Brain and Nervous System
A healthy brain and nervous system regulate your body functions so you can have full command over your senses, muscles, and intelligence. Despite the amazing capacities of the human brain and nerves, they are vulnerable to damage just like every other part of our bodies.
Strokes, concussions, Alzheimers and many other brain problems affect about 50 million Americans. The multitude of brain injuries and illnesses strike different people based on the risk factors of their genetics, age and lifestyle. The severity of impairment and the availability of treatment vary widely.
Knowledge of brain and nerve health has advanced rapidly in recent decades. Many new treatments and medicines are available to treat various disorders. Still, the best thing for your brain is to keep it physically and mentally active while eating nutritious food and getting plenty of social interaction.
Recently Answered
- Q What is fungal meningitis?
-
Fungal meningitis occurs when the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord are infected with a fungus. Fungal meningitis is rare and usually caused by the spread of a fungus through blood to the spinal cord. (The presence of the CDC... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What are the symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome?
-
Symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome vary, depending on what is being compressed. If nerves are being compressed, you will probably feel pain and tingling that starts in the neck and shoulder and spreads into the hand on the affected side. If a vein or... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What causes thoracic outlet syndrome?
-
There are many possible causes of thoracic outlet syndrome, a disorder in which the nerves and blood vessels between the neck and chest become compressed. In rare cases, an extra rib in the cervical spine, a congenital defect, is the cause. Thoracic... Full Answer
2 Answers
A
- Q Should I talk to my doctor about my thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms?
-
The signs and symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome depend on whether your blood vessels or nerves are being compressed. But if you experience tingling and pain or pressure in one arm or hand, or the affected hand becomes discolored or bluish, you may... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What is thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)?
-
The thoracic outlet is the area between the neck and chest. When a blood vessel or nerve is compressed in this area, it is known as thoracic outlet syndrome. Thoracic outlet syndrome refers to a group of disorders in this area. Full Answer
8 Answers
A
- Q How is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) diagnosed?
-
The diagnosis of Creutzfeld-Jakob disease (CJD) is suspected when a patient presents with rapidly progressive (over weeks to months) cognitive and behavioral deterioration, dizziness/vertigo, unsteadiness, incoordination, myoclonus (whole body... Full Answer
2 Answers
A
- Q What are the symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)?
-
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is characterized by rapidly progressive dementia. Initially, patients experience problems with muscular coordination; personality changes, including impaired memory, judgment, and thinking; and impaired vision. People with the... Full Answer
2 Answers
A
- Q What is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)?
-
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, degenerative, invariably fatal brain disorder. It affects about one person in a million, per year, worldwide; in the United States there are about 200 cases per year. CJD usually appears in later life and runs a... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
- Q What causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)?
-
CJD is caused by the accumulation of an abnormal protein, prion protein, in the brain. Prion protein is present in healthy brains, however when it becomes misfolded it is toxic to brain cells and results in rapid brain cell death. There... Full Answer
2 Answers
A
- Q How can I prevent syncope?
-
Syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness and posture (fainting), usually caused by insufficient blood flow to the brain. This can happen to otherwise healthy people. Syncope can be caused by low blood pressure (hypotension), which means that the... Full Answer
1 Answer
A
