This animation displays hyponatremia, osmotic demyelination, and the equal salt (Na) to water (H2O) balance between a neuron and vessel. Hyponatremia is characterized as an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the blood. When hyponatremia occurs, water leaves the blood vessel and enters the neuron, causing edema. The effects of hyponatremia includes slurred speech, ataxia, dysarthria, nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion, fatigue, restlessness, muscle weakness, seizures, coma, or death. Osmotic demyelination is associated with the overly rapid correction of sodium back into the vessel. This leads to water entering back into the vessel, causing the neuron to shrink and the astrocytes to die off (brain cell dysfunction). These processes affect the pons which is responsible for involuntary movement, motor movement, respiration, hearing, taste, equilibrium, eye movement, and facial expression.
