Module 8: Non-infectious disease and disorders

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment despite external changes.

Stimulus-response model

Pathway where receptors detect stimuli, CNS processes signals, and effectors initiate a response.

Thermoreceptors

Sensory receptors in the skin that detect temperature changes.

Osmoreceptors

Sensory receptors in the brain that detect fluid and water balance.

Negative feedback loop

A response that counteracts or reverses the original stimulus to restore balance.

Insulin response

Pancreatic hormone released when blood sugar rises, triggering the liver to store glucose as glycogen.

Glucagon response

Pancreatic hormone released when blood sugar drops, triggering glycogen breakdown into glucose.

Positive feedback loop

A response that reinforces and intensifies the original stimulus, such as during childbirth.

Endotherms

Organisms that generate internal heat to maintain a constant body temperature.

Plant leaf rolling

An adaptation where stomata face inwards to trap moisture and reduce transpiration.

Kwashiorkor

A nutritional disease caused by a severe lack of protein, leading to fluid retention.

Anemia

A nutritional disease caused by iron deficiency, reducing hemoglobin and oxygen transport.

Tumor suppressor genes

Genes that repair DNA or trigger apoptosis; mutations can lead to uncontrolled cell division.

Incidence

The number of new cases of a disease in a population over a specific time.

Prevalence

The proportion of a population that has a disease at a specific point in time.

Observational epidemiological study

A study where researchers collect data on risk factors and disease without intervening.

Experimental epidemiological study

A study that tests the effectiveness of a drug or treatment using control and trial groups.

Immunotherapy

A cancer treatment that stimulates the body's immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Golden Rice

A genetically engineered transgenic crop producing beta-carotene to prevent Vitamin A deficiency.

Myopia

Short-sightedness; light focuses in front of the retina because the eyeball is too long.

Hyperopia

Long-sightedness; light focuses behind the retina because the eyeball is too short.

Cataracts

A condition where the eye's lens becomes cloudy, causing blurry vision.

Cochlea hair cells

Sound receptors that convert mechanical vibrations into electrochemical signals for the brain.

Bone conduction implants

Devices that bypass the middle ear by vibrating skull bones to stimulate the cochlea.

Cochlear implants

Devices for inner ear deafness that convert sound into electrical signals sent to the auditory nerve.

Nephron

The functional unit of the kidney that filters blood, reabsorbs nutrients, and secretes waste.

Haemodialysis

A treatment where blood is filtered through a machine to remove wastes when kidneys fail.