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NOVA scienceNOW: Of Mice and Memory
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Viewing Ideas
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Before Watching
Note: Some students might have trouble discussing this topic
because they may have a family member with Alzheimer's disease.
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Model a nerve cell. Explain to students that the nervous
system functions as the body's communication and control system.
Alzheimer's disease symptoms result from damage to the nervous
system, particularly brain damage and a disruption in nerve
communication. Nerve cells (neurons) are a main component of the
nervous system, and their unique structure allows rapid
communication between the brain and parts of the body. Explain
the functions of each part of a nerve cell and how information
(electrical impulses) travels through nerve cells.
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Dendrites deliver information to the nerve cell. Information
(electrical impulses) travels down the axon towards the axon
terminals. Axons are surrounded by a myelin sheath, which
protects the axon and helps the nerve impulse travel faster.
(Nerve impulses travel down the axon in only one direction.)
At the axon terminal, the nerve communicates with a nerve
dendrite or other body cell by releasing chemicals called
neurotransmitters.
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Pair students and provide each one with two basic diagrams:
one of a typical nerve cell and one of a typical body cell.
The nerve diagram should include the cell body, nucleus,
dendrites, axon, axon terminals, Schwann cells, and myelin
sheath. Tell students that even though nerve cells vary in
size and shape, most have the same specialized parts as
those in the diagram.
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Have pairs list some ways nerve cells are similar to and
different from body cells. Have them share their list with
the class. (Similar: They have a nucleus containing DNA, a cell
membrane, and cytoplasm.
Different: They have a very different shape, and long
extensions with terminals that connect to other cells.)
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Give pairs different colored pipe cleaners. Have them use
the diagram to construct a nerve cell model. Then have them
tape their models to a piece of paper and label the cell
body, nucleus, dendrites, axon, axon terminals, and myelin
sheath.
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Model a neural pathway. Review with students how nerve
impulses travel (see Question 1). Then tell the class they will
model a traveling nerve impulse representing multiple neurons
consecutively firing to trigger a response far from the initial
stimulus. Have students form a line, standing side to side, an
arm's length apart. Initiate a nerve impulse by tapping the
right hand of the first student. That student should, with their
left hand, then tap the next students' right hand, and so on
down the line. Continue until the last person in line performs
an action, such as picking up a book. Process the activity by
asking the following questions:
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Which body part represented the dendrite? (Right hand/arm) The cell body? (Body trunk) The axon? (Left arm) The axon terminal? (Left Hand)
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How many neurons were part of the nerve pathway? (The number of students plus the teacher)
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How many directions did the impulse travel in? (One, always down the axon, toward the last student in
line)
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What would have happened if a nerve cell axon, dendrite, or
cell body was destroyed? (The impulse would have stopped, preventing the
communication. In this example, the book would not have
been picked up.)
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What would happen if the damaged nerve pathway, as occurs in
Alzheimer's, related to retrieving a memory? (The memory would not be retrieved.)
After Watching
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Discuss ethical questions related to genetic testing for
Alzheimer's Disease. Have student groups discuss the questions below and summarize
their ideas. Then, conduct a class discussion.
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If tests could predict that a person is likely to get a
disease in the future, such as Alzheimer's, what are some
advantages and disadvantages related to early detection?
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What are the pros and cons of being required to be tested
for debilitating diseases, such as Alzheimer's?
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Who do you think should be allowed or not allowed to see a
person's test results? Explain your reasoning.
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Prepare a poster and presentation about Alzheimer's
disease.
Discuss with students basic information about Alzheimer's
disease (i.e., it results in a loss of memory, mental functions,
and includes behavioral and personality changes). Then make
teams of students, and have each one research an aspect of the
disease listed below. Ask teams to prepare a poster and short
presentation on their topic.
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What is Alzheimer's disease and what are its symptoms? What
evidence exists for the causes? What are some treatments
and/or lifestyle changes that help slow the progress of the
disease? What actions appear to delay the onset of the
disease?
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Who most often gets Alzheimer's disease? How prevalent is
the disease? Generate a bar graph representative of disease
statistics and age of onset of the disease. Be able to
explain the graph. (Get Alzheimer statistics at
www.alz.org/documents/national.)
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What are Alzheimer's care centers doing to ease the symptoms
of people living with Alzheimer's disease? What are some
things caregivers, friends, and relatives can do to make
daily life for people living with Alzheimer's more
enjoyable?
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Investigate the effects of the environment and lifestyle on
memory and learning. In the segment, experiments with mice showed that enriched
environments resulted in improved memory and stimulated the
growth of neurons with more branches. In comparison, brain
neurons of mice in sterile environments had a bare appearance
with little branching. The segment also discussed how people
with Alzheimer's disease had improved memory when moved from a
sterile to an enriched environment. As a class, brainstorm
factors, both positive and negative that students believe
contribute or detract from their ability to remember and learn.
(Possible answers—Positive: healthy diet; comfortable
temperature; sufficient sleep; low levels of stress; mental
engagement; comforting music; able to focus without
interruption. Negative: poor diet; hunger; too cold or too
hot; lack of sleep; boredom; stress; pain; lack of mental
engagement or motivation; loud noise; constant interruption;
inability to focus or concentrate) Have each student make a list of the features he or she would
want to have in his or her ideal environment—one that
would stimulate the memory and maximize learning. Have students
describe these ideal learning environment.
Web Sites
NOVA scienceNOW
www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0301/02.html
Offers Alzheimer's-related resources, including additional
activities, streamed video, and reports by experts.
AFA Teens
www.afateens.org
Provides information for teens about Alzheimer's disease
symptoms and causes.
Alzheimer's Disease
kidshealth.org/kid/grownup/conditions/alzheimers.html
Describes how Alzheimer's Disease changes the brain, and the
site includes links to related articles for kids and teens.
Alzheimer's May Leave Some Forms of Memory Intact
www.hhii.org/news/buckner3.html
Reports on research findings that suggest people with Alzheimer's
retain some specific learning capabilities.
Brain Structures and their Functions
www.serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/kinser/Structure1.html
Describes the parts and functions of the nervous system and
includes diagrams and pictures.
Neuroscience for Kids: Alzheimer's Disease
faculty.washington.edu/chudler/alz.html
Presents basic information about Alzheimer's as well as
scientific theories regarding its causes.
Books
The Human Body Book
by Steve Parker.
Dorling
Kindersley, 2004.
Provides information on and diagrams of
different body systems including the brain and nervous systems.
The Human Brain Coloring Book
by Marion C. Diamond and
Arnold B. Scheibel.
Oxford University Press, 1996.
Presents
brain anatomy in coloring book form for students.
Activity Author
WGBH Outreach staff
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