|
QUOTE]Originally posted by VMI_Marine
Is the lieutenant on track here, or am I wandering with the map upside-down again? [/QUOTE]
Sir, its more like this:
Rather than renal function this is more a matter of osmosis ie the shifting of water in the body, between inside and outside the cell.
There is a saying in medicine that where salt is water will follow. Outside the cell is where sodium likes to live, inside the cell is where potassium lives. When sodium is low outside the cell water tends to shift from the outside to the inside ie overhydration and hyponatremia(attracted to the potassium). This also causes cells to expand causing the neuro symptoms of hyponatremia. When sodium is high outside the cell ie dehydration this causes water to shift to the outside (attracted to the sodium) of the cell shrinking it. When one salt is concentrated more than the other the water will go to it.
If the cell can be thought of as a "battery"of sorts (depolarization)this can explain why we dont function well ie not contracting optimaly or conducting correctly when poorly hydrated. If a neuron doesnt have enough water in it, or too much it wont "conduct" correctly and therefore difficulty concentrating, confusion, lethargy etc.
My battery analogy isnt a very good one but I think it effective when considering hydration. If the battery is too full it can expand causing damage while to low it cant conduct.
To summarize if the cell is swollen with water (overhydration;hyponatremia) it cant funtion properly. If the cell doesnt have enough water in it (dehydration) it also cant function properly.
Respectfully-
ccrn
|