Brainstem

Brainstem
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Brainstem
Question 1
The important aspect of the brainstem is its purpose as the conduction center of the brain since all the information that is relayed between the body, the cerebrum and the cerebellum transverse via the brain stem. Additionally, the brainstem has functions that integrate with the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in addition to cranial nerves emerging from this region of the brain thus the contribution to alertness and awareness along with pain sensitivity control (Sinha, 2000).
With the functions of the brainstem and its contribution to the body, diseases of the brainstem result from abnormalities of the cranial nerves with manifestations that include visual disturbances abnormality in the pupils along with altered sensations. Other manifestations include speech difficulty and coordination difficulties with critical implications including locked-in syndrome from brain stroke (Sinha, 2000). The dysfunctions in this area impact occupations through their effect on the social function as well as on employment. An example is a machine operator suffering from brainstem dysfunction who may experience visual disturbances in addition to coordination difficulties that may cause injury to the individual and others in the workplace.
Question 2
In psychology, the vestibular system can be understood from the context of its contribution to spatial orientation and balance. The dysfunctions in the vestibular system include vertigo which manifests with sensations of spinning accompanied by sweat, nausea, walking difficulties, and vomiting.

The link to the brainstem includes the condition of tumors on the vestibulocochlear nerve that inhibits vestibular signal processing and causes cerebellar atrophy (Han et al., 2011). The dysfunctions and their clinical manifestation impact occupational performance by impairing social and occupational function because of the inability to walk and maintain balance which is necessary for all locomotion associated with different occupations. The effect on a person’s daily performance includes the illustration of a construction worker who experiences the sensation of spinning accompanied with difficulty in the movement which affects their occupation. An occupational therapist can assist the individual in occupational performance through Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) which is an exercise-based program that returns function through compensation (Han et al., 2011). The program addresses specific problems and trains the individual to maximize viable alternative senses.
References
Han, B. I., Song, H. S. & Kim, J. S., (2011). Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy: Review of Indications, Mechanisms, and Key Exercises. J Clin Neurol 2011;7: pages 184-196 Retrieved from http://images.biomedsearch.com/22259614/jcn-7-184.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIBOKHYOLP4MBMRGQ&Expires=1531612800&Signature=bv5t%2FkUfkFezoU7XCROOqVKP%2BA0%3D
Sinha, K. K. (2000). Brain Stem Infarction: Clinical Clues to Localise them. Journal, Indian Academy of Clinical Medicine, Vol. 1, No. 3, October-December 2000, Retrieved from http://medind.nic.in/jac/t00/i3/jact00i3p213.pdf