Definition of Sense

The faculty of conceptualizing things, or the faculty of sensory reception, is known as sense. It is the capacity of specific kinds of internal or external stimuli to be transmitted to the brain and perceived (MedicineNet, 1996-2017). Transduction is the process through which stimuli are transformed into nerve impulses and sent to the brain, allowing for sensory receipt.
Vision, hearing, smell, taste, and touch are the five main senses. Other senses include equilibrium, hunger, thirst, lethargy, and pain. The sense organs are responsive to a particular kind of stimuli, for which they translate into nerve impulses that are transmitted along the sensory nerves to the brain.
Features of the human body and nervous system that are involved for sensory information
The nervous system include the brain, spinal cord and complex network of neuron which is responsible for sending, receiving and interpretation of information from all parts of the body. The nervous system is organized into two parts: the central nervous system, which consists of the brain and the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, which connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body (Chawia, 2016).
The brain and spinal cord are the main centres in the Central nervous system where correlation and integration of nervous information occur. Both the brain and spinal cord are covered with a system of membranes, called meninges, and are suspended in the cerebrospinal fluid; they are further protected by the bones of the skull and the vertebral column (Chawia, 2016).
The central nervous system is made up of large numbers of excitable nerve cells and their processes, called neurons, which are supported by specialized tissue called neuroglia. The long processes of a nerve cell are called axons or nerve fibres. The interior of the central nervous system is organized into grey and white matter. Grey matter consists of nerve cells embedded in neuroglia; it has
a grey colour. White matter consists of nerve fibres embedded in neuroglia; it has a white colour due to the presence of lipid material in the myelin sheaths of many of the nerve fibres. The billions of neurons in the brain are connected to neurons throughout the body by trillions of synapses (Chawia, 2016).
The nerve processes consist of axons and dendrites which are able to conduct and transmit signals (Bailey, 2017). Axons typically carry signals away from the cell body and are long nerve processes that may branch out to convey signals to various areas. Dendrites typically carry signals toward the cell body. They are usually more numerous, shorter and more branched than axons (Bailey, 2017).
Condition or disease where this sense is known to be altered or dysfunctional
Motor -Neuron Disease
Motor neuron disease (MND) refers to a group of neurological disorders that are characterised by the degeneration of motor neurons. One of the subsets is primary lateral sclerosis, a disorder selectively affecting the UMN (Kosaka, et al. 2012). Damage to these neurons results in disruption of the neural signals along the descending pathways of the UMN, and prevents successful transmission of the signal onto the lower motor neurons in the spinal cord, that then innervate the muscles (Purves et al., 2001). Neurodegeneration along these pathways leads to symptoms such as spasticity (increase in muscle tone), muscle stiffness, progressive slowing of the movement, clumsiness, problems with balance and speech production (Gordon, 2014; Tartaglia et al., 2007).
Progressive muscular atrophy is another type of MND, but unlike primary lateral sclerosis, it mainly affects the LMN, that directly innervate the skeletal muscles. The disruption of the neural pathways is between the spinal cord and the somatic nervous system (SNS; pathways connecting skeletal muscles to CNS), and results in inadequate innervation of the skeletal muscles (Ince et al., 2003; Purves et al., 2001). Symptoms associated with this disorder include twitching of the muscles (fasciculation), wasting away of the muscle (atrophy), and muscle weakness (Kim et al., 2009).
Therapeutic approaches to treat MND
There is currently no cure for any of the MND associated disorders. Treatment efforts focus on addressing the symptoms through multidisciplinary care, which includes a close cooperation of various clinicians and therapists such as neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, psychologists, specialised nurses, social workers and/or general practitioners (Gordon, 2014). Physical therapists for example, might massage the body muscles to increase blood flow or prescribe exercises to maximise the health of the muscles.
Evidence-based multidisciplinary care, respiratory management and disease-modifying therapy have improved the outcomes of patients diagnosed with MND (Dharmadasa, et al, Pg 29). Further, supportive approaches to nutritional maintenance and optimization of symptomatic treatments, including management of communication and neuropsychiatric issues, improve the quality of life for MND patients (Dharmadasa, et al, Pg 29). Through research efforts, understanding the clinical, pathophysiological and genetic heterogeneity of MND has greatly improved the treatment approaches transmitting into improved quality of life. The end of life phase, however, is still not well defined and treatment at that juncture is a challenge, though, effective symptom control through palliative care is well attainable and essential.
Poliomyelitis
Poliomyelitis is an infectious disease commonly known as polio. Poliomyelitis usually infects the gastrointestinal tract, causing mild or no symptoms at all, however, in 1 - 2% of cases, the infection spreads to the central nervous system where it uniquely targets motor neurons (Mueller et al., 2005). The destruction of these neural cells leads to development of lesions along the motor pathways, and can result in variety of symptoms from headache, neck muscle stiffness, difficulty swallowing, muscle sensitivity and pain, and paralysis (Gawne at al., 1995).
There are 3 broad types of paralytic polio. Firstly, spinal polio where motor neurons of the spinal cord are affected by the virus, and eventually die through a process known as Wallerian neurodegeneration of the axons, gradual die-back of the axons meaning loss of innervation of the muscles. Secondly, there is bulbar polio where motor neurons of the brain stem are affected, which results in problems with speaking, swallowing and breathing. Thirdly, bulb spinal polio where motor neurons of both spinal and bulbar regions are affected, resulting in a combination of symptoms, and is usually associated with the most severe symptoms, such as need for medical ventilator in order to sustain breathing (Gawne et al., 1995; Sherwood-Pike et al., 2016).
There is no cure for polio, however, due to the wide spread vaccination efforts, polio disease has now been eradicated in most of the developed world (World Health Organization, 2016). However, it is important to keep the vaccination efforts up, as a failure to vaccinate can result in re-emergence of this disease on an epidemic scale, as it last occurred in 1950s (Nathanson,et al. 2010).
Therapeutic approaches to treat Poliomyelitis
Physical therapy is one kind of therapy that plays an important role in rehabilitation for patients with poliomyelitis. Patients with muscle paralysis benefit from frequent passive range of motion (PROM) and splinting of joints to prevent contracture and joint ankyloses. Chest physical therapy (CPT) helps patients with bulbar involvement prevent any pulmonary complications, such as atelectasis. Frequent repositioning of paralysed patients helps to prevent bedsores (Munson, 2016).
Further, patients suffering from this disease can benfit a lot form occupational therapy. Hand to arm splints, knee or trochanter, a footboard, or Muliti-podus boots that help prevent foot drop, ulcers and other deofrmities (Munson, 2016). Hot packs can be incorporated in the therapy to help relieve muscle pains.
Most at times, patients with cranial nerve may develop swallowing dysfunction and it is therefore important to condiuct speech therapy to ensure the airways are well thus reduce chances of the patient developing aspiration pneumonia. Video swallowing testing is used to monitor the patinet periodically.
Lastly, the patient can be taken to places of leisure activities so as to learn how to particitipate in group activities and hence reduce stress levels.
References
Bailey, R. (2017, October 13). Central Nervous System Function. Retrieved from Thought Co: https://www.thoughtco.com/central-nervous-system-373578
Chawia, J. (2016, June 28). Central Nervous System Anatomy. Retrieved from Medscape: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1948665-overview
Dharmadasa, T., Matamala, J., & Kierman, M. (2016). Treatment approaches in Motor Neurone Disease. Research Gate, 29.
Gawne, A. C., & Halstead, L. S. (1995). Post-polio syndrome: Pathophysiology and clinical management. Critical Reviews™ in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 7(2). Retrieved from: http://www.poliosurvivorsnetwork.org.uk /archive/Lincolnshire/library/gawne/ ppspandcm.html
Gordon, P. H. (2014). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: An update for 2013 clinical features, pathophysiology, management and therapeutic trials. Aging and disease, 4(5), 295-310. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14336/AD.2013.0400295

Kosaka, T., Fu, Y. J., Shiga, A., Ishidaira, H., Tan, C. F., Tani, T. & Takahashi, H. (2012). Primary
lateral sclerosis: Upper‐motor‐predominant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with frontotemporal lobar degeneration-immunohistochemically and biochemical analyses of TDP‐43. Neuropathology, 32(4), 373-384. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1789.2011.01271.x
MedicineNet. (1996-2017). Medical Defination of Sense. Retrieved from Medterms Medical Dictionary.
Munson, C. L. (2016, Feb 11). Acute Poliomytelitis Treatment and Management. Retrieved from Medscape: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/306440-treatment
Nathanson, N., & Kew, O. M. (2010). From emergence to eradication: the epidemiology of
poliomyelitis deconstructed. American journal of epidemiology, 172 (11), 1213-1229. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwq320