Neurological Diseases/Injuries/Disorders

What can you do to protect your nervous system?

EpilepsyMost common neurological disorder in USSeizure disorder(must have 2 or more)—

electrical impulses causing sometimes severe muscle contractionsGrand Mal—large and obviousPetite Mal—small, sometimes unnoticable

Can be caused by injuries, illness, abnormal brain wiring, imbalance of chemicals

MeningitisAffects the meninges and

cerebrospinal fluid (shock absorber in brain)

Caused by either bacteria or virus—which is worse??

Can lead to brain damage, hearing loss, learning disability

Accompanied by high fever, headache, stiff neck; also possibly nausea, vomiting, difficulty seeing in bright light, confusion, lethargy

The worst cases can cause death

Stroke aka Brain Attack Caused by heart problems,

high BP, build up of plaque in arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the brain Specific cause—blood clot in

brain or blood vessel bursts in brain

May experience numbness in face, arm, and/or leg usually focused on one side; sudden confusion, trouble talking or seeing, loss of balance, severe headache; paralysis which can be permanent; death

Treat with blood thinners and clot dissolving meds

FAST???

Alzheimer’sMost common form of dementiaChanges in brain tissue; loss of nerve cells,

chemical levels, not fully understood; age and family history

Causes forget- fullness and memory loss

No cure but meds to slow progression; keep brain active

Usually occurs 65+

Brain TumorBenign?Malignant?

Which is worse? Can they both be bad??

Primary—start within the brainMetastatic—start elsewhere in the body and spread to the brainCancer comes from changes that occur in genetic material,

previous radiation exposure, exposure to chemicals, family history

May cause headaches, seizures, speech problems, impaired vision, weakness in parts of the body, problems with understanding, thinking, and memory

Treated by radiation, chemo, surgical removal when possibleBenign is more common in women

PoliomyelitisNo longer common in the

US—epidemic in the 40s and 50s.

Caused by a virus spread through human waste—contaminated food and water

Causes fever, tiredness, vomiting, neck stiffness, leg and arm pain, and sometimes paralysis

Prevented with vaccine, no cure, treat symptoms

FDR

Parkinson’sUsually an elderly diseaseUnknown cause—thought to have something to

do with the chemical dopamine and acetylcholine in the brain

Causes shaking or tremors in hands and arms, but can also occur in legs, feet or jaw (more prevalent at rest); muscle aches and stiffness, balance problems, “poker face,” and drooling

Surgery may help symptoms, meds to balance the chemicals within the brain, no cure

Michael J. Fox and Mohammed Ali

Multiple SclerosisAffects the myelin sheath that covers nerve cellsRemitting—comes and goesProgressive—keeps getting worseUnknown cause of the myelin being scarred (sclerosis), but

does not allow the nerves to communicate effectivelyCan cause numbness, tingling, weaknesses, fatigue, dizziness,

double or blurry vision, blindness; most severe cases cause muscle spasms, bowel and bladder problems, slurred speech, sexual problems, paralysis, confusion, memory loss

No cure but meds help control (steroids and adapting lifestyle)400000 affected in US; affects women more than men; usually

between the ages of 20 and 40

ParalysisCaused by injury to brain or spinal cord;

injury or illness in nerves; stroke; polioCauses loss of muscle function in part of the

bodyHemiplegiaParaplegiaQuadraplegia

Treatments include stem cells, retraining body, and physical therapy—often irreversible

What can you do to protect yourself??????????