room anxiously awaiting the doctor’s arrival. He was 67, diabetic and hadn’t been to see her in a couple of years. He finally decided that it was time for a visit after the pains in his feet became more frequent, and he seemed to be dizzy and unstable at times, especially when he stood up. He knew that he should have gone in to see her sooner, but it was always easier to put off that dreaded appointment. When Dr. Clark arrived in the exam room, Stanley stood to greet her, and she immediately noticed that he was unsteady as he rose from his chair. She greeted him warmly while looking at his chart. “Stanley, I haven’t seen you for some time. How have you been doing? Have you been watching you blood sugar?’ Stanley admitted that although he’d checked it sometimes when he had felt poorly, he really had kind of lost track of it. Dr. Clark then asked him about his pains and unsteadiness. He said that he had really noticed it in the last few months. “Stanley, I am concerned that you may have developed some nerve damage. I’m going to do an evaluation to check out your nerves,” said Dr. Clark.

Does Stanley have damage to sensory pathways, motor pathways, or both?

Were the reflex arcs tested on Stanley cranial, spinal, or both?

Were the reflex arcs tested on Stanley somatic, autonomic, or both? (this also involves Ch.15) Diabetic neuropathies damage peripheral nerves.

Which part of the reflex arc is most likely to be damaged?

Solution

Diabetes leads to nerve damage that includes mainly sensory neuropathy, motor neuropathy or autonomic neuropathy.

Stanley have damaged to both sensory or motor neuron pathways.

Reflex arcs must be tested on Stanley is mainly autonomic and spinal because in diabetes mainly involuntary neurons get affected.

The components of the that likely to be damaged is the sensory or may be the motor neuron also because these sensory and motor are connected to each other and sending signal to other parts.