Walden University NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience – Step-By-Step Guide
This NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neurosciences task requires you to lay the foundation for how you will succeed professionally and academically. You are required to align your vision with Walden University’s mission and vision. These steps will help you find it easy to succeed as a student in the institution and during your later years as a healthcare practitioner. Another objective will be to review the vision and mission statements of the university and the course’s learning outcomes. In doing so, you will understand how the university’s principles align with your values.
Understanding how the university supports academic success and social change can further help your development. It also requires you to identify professional and academic teams and individuals that will be essential in supporting your journey toward academic and professional development. The discussion also requires that you introduce yourself to other colleagues, explaining how your personal goals align with the vision and the missions of the university.
How to Research and Prepare for NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
The initial stage in researching Walden University NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience will be the review of Walden University and the College of Nursing resources, which includes the visions and the missions of the institution. You can access these resources from the university’s website and other academic resources provided in the learning modules. The resources will be essential in guiding you on aligning your values with them and making any necessary changes to bring about a positive change.
Subsequently, you will review the learning outcomes that articulate the competencies and skills that you will be required to develop by the end of the course. Going through the course outcomes will help you pinpoint areas where your professional and academic goals align with the course objectives, ensuring you gain the necessary skills and competencies to achieve personal and professional aspirations.
Additionally, you will explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, including how partial and inverse agonist functionality may impact the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments. Further, compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels. Explain how the role of epigenetics may contribute to pharmacologic action. Finally, explain how this information may impact the way you prescribe medications to patients. Include a specific example of a situation or case with a patient in which the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the medication’s action.
Another step will be to identify the potential teams and individuals you can collaborate with to progress. You will rely on various strategies to identify them, such as analyzing the profiles of the relevant faculty advisors who can mentor youth throughout the program. You can also seek the help of student support services such as career advisors to connect you with other peers. You can also join online communities and professional nursing organizations to expand their professional network.
You will look for articles and resources on the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents to guide you on the best strategies for forming and maintaining professional relationships, as well as how to use platforms like LinkedIn to look for job prospects and get opportunities to attend professional seminars and conferences. The last step after the research will be to synthesize the information to be used in writing the discussion post. By following the research approach designed above, you will see that your discussion post is comprehensive and evidence-based and considers your personal goals and the help from the university and the faculty.
How to Write the Introduction for NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
The introduction will include a summary of myself, your professional background and academic aspirations. You will also explore how the university’s mission, vision and goals align with your academic and professional objectives. You will explain how the institution’s commitment to academic success and social change can help you become an effective healthcare worker in the future. They can also expound on how the learning outcomes will be crucial to meeting their goals. They will also highlight how networking will be crucial in helping them get opportunities to interact with other people and attend professional seminars and conferences.
How to Write the body for NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
Writing the body for NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience will involve several paragraphs, each with a main point and supporting evidence. You will highlight the importance of understanding the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents in helping a nurse like you to access multiple opportunities in the healthcare field. You will be straight to the point, ensuring your points are understood. You will also ensure that you end with a conclusion sentence to summarize the content of each paragraph to promote comprehension.
How to Write the In-text citations for NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
In-text citations are a way for the writer to give credit to the authors for the resources they have used to write a paper. They involve informing the reader of the content about the author from which the ideas used have been borrowed. This involves mentioning the author and the date that the original resource was published, which is usually included in parentheses. The writer can choose to directly quote the author or summarize the content in their own words. In-text citations are a way for writers to inform the readers that the content is not their own words but that they have borrowed the insights from someone else.
APA requires that one include the author’s last name and the date of publication in parenthesis when citing at the beginning of a sentence, for example, as in “Author (2012) concludes that a person is innocent until proven guilty.” One can also include the author and the date in parenthesis when the statement is given first before crediting the author, as in “A person is innocent until proven guilty (Author, 2012).” When more than two writers are involved, the statement “et al.” is used to show that there are other writers who are referred to, like in “A person is innocent until proven guilty (Author et al., 2012).”
How to format the reference list for NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
The reference list must always start on a new page with the title “References,” which should be in title case, bolded, and centered. The references should be sorted in ascending order. Each entry should start with the list of authors, the title of the journal or book, the date of publication, and the name of the journal. If a journal is referenced, the title should be in a title case, and each letter of the name of the journal should be capitalized. If a website is referenced, the date of access to the resource should be given with an active hyperlink to the resource. In the case of a journal, the hyperlink to the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) should be provided.
References
Walden University. (n.d. a). College of Nursing. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/fieldexperience/son#s-lg-box-3837398
Walden University. (n.d. b). Writing Center. Retrieved June 3, 2020, from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter
NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, it is essential for you to have a strong background in foundational neuroscience. In order to diagnose and treat clients, you must not only understand the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, but also how medications for these disorders impact the central nervous system.
These concepts of foundational neuroscience can be challenging to understand. Therefore, this Discussion is designed to encourage you to think through these concepts, develop a rationale for your thinking, and deepen your understanding by interacting with your colleagues.
Post a response to each of the following:
- Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, including how partial and inverse agonist functionality may impact the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments.
- Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion gated channels.
- Explain how the role of epigenetics may contribute to pharmacologic action.
- Explain how this information may impact the way you prescribe medications to patients. Include a specific example of a situation or case with a patient in which the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the medication’s action.
Upload a copy of your discussion writing to the draft Turnitin for plagiarism check. Your faculty holds the academic freedom to not accept your work and grade at a zero if your work is not uploaded as a draft submission to Turnitin as instructed.
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
Required Readings for NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using this link. This link will take you to a log-in page for the Walden Library. Once you log into the library, the Stahl website will appear.
- Stahl, S. M. (2013). Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical applications (4th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press *Preface, pp. ix–x
Note: To access the following chapters, click on the Essential Psychopharmacology, 4th ed tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate chapter. Be sure to read all sections on the left navigation bar for each chapter.
- Chapter 1, “Chemical Neurotransmission”
- Chapter 2, “Transporters, Receptors, and Enzymes as Targets of Psychopharmacologic Drug Action”
- Chapter 3, “Ion Channels as Targets of Psychopharmacologic Drug Action”
- Document: Midterm Exam Study Guide (PDF)
- Document: Final Exam Study Guide (PDF)
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2016i). Introduction to psychopharmacology [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Optional Resources when completing NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience
Laureate Education (Producer). (2009). Pathopharmacology: Disorders of the nervous system: Exploring the human brain [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 15 minutes.
Dr. Myslinski reviews the structure and function of the human brain. Using human brains, he examines and illustrates the development of the brain and areas impacted by disorders associated with the brain.
Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 8 minutes.
In this media presentation, Dr. Terry Buttaro, associate professor of practice at Simmons School of Nursing and Health Sciences, discusses the importance of pharmacology for the advanced practice nurse.
Accessible player To prepare for this Discussion:
- Review this week’s Learning Resources.
- Reflect on concepts of foundational neuroscience.
NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience Example 1
Explain the agonist-to-antagonist spectrum of action of psychopharmacologic agents, including how partial and inverse agonist functionality may impact the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments.
A full agonist induces a conformational change that turns on signal transduction to the full extent. A partial agonist acts, to a lesser extent, somewhat like an agonist. An antagonist brings about a conformational change that stabilizes the receptor in the baseline state, rendering it “silent.” When agonists or partial agonists are present, the antagonist makes the receptor revert to the baseline state, leading to a reversal in their actions.
On the other hand, an inverse agonist causes a conformational change that stops all activities, including the baseline actions (Stahl, 2021). The functionality of the inverse and partial agonists may influence the efficacy of psychopharmacologic treatments, as they may produce less or opposite effects when compared with full agonists.
Compare and contrast the actions of g couple proteins and ion-gated channels.
G couple proteins (GPCR) are a family of transmembrane receptors that lead to the activation of signaling pathways through the G proteins. The activation of the downstream signaling pathways is brought on by the binding of the ligand to a GPCR that then activates the G protein (Stahl, 2021). On the other hand, the ion-gated channels, transmembrane proteins, allow the passage of ions through the membrane when a ligand binds with a receptor. The binding of a ligand to an ion-gated receptor leads to a conformational change that opens the channels, causing ions to flow through it.
The critical distinction between the g couple proteins and the ion-gated channels is the speed of their action; GPCRs lead to the activation of signaling pathways that only take seconds to minutes to lead to a response, while ion-gated channels take milliseconds to respond. Another distinction is the type of signaling pathway that is activated by each of them.
The GPCRs lead to the activation of the intracellular signaling pathways that influence changes in gene expression; on the other hand, the ion-gated channels directly affect membrane potential changes. Despite these differences, ion-gated channels and GPCRs are vital targets for most psychopharmacologic agents. For many drugs to modulate intracellular signaling pathways, they must act on GPCRs, while others work on the ion-gated channels to modulate the excitability of neurons and membrane potential.
Explain how the role of epigenetics may contribute to pharmacologic action.
Epigenetics refers to how gene expression occurs without changes to the underlying DNA sequences. Several factors can influence these changes, such as pharmacologic agents, stress, and environmental exposures (Stahl, 2021). Pharmacologic agents can alter the activity of the enzymes that act on DNA and histones, the proteins that package the DNA to a composite structure, thus influencing epigenetics. For instance, some drugs that add methyl groups to the underlying DNA can cause gene expression changes, while some medications that cause the removal of ethyl groups from the histones can also lead to these changes.
Changes in epigenetics can influence some drugs’ pharmacologic actions by altering the genes involved with their mechanism of action (Stahl, 2021). For example, the drugs that target the receptor may alter the expression of the downstream genes of the receptor, causing neuronal function changes. Epigenetics has also been associated with the development of tolerance or dependence on certain drugs.
Explain how this information may impact the way you prescribe medications to patients. Include a specific example of a situation or case with a patient in which the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner must be aware of the medication’s action.
Understanding the agonist-to-antagonist action of the psychopharmacologic agents and the differences between the ion-gated channels and the G couple proteins is essential to help one make informed decisions when attending to patients under these medications. For instance, when taking care of a patient suffering from anxiety, this knowledge can help one to prescribe full agonist medications that cause a maximal response to help reduce the symptoms quickly.
On the other hand, if the patient is only experiencing mild symptoms, it may be prudent to prescribe a partial agonist to produce a favorable response to the patient. Understanding epigenetics can help a nurse anticipate certain side effects in specific patients. For example, when looking after a patient with a family history of addiction, this knowledge can help one to be cautious not to prescribe medications that have been established to lead to addiction, such as benzodiazepines and opioids.
One specific instance where the knowledge of the mechanism of action may come in handy is when taking care of a patient diagnosed with depression. Depression is commonly treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that work through the blockage of serotonin reuptake, a neurotransmitter responsible for the regulation of mood. However, certain side effects have been associated with their use, such as gain of weight and sexual dysfunction that may be related to changes caused by epigenetics in genes that regulate sexual function and body metabolism. Therefore, a nurse must be aware of these potential side effects and monitor patients closely for any changes in sexual function and weight when taking SSRIs.
References
Stahl, S. M. (2021). Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical applications (5th Ed.) Cambridge University Press.
NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience Example 2
Neurotransmitters and Receptor Theory
Neurotransmitters mediate the transmission of electrical impulses from one neuron to another. Multiple neurotransmitters are involved in central nervous system function, including amines (catecholamines, acetylcholine, and serotonin), amino acids (GABA, aspartate, and glutamate), peptides (neuropeptide Y), and gases such as nitric oxide (Sheffler et al., 2022). As discussed further, psychopharmacologic medications bind to specific neurotransmitter receptors, either activating (agonistic) or inhibiting (antagonistic).
Agonist-to-Antagonist Spectrum of Action of Psychopharmacologic Agents
Psychopharmacologic agents are useful in the treatment of a variety of psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders, trauma and stressor disorders, behavioral disorders, and psychotic disorders. The drugs exhibit either agonistic or antagonistic activity when acting at the receptor site. Whereas agonists bind to and activate a receptor to produce specific actions, antagonists bind to and block specific actions or responses (Katzung, 2018; Stern et al., 2015). The dopamine hypothesis, for example, is widely accepted in the etiology of schizophrenia.
Excessive dopaminergic transmission is thought to be responsible for schizophrenic symptoms, and research has found higher levels of dopaminergic receptors in schizophrenic patients (Stahl, 2018). This epiphany is why psychopharmacologic agents that block Dopamine receptors, such as chlorpromazine, are used to treat schizophrenia. In contrast, neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease (PD) have been linked to decreased dopamine levels and receptors, which is why dopamine agonists such as Levodopa are used to treat it.
Partial agonists bind to and activate receptors but have only partial efficacy. Partial agonists exhibit both agonistic and antagonistic actions, such as Buspirone, a partial agonist for 5HTA1 receptors and an antagonist for D2 receptors (Katzung, 2018). As a result, Buspirone can be used as both an anxiolytic and an antidepressant medication. Conversely, inverse agonists bind to receptors to produce effects opposite to those of the agonist (Katzung, 2018). Naltrexone is an example of a partial inverse agonist that is used to treat opioid addiction.
G-coupled Proteins and Ion-gated Channels
G-coupled proteins and Ion-gated chandelles are both cell surface receptors. To release ions, ligand-gated ion channels are controlled by neurotransmitters, whereas G-coupled receptors are entirely dependent on the second messenger system (Miller & Lappin, 2022). Because of the differences in stimulation mechanisms, the receptors take varying amounts of time to activate.
While ligand-gated ion channels are activated in milliseconds, G-coupled protein receptors take seconds (Miller & Lappin, 2022). Furthermore, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and GABA A receptors are examples of ligand-gated ion channels, whereas G-coupled receptors include muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and adrenoceptors (Katzung, 2018; Miller & Lappin, 2020). Regardless of the differences, receptors are critical in carrying out physiologic functions at the molecular level.
Role of Epigenetics in Pharmacologic Action
Epigenetics is the study of how behavior and environment influence gene expression (CDC, 2022). Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and alter how the body reads the DNA sequence rather than changing the DNA sequence itself. The epigenetic changes may influence the pharmacology of certain drugs. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), for example, promotes neuronal survival and synaptic plasticity and is involved in learning, memory, and neurotransmitter release (Webb et al., 2020).
BDNF is expressed differently across brain regions depending on environmental stressors, ushering in the concept of epigenetics. Human studies show that BDNF brain levels decrease in untreated major depressive illness and increase with antidepressant treatment (Webb et al., 2020). As a result, BDNF has emerged as a viable candidate for predicting response to antidepressant therapy.
Significance of the Information
Information regarding the pharmacology of drugs is critical in healthcare. In addition to understanding disease mechanisms, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) must be proficient in drug pharmacology knowledge. For example, in the etiology of PD, the PMHNP is aware of the link between the disease and Dopamine. As a result, a PMHNP may decide to prescribe a Dopamine agonist, such as Levodopa, rather than a Dopamine antagonist, which would worsen the symptoms.
Additionally, the pharmacology of a drug allows PMHNPs to understand the potential side effects of a drug. In the treatment of schizophrenia, for example, 12.5-50 mg of Risperidone may be injected into the deltoid or gluteal muscle every two weeks (McNeil et al., 2022), and a nurse should be aware that it is capable of causing extrapyramidal side effects, so the treatment should be used with caution. The information thus improves the way nurses perform their duties, resulting in better patient outcomes.
Conclusion
It is imperative for a PMHNP to have a concrete background in neuroscience. Understanding the pathophysiology of the disease is important in treating psychiatric patients, but knowledge of the medications used to treat the conditions is far more critical. This enables PMHNPs to practice competently and with full practice authority, even in the absence of a supervising psychiatrist consultant. While foundational neuroscience can be difficult to grasp, interacting with colleagues and patients broadens one’s understanding and alleviates the agony of trying to decipher difficult concepts.
NURS6630 Week 1 Discussion Foundational Neuroscience References
CDC. (2022, August 15). What is epigenetics? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/epigenetics.htm
Katzung, B. G. (2018). Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology.
McNeil, S. E., Gibbons, J. R., & Cogburn, M. (2022). Risperidone. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459313/
Miller, E. J., & Lappin, S. L. (2022). Physiology, Cellular Receptor. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554403/
Sheffler, Z. M., Reddy, V., & Pillarisetty, L. S. (2022). Physiology, Neurotransmitters. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539894/
Stahl, S. M. (2018). Beyond the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia to three neural networks of psychosis: dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate. CNS Spectrums, 23(3), 187–191. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1092852918001013
Stern, T. A., Fava, M., Wilens, T. E., & Rosenbaum, J. F. (2015). Massachusetts general hospital psychopharmacology and neurotherapeutics. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Webb, L. M., Phillips, K. E., Ho, M. C., Veldic, M., & Blacker, C. J. (2020). The relationship between DNA methylation and antidepressant medications: A systematic review. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 21(3), 826. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21030826
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Frequently Asked Questions
When approaching a 500-word essay, it’s essential to understand the nuances of this compact form of writing. These frequently asked questions will guide you through the process of crafting a concise and impactful essay.
How many pages is a 500-word essay typically?
A 500-word essay usually spans about one page if single-spaced or two pages when double-spaced, with standard margins and a 12-point font size.
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Certainly, to see the structure and flow of a well-written essay, you might want to take a look at a student’s writing guide that provides insights and examples.
Are there specific formatting guidelines for a 500-word essay?
Formatting guidelines typically involve using a legible font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 12, with double-spacing and one-inch margins on all sides. Check any specific requirements your instructor might have provided.
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