Question

Meningitis is a viral or bacterial infection of the brain. Which cell type is the first to have its function disrupted during meningitis?
astrocytes
microglia
neurons
satellite glia

Answer 1

The correct answer is A. Astrocytes

Explanation:

The meningitis is a type of infection and inflammation in certain membranes in the bain commonly caused by a virus or bacteria and which is considered as a medical emergency due to the negative effects meningitis can have long term and the risk of death. This infection begins as a bacteria or virus reaches the meninges, this leads to inflammation due to a response to the immune system and then this affects first the astrocytes which are a type of cells in the brain that also respond to the bacteria and the microglia. This can be explained as astrocytes act as part of the blood-brain barrier that stops pathogens to get into the bain, but due to meningitis this barrier is broken and also due to inflammation and lack of appropriate blood flow cells began to die. Therefore, the cell type that is the first to have its functions disrupted during meningitis is the astrocytes.