Download Nerve Damage and Neural Degeneration

By: Emily Millet
And Olivia Hitt
• Nerve damage is also called neuropathy it is when the nerves of your
body die. It may affect the peripheral nerves or autonomic nerves. It
can affect either one or multiple nerves at one time. There are three
types of nerves in your body: autonomic nerves, sensory nerves, and
motor nerves. The nervous system controls everything your body does
and if the nerves begin to be damaged, you can’t replace them.
That is the reason why nerve damage is so difficult to deal with.
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Cancer:
Cancerous masses can push up against nerves and crush them. Some cancers could also cause nutritional
deficiency, and treatments for cancer such as radiation and chemotherapy can also cause nerve damage.
Autoimmune diseases:
There are quite a few autoimmune diseases that can cause nerve damage such as multiple sclerosis, Guillain
Barre Syndrome, lupus, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Traumas:
Some of these traumas can include a pinched nerve in the neck, carpel tunnel syndrome, and injuries from being
crushed.
Diabetes:
As much as 50% of all diabetics have nerve damage- This can worsen as the disease progresses. This is a serious
problem and can affect all types of nerves.
Infectious Disease:
Some infectious diseases can cause nerve damage such as Lyme disease, Hepatitis C, HIV, and the herpes virus.
• Diagnosis:
– Nerve damage can be diagnosed through physical exam, ultrasound, or MRI.
• Treatment:
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Some treatments could include injections of steroids and anesthesia such as lidocane into the
affected area can provide temporary relief. Nerve and tendon surgery have helped other people.
The best treatment is to discuss with your doctor what your options are and if they are surgically
correctable or not.
• Neurodegeneration is the breaking down of neurons within the
human body. As the neurons begin to lose structure and function, this
causes the nerve cells to die. (Also called apoptosis.) Many
scientists say the cause behind Neurodegeneration is the death of
nerve cells and also, misalignment of proteins within the brain.
Alzheimer's disease is not only the death of neurons, but the degeneration of other
segments of the brain including the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, and the frontal cortex. It
is the most common type of dementia. It is most often diagnosed in elderly people
over the age of 65. This is a serious and devastating disease to have but with the
right resources and early detection, you can slow its affects on a person.
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Progression through the three stages:
Stage One: Mild- This stage is often overlooked at first, because it is
associated with all of the common signs of aging and it can take quite a while for a
caretaker to notice when all the while the person with this disease is having trouble
making sense of everything around them.
Stage Two: Moderate- In this stage, the disease begins to affect the areas of
the brain that controls reasoning, speech and language, sight, and thought. Most
people often experience difficulty performing tasks that were once second nature
such as bathing and restroom habits.
Stage Three: Severe- This is the most advanced and last stage of Alzheimer's.
At this stage, brain and nerve damage is extensive. By this stage, most victims have
trouble walking, recognizing familiar and family faces, they refuse to eat, and they
typically have trouble completing activities necessary to daily living. At this stage, fulltime care is typically a must.
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Parkinson's disease affects the
nervous system of the human
body. It can limit a persons ability
to control muscle movements. It is
caused by a slow and gradual loss
of certain cell in the brain which
make chemical dopamine, a
chemical needed to make you
muscles function properly.
As a result of this disease, some
people have trouble walking and
experience uncontrollable shaking
of the arms, legs, and hands.
Once the disease has progressed
to the most serious step, the
person must walk in a style called
shuffling gait which is small steps
and slow movement.
• Although scientists are not sure what causes
Parkinson's disease, they think genetics may be
a factor and environmental toxins may also be a
contributor to this terrible disease.
• As many as 1,000,000 people in the United
States alone are diagnosed with Parkinson's
disease each year. Parkinson's is more common
in patients over the age of 60. Medical
treatments can relieve the symptoms of
Parkinson's disease while scientist continue to
search for a cure.
• Stage 1- Tremors begin on one side of the body.
• Stage 2- Tremors begin to occur on both side of the
body.
• Stage 3- First signs in loss of balance occur, person is
still independent.
• Stage 4- Person may begin to need help with daily
activities, at this stage they are unable to live alone.
• Stage 5- The person is confined to a bed or
wheelchair unless assisted.
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Huntington’s disease is a
incurable neurodegenerative
disorder that controls the muscle
within the body. This is caused by
a mutation on the fourth
chromosome and if a parents of a
child possesses that trait for the
disease, there is a 50% chance
that the child will contract the
disease.
Huntington's disease creates a
misfolded protein that affects the
way nerves in the brain
communicate with one another.
This disease is not fatal, but if you
fall victim to other illnesses such
as cardiovascular disease
,pneumonia or injury from a fall,
you are given a life span of
approximately 20 years from the
date of diagnosis.
• Just like these other neurodegenerative
diseases, the later stages of these obstacles in
life often require more care than earlier on
because at this point the person is unable to
care for themselves mentally or physically.
• The two ways to diagnose Huntington’s disease
are to notice the symptoms and consult with
your doctor, or be tested for the disease if your
family has a history of it. Huntington’s disease is
a dominant gene and people who have it in their
family blood lines are usually eager to be tested
to see if fate played in their favor.
Bibliography
• www.efacts.com/_nerve_damage_facts
• www.hamenda.com
• www.sciencedaily.com/.../11/09111513413
4.htm
• http://www.gs.washington.edu/labs/pallanc
k/research/neuro.htm