After a valiant but doomed battle in the distant Synaptic Galaxy, you are captured by the Glialiens, the most evil beings in all of the Cerebral Hemisphere. They imprison you in their outpost on the desolate planet Axon, from which no one has ever been known to escape. After you successfully answered Oligodendrog's questions with your ship mates, he sends them off to the brig and that leaves you and he to a mono-e-mono battle of wits. Those first tests were only a few techniques out of many.” The small alien enters again, this time with two syringes of fluorescent yellow and fluorescent green fluid. “I am giving you a choice," he bellows. "We realize that you humans seem to like being given your choice of fates. You get to pick one of these syringes, and we will inject you with it. One will flood your brain tissue with potassium until extracellular potassium levels are ten times what they should be! The other will flood your brain with sodium.” Oligodendrog hands you a card, “Kindly transcribe your answer so there is no dispute about what you said, and which one you chose." Frozen with fear, you suddenly remember the "Space-Time Pause Button" given to you by the inhabitants of the last planet you explored. You can use this "button" at any time to allow yourself time to research so you can arrive at a correct answer (by the way, the button is not real). Question: Make a choice and justify your answer. Your justification should include not only why you chose one, but also why you are not choosing the other. In other words you have to describe what they both will do, then select the one that will "hurt the least". Neither may be pleasant, but on may surely kill you. Be specific and tell the effect on the brain for both injections.
The depolarization of the potentials of cells is caused by the increase in the equilibrium potential of potassium. Some voltage-gated sodium channels can be opened by this depolarization, but it also increases inactivation at the same time. Cells need a sodium-potassium pump to send them out when the concentration of sodium ion is high in ECF because they diffuse inside the cells. Normally the cells have lower levels of sodium ion inside them. The extra fluid and strain on the delicate blood vessels leading to the kidneys will result in higher blood pressure when there is an increase in sodium ion levels. The most serious symptoms of hypernatremia can be traced back to brain function. Hypernatremia can lead to confusion, muscle twitching, seizures, coma, and death. In the long run, both are destructive but in comparison to hypernatremia, it is more destructive and causes death within a few hours.
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