Download Nervous System

Nervous System
Part 4:
Diseases & Disorders
Classification of Disorders
• Diseases and disorders of the nervous
system are classified into 3 different
categories:
• Cerebrovascular disorders
• Brain & spinal cord disorders
• Brain infections, injuries and tumors
Cerebrovascular Disorders
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Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Transient ischemic attack
Subdural hemorrhage
Migraine
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
• Is bleeding that occurs into the subarachnoid
space, which is the area between the arachnoid
membrane and the pia mater surrounding the
brain
• It may occur spontaneously but is usually the
result of a berry aneurysm in a cerebral artery
• Another cause is an arteriovenous
malformation which is a defect present from
birth
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
• Symptoms include a severe headache,
vomiting, confusion, loss of
consciousness, and seizures
• Diagnosis must be confirmed with a CT
scan or lumber puncture
• Treatment is prompt neurosurgery
• Survival depends on the quickness of
diagnosis & treatment
Transient Ischemic Attack
• Aka TIA and “mini stroke”
• Occurs when part of the brain suddenly and
briefly fails to function due to a blockage of
its blood supply
• It is different from a stroke because its effect is
less than 24 hours and it has no aftereffects
• Of the people who experience TIA, 1 out of 5 will
have a stroke within a year
Transient Ischemic Attack
• Symptoms vary from person to person but can
include: temporary loss of vision, difficulty
speaking, weakness on one side of the body,
numbness, and impairment of consciousness
• Most common cause of a TIA is an embolus that
blocks an artery in the brain
• Treatment includes aspirin or other plaque
busting medications, ACE inhibitors, and lifestyle
changes
Subdural Hemorrhage
• Occurs when a torn vein causes bleeding
inside the skull between the two outer
membranes surrounding the brain
• It is usually the result of a severe blow to the
head or shearing injuries in a car accident
• They can cause an increase in intracranial
pressure which can cause compression of
and damage to the brain tissue
Subdural Hemorrhage
• Symptoms include loss of consciousness,
irritability, seizures, pain, numbness,
headache, dizziness, disorientation,
amnesia, weakness, nausea, personality
changes etc
• Treatment depends on the its size and the
rate of growth
Migraine
• Up to 17% of women and 6% of men
suffer from migraines
• Symptoms typically include: head pain
with a pulsating or throbbing quality,
sensitivity to light & sound and nausea
• Left untreated they can last from 4 to 72
hours
Causes of Migraine
• The cause is not completely understood
but some researchers think that they may
be caused:
– by functional changes in the trigeminal nerve
system
– by imbalances in the brain chemicals
• However, there are also triggers that can
lead to a migraine
Triggers of Migraine
• Hormonal changes
• Certain foods such as: alcohol, aged
cheeses, chocolate, pickled foods,
aspartame, over use with caffeine, & msg
• Stress
• Changes in sleep pattern
• Changes in the environment
• Medications
Treatment of Migraines
• Pain-relieving medications
• Preventative medications
Brain & Spinal Cord Disorders
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Epilepsy
Parkinson’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Multiple sclerosis
Epilepsy
• Is a neurological disorder characterized
by recurrent unprovoked seizures
• These seizures are the results of
abnormal, excessive or synchronous
neuronal activity in the brain
• About 50 million people worldwide have
epilepsy
• Treatment is life-long anti-seizure
medication or in rare cases surgery
Parkinson’s Disease
• The disease is named after English physician
James Parkinson, who made a detailed
description of the disease in his essay: "An
Essay on the Shaking Palsy" in 1817
• It is a degenerative disease of the brain that
often impairs motor skills, speech and other
functions
• It is characterized by rigidity, tremor, and a
slowing of physical movement
Cause of Parkinson’s Disease
• The primary symptoms are the result of
decreased stimulation of the motor cortex
by the basal ganglia
• This is because of the insufficient
formation and action of dopamine
• However, the overall cause is idiopathic
(having no specific known cause)
Treatment of PD
• At present, there is no cure for PD, but
medications or surgery can provide relief
from the symptoms
• The most widely used form of treatment is
L-dopa in various forms
Alzheimer’s Disease
• Is named for German physician Alois Alzheimer,
who first described it in 1906
• It is a progressive and fatal brain disease
that involves increasing numbers of brain
cell deteriorating and dying
• It is also the most common form of dementia
• Approx. 5.3 million people in the U.S. have it
• There is no current cure
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
• Is a rare, degenerative, invariably fatal brain
disorder
• CJD belongs to a family of human and animal
diseases known as the transmissible spongiform
encephalopathies (TSEs)
• Spongiform refers to the characteristic appearance
of infected brains, which become filled with holes
until they resemble sponges under a microscope
• Onset of symptoms typically occurs at about the
age of 60
• Prognosis is poor with 90% percent of patients
dying within 1 year after diagnosis
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
• There are three major categories of CJD:
• In sporadic CJD, the disease appears even though the
person has no known risk factors for the disease.
– This is by far the most common type of CJD and accounts for at least
85 percent of cases.
• In hereditary CJD, the person has a family history of the
disease and/or tests positive for a genetic mutation
associated with CJD.
– About 5 to 10 percent of cases of CJD in the United States are
hereditary.
• In acquired CJD, the disease is transmitted by exposure to
brain or nervous system tissue, usually through certain
medical procedures.
– There is no evidence that CJD is contagious through casual contact
with a CJD patient. Since CJD was first described in 1920, fewer than
1 percent of cases have been acquired CJD.
Multiple Sclerosis
• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially
debilitating disease in which your body's
immune system eats away at the protective
sheath that covers your nerves (mylein)
• MS can occur at any age but it most often
begins in people between the ages of 20 and 40
• Women are more likely to develop multiple
sclerosis than are men
Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis
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Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs,
Partial or complete loss of vision
Double vision or blurring of vision
Tingling or pain in parts of your body
Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain
head movements
• Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis
• There is no cure for multiple sclerosis
• Treatment typically focuses on combating
the autoimmune response and managing
the symptoms
Brain Infections, Injuries, & Tumors
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Meningitis
Cerebral palsy
Brain tumors
Paralysis
Meningitis
• Is inflammation of the protective
membranes covering the brain and
spinal cord, the meninges
• It may be caused by an infection with
viruses, bacteria or other microorganisms
• It can be life-threatening so it is classified
as a medical emergency
• Treatment depends on the underlying
cause
Symptoms of Meningitis
• Most common symptoms are:
• Headache
• Extreme stiff neck
• Fever, confusion, or altered
consciousness
• Vomiting
• Photophobia and phonophobia
Cerebral palsy
• Refers to a number of neurological disorders
that appear in infancy or early childhood and
permanently affect body movement and muscle
coordination but don’t worsen over time
• It is caused by abnormalities in parts of the
brain that control muscle movements
• The majority of children with cerebral palsy are
born with it, although it may not be detected until
months or years later
Signs & Symptoms
• The early signs of cerebral palsy usually appear
before a child reaches 3 years of age
• The most common signs are:
– a lack of muscle coordination when performing
voluntary movements
– stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes
– walking with one foot or leg dragging
– walking on the toes
– a crouched gait, or a “scissored” gait
– muscle tone that is either too stiff or too floppy
Cause of Cerebral Palsy
• Cerebral palsy results from damage to certain
parts of the developing brain
• This damage can occur early in pregnancy,
during the birth process, or after birth.
• In many cases, the exact cause of the brain
damage is never known.
• Fewer than 10% of cases of cerebral palsy begin
during birth
• At least 70-80% of cases of cerebral palsy begin
before birth
Brian Tumors
• A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of
cells within the brain or inside the skull,
which can be cancerous (malignant) or
non-cancerous (benign)
• Symptoms of brain tumors may depend on
two factors: tumor size and tumor location
• Treatments include: surgery,
chemotherapy, & radiation therapy
Paralysis
• Paralysis is the loss of muscle function in
part of your body
• It happens when something goes wrong with the
way messages pass between your brain and
muscles
• Paralysis can be complete or partial
• It can occur on one or both sides of your body
• It can also occur in just one area, or it can be
widespread
Paralysis
• Paralysis of the lower half of your body,
including both legs, is called paraplegia
• Paralysis of the arms and legs is
quadriplegia
• Most paralysis is due to strokes or injuries
such as spinal cord injury or a broken neck