disease of nervous system Flashcards
(41 cards)
Huntington disease
is an inherited disease that causes certain nerve cells in the brain to waste away. People are born with the defective gene, but symptoms usually don’t appear until middle age. Early symptoms of HD may include uncontrolled movements, clumsiness, and balance problems. Later, HD can take away the ability to walk, talk, and swallow. Some people stop recognizing family members. Others are aware of their environment and are able to express emotions.
Muscular dystrophy (MD)
is a group of more than 30 inherited diseases. They all cause muscle weakness and muscle loss. Some forms of MD appear in infancy or childhood. Others may not appear until middle age or later. The different types can vary in whom they affect, which muscles they affect, and what the symptoms are. All forms of MD grow worse as the person’s muscles get weaker. Most people with MD eventually lose the ability to walk.
Meningitis
is an inflammation of the fluid and membranes (meninges) surrounding your brain and spinal cord. The swelling from meningitis typically triggers signs and symptoms such as headache, fever and a stiff neck.
meningitis bacteria
Hemophilus
Pneumococcal
Streptococcal
Staphylococcal
Encephalitis
Inflammation of the brain, often due to infection.
The infection may be bacterial or viral. In some cases, encephalitis may be the result of an immune system disorder.
Mild cases may cause no symptoms or mild flu-like symptoms. Severe cases can be life-threatening. Immediate medical attention is needed for symptoms such as confusion, hallucinations, seizures, weakness, and loss of sensation.
In addition to addressing the underlying cause, treatments include symptomatic relief and supportive care.
Myelitis
is inflammation of the spinal cord which can disrupt the normal responses from the brain to the rest of the body, and from the rest of the body to the brain. Inflammation in the spinal cord, can cause the myelin and axon to be damaged resulting in symptoms such as paralysis and sensory loss.
Encephalomyelitis
is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
Intracranial abscess and granuloma
A collection of pus that develops in the brain due to an infection.
Phlebitis
inflammation of a vein
Thrombophlebitis
is an inflammatory process that causes a blood clot to form and block one or more veins, usually in your legs.
hereditary ataxias
are a group of genetic disorders characterized by slowly progressive incoordination of gait and often associated with poor coordination of hands, speech, and eye movements.
cerebellar ataxia
can occur as a result of many diseases and may present with symptoms of an inability to coordinate balance, gait, extremity and eye movements.
Friedreich ataxia
is a genetic condition that affects the nervous system and causes movement problems.
Hereditary spastic paraplegia
is a genetic condition that affects the nervous system and causes movement problems.
Spinal muscular atrophy
is a genetic disorder characterized by weakness and wasting (atrophy ) in muscles used for movement (skeletal muscles). It is caused by a loss of specialized nerve cells, called motor neurons that control muscle movement.
Motor neuron diseases
are a group of conditions that cause the nerves in the spine and brain to lose function over time.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
or ALS, is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. ALS is often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the baseball player who was diagnosed with it.
Progressive bulbar palsy
involves the brain stem. The brain stem is the part of the brain needed for swallowing, speaking, chewing, and other functions. Signs and symptoms of progressive bulbar palsy include difficulty swallowing, weak jaw and facial muscles, progressive loss of speech, and weakening of the tongue.
Primary lateral sclerosis
s a rare, neuromuscular disorder that affects the central motor neurons and is characterized by painless but progressive weakness and stiffness of the muscles of the legs. Such weakness may progress to affect the arms and the muscles at the base of the brain (bulbar muscles).
Postpolio syndrome
is a neurologic disorder characterized by new and progressive muscular weakness, pain, and fatigue many years after the occurrence of acute paralytic polio.
Parkinson’s disease
is a brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination. Parkinson’s symptoms usually begin gradually and get worse over time. As the disease progresses, people may have difficulty walking and talking.
Secondary parkinsonism
is when symptoms similar to Parkinson disease are caused by certain medicines, a different nervous system disorder, or another illness. Parkinsonism refers to any condition that involves the types of movement problems seen in Parkinson disease
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
is a life-threatening reaction that can occur in response to neuroleptic or antipsychotic medication. Symptoms include high fever, confusion, rigid muscles, variable blood pressure, sweating, and fast heart rate
Postencephalitic parkinsonism
Post-encephalitic Parkinsonism is a disease believed to be caused by a viral illness that triggers degeneration of the nerve cells in the substantia nigra. Overall, this degeneration leads to clinical parkinsonism.