Neurology
Lewy body dementia, also known as dementia with Lewy bodies, is the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease dementia. Protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in the brain regions involved in thinking, memory and movement (motor control). Lewy body dementia causes a progressive decline in mental abilities. People with Lewy body dementia may experience visual hallucinations, and changes in alertness and attention. Other effects include Parkinson's disease-like symptoms such as rigid muscles, slow movement and tremors.
Frontotemporal dementia (frontotemporal lobar degeneration) is an umbrella term for a diverse group of uncommon disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain — the areas generally associated with personality, behavior and language. In frontotemporal dementia, portions of these lobes shrink (atrophy). Signs and symptoms vary, depending upon the portion of the brain affected. Some people with frontotemporal dementia undergo dramatic changes in their personality and become socially inappropriate, impulsive or emotionally indifferent, while others lose the ability to use language.
Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) is a disease process that results in progressive damage to the temporal and/or frontal lobes of the brain. It causes a group of brain disorders that share many clinical features.
Our nervous system is involved in everything our body does, from maintaining our breath to controlling our muscles. Our nerves are vital to all we do; therefore, nerve pain and damage can heavily influence our quality of life. In Discovery News' latest video, "Why Can't We Reverse Nerve Damage?" host Lissette Padilla explains the central nervous system (CNS) has certain proteins that inhibit cell regeneration, because each cell in the nervous system has a unique function on the pathway, like a circuit, and can't be replaced.
High-Cervical Nerves (C1 – C4) Most severe of the spinal cord injury levels Paralysis in arms, hands, trunk and legs Patient may not be able to breathe on his or her own, cough, or control bowel or bladder movements. Ability to speak is sometimes impaired or reduced. When all four limbs are affected, this is called tetraplegia or quadriplegia. Requires complete assistance with activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, bathing, and getting in or out of bed May be able to use powered wheelchairs with special controls to move around on their own Will not be able to drive a car on their own Requires 24-hour-a-day personal care
U.S. biotech firm Bioquark recently got approval to move forward with its ReAnima Project, in which it will try to reverse brain death in patients on life support
Chiari malformation (kee-AH-ree mal-for-MAY-shun) is a condition in which brain tissue extends into your spinal canal. It occurs when part of your skull is abnormally small or misshapen, pressing on your brain and forcing it downward.
Syringomyelia (sih-ring-go-my-E-lee-uh) is the development of a fluid-filled cyst (syrinx) within your spinal cord. Over time, the cyst may enlarge, damaging your spinal cord and causing pain, weakness and stiffness, among other symptoms. Syringomyelia has several possible causes, though the majority of cases are associated with a condition in which brain tissue protrudes into your spinal canal (Chiari malformation). Other causes of syringomyelia include spinal cord tumors, spinal cord injuries and damage caused by inflammation around your spinal cord. If syringomyelia isn't causing any problems, monitoring the condition may be all that's necessary. But if you're bothered by symptoms, you may need surgery.
Tongue fassiculations
This tutorial explains the difference in mechanisms between the 2 palsies. Bulbar palsy is a lower motor neuron condition and pseudobulbar palsy is an upper motor neuron condidtion.
Impaired awareness of illness (anosognosia) is a major problem because it is the single largest reason why individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder do not take their medications. It is caused by damage to specific parts of the brain, especially the right hemisphere.
Testing for the four features of Gerstmann Syndrome in this patient with two separate left sided strokes (left frontoparietal ischaemic stroke followed by left posterior parietal haemorrhagic stroke). He exhibits (i) acalculia, (ii) agraphia, (iii) left-right disorientation, and (iv) finger agnosia. Complicating the issue is his obvious nonfluent aphasia (expressive dysphasia) with paraphasic errors (replacing words with associated words (e.g. says 'fork' instead of 'spoon')) and some comprehension issues.
When a stroke affects an extensive portion of the front and back regions of the left hemisphere, the result may be global aphasia. Survivors with global aphasia: May have great difficulty in understanding words and sentences. May have great difficulty in forming words and sentences. May understand some words. Get out a few words at a time. Have severe difficulties that prevent them from effectively communicating.
People with serious comprehension difficulties have what is called Wernicke’s aphasia and: Often say many words that don’t make sense. May fail to realize they are saying the wrong words; for instance, they might call a fork a “gleeble.” May string together a series of meaningless words that sound like a sentence but don’t make sense. Have challenges because our dictionary of words is shelved in a similar region of the left hemisphere, near the area used for understanding words.
Broca's Aphasia (expressive) When a stroke injures the frontal regions of the left hemisphere, different kinds of language problems can occur. This part of the brain is important for putting words together to form complete sentences. Injury to the left frontal area can lead to what is called Broca's aphasia.
A brief demonstration of the different types of epileptic seizures based on the International Classification of Epileptic Seizures.
Epilepsy has existed for thousands of years yet remains a medical challenge.
In most people, post-concussion syndrome symptoms occur within the first seven to 10 days and go away within three months, though they can persist for a year or more. Post-concussion syndrome treatments are aimed at easing specific symptoms.
You may initially experience short, mild attacks. But trigeminal neuralgia can progress and cause longer, more-frequent bouts of searing pain. Trigeminal neuralgia affects women more often than men, and it's more likely to occur in people who are older than 50.
One of the criteria to determine brain death is the irreversible absence of cerebral and brainstem reflexes including pupillary, oculocephalic, oculovestibular (caloric), corneal, gag, sucking, swallowing, and extensor posturing. Some of the other criteria for determination of brain death include: 1. Absence of respiratory drive (apnea) off the ventilator for a duration that is sufficient to produce hypercarbic drive (usually 10 to 20 minutes to achieve pC02 of 50 to 60 mmHg) ( 2. Body temperature below 34 C (93.2 F) 3. EEG isoelectric for 30 minutes at maximal gain 4. Absence of cerebral circulation by Doppler or magnetic resonance angiography 5. At least 24 hours of observation in adults with anoxic-ischemic brain damage with a negative drug screen