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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
What are the 2 main
differences you see??
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Sometimes you can tell, sometimes you can’t!
FAS website:
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• FAS  stunted growth and distinct facial features
• Brain damage resulting in difficulty learning and
inability to recognize cause and effect (difficulty
knowing right from wrong).
• Depending on when damage occurred during
pregnancy: Heart Murmur, Spina bifida,
Hydrocepalus, Eye, liver and kidney problems,
fetal tumors
ADHD
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Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Dopamine thought to be reabsorbed too quickly
It does not spend enough time in the synapse
Ritalin : increases dopamine & norepinephrine
Ritalin also known as methylphenidate
Long term effects unknown!
Multiple Sclerosis
• An acquired inflammatory, demyelinating
disease of the CNS
• Cells of the immune system invade the CNS and
destroy myelin
• It strikes people in the prime of their lives,
usually between 20 and 40 years of age
• Both genetic and environmental factors have
been implicated in the disease.
Multiple Sclerosis
Brain Web: Diseases
Autism
• Abnormalities in brain
• Some studies suggest abnormality exists in
specific protein responsible for re-uptake of
serotonin
• Other studies indicate problem with receptor for
GABA (gamma amino butyric acid)
• Brain’s chemical message system not functioning
properly
Parkinson’s Disease
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Progressive degeneration of midbrain
Midbrain loses it’s ability to produce dopamine
Dopamine is an opiate-like neurotransmitter
Dopamine produces feelings of well being
Results in muscular tremors, partial facial
paralysis and general weakness
• L-dopa given to slow
• Watch movie “Awakenings” with Robin Williams
Alzheimer’s Disease
• Memory robbing disorder
• Amyloid protein deposits or
plaques form in cerebral
cortex
• Memory affected
• Temporal lobe of cerebrum
affected
• Scientists working to find
ways to prevent plaque build
up
Schizophrenia
• Associated with
prefrontal cortex
• Severe disturbances in
thinking, social behavior
and emotion
• Once thought to be
caused by traumatic
events in childhood
• Today Schizophrenia
is thought to be
associated with
chemical imbalances
in the frontal lobe of
cerebrum
Spinal Cord Injuries
• Spinal cord may be damaged by disease or injury
• If spinal neurons in cervical area damaged: result
is complete paralysis
• This is known as quadriplegia
• If spinal neurons in lower back (lumbar area) are
damaged: paraplegia
Hydrocephalus
• Water on the brain
• Caused by build up of csf due to over
production or inability to drain excess csf
• Pressure builds up and squeezes brain against
skull
• Reduced brain mass and intelligence results
• Shunt may be implanted to drain csf
Spina Bifida
Permanently disabling
birth defect.
Spine does not close
properly in first month.
Spinal cord may protrude
through the back
Cerebral
Palsy
• Caused by insufficient supply of oxygen to the
fetus
• Possibly occurring during birth process
• Result is reduced or lack of muscle
coordination
• Brains are perfectly normal in terms of
learning capabilities
Encephalitis
• Inflammation of the brain
• Usually caused by virus or bacteria
• Encephalitis lethargica (or sleeping sickness) is
an example
• Person feels apathetic, has double vision and
extreme weakness
Japanese encephalitis
Virus transmitted by mosquito
Leads to paralysis, seizures and coma
Meningitis
• Inflammation of membranes surrounding brain
and spinal cord
• Usually caused by virus or bacteria
• Person has cold symptoms initially then becomes
increasingly ill
• Membranes inflamed include Dura mater,
Arachnoid and Pia mater (outer, middle and
inner meninges)
Epilepsy
•Abnormal
electrical
discharge of
brain cells or
•Misfiring
of circuits
Epilepsy
• Nervous system disorder that produces
sudden, intense bursts of electrical
activity in the brain.
• This abnormal electrical activity in the
brain causes seizures
– which may briefly upset a person's muscle
control, movement, speech, vision, or
awareness.
Kuru
• Noticed in New Guinea in early 1900s
• Women of the region were responsible for
preparing the corpse of those who died – often
ate brain matter, fed it to children and elderly
• Eight times more women than men contracted
kuru
Kuru
• Disease has three stages:
– Ambulant:
• Individual can still walk, but is uncoordinated, has slurred
speech.
– Sedentary (AKA Laughing Stage)
• Can’t walk on their own, have tremors and jerkiness
• Extreme emotions – laughing and crying.
– Terminal
• Cannot sit up on their own
• Urinary & fecal incontinence
• Sounds like affect of alcohol.