Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a complex and challenging brain disorder. It is complex because it affects many parts of the brain in ways that scientists are trying to understand more fully. It is challenging because its many possible symptoms make it hard to do everyday tasks that once came easily. Although less known than … [Read more…]
Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited disorder that causes nerve cells (called neurons) in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die. The disease, which gets worse over time, attacks motor control regions of the brain (those involved with movement), as well as other areas. People with HD develop problems with behavior, emotion, … [Read more…]
Headache or head pain sometimes can be difficult to describe, but some common symptoms include throbbing, squeezing, constant, unrelenting, or intermittent. The location may be in one part of the face or skull or may be generalized involving the whole head. The head is one of the most common sites of pain in the body. … [Read more…]
Frontotemporal Disorders /Few people have heard of frontotemporal disorders, which lead to dementias that affect personality, behavior, language, and movement. These disorders are little known outside the circles of researchers, clinicians, patients, and caregivers who study and live with them. Although frontotemporal disorders remain puzzling in many ways, researchers are finding new clues that will … [Read more…]
Epilepsies are chronic neurological disorders in which clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain sometimes signal abnormally and cause seizures. Neurons normally generate electrical and chemical signals that act on other neurons, glands, and muscles to produce human thoughts, feelings, and actions. During a seizure, many neurons fire (signal) at the same time … [Read more…]
Dementia is a collective term used to describe various symptoms of cognitive decline, such as forgetfulness. It is a symptom of several underlying diseases and brain disorders. Dementia is not a single disease in itself, but a general term to describe symptoms of impairment in memory, communication, and thinking. A diagnosis of dementia can be frightening for those … [Read more…]
Vasculitis is inflammation of blood vessels (which include the veins, arteries, and capillaries) that carry blood throughout the body. Vasculitis can affect blood vessels of any type, size, or location. The inflammation can cause the walls of blood vessels to weaken, stretch, thicken, and develop swelling or scarring, which can narrow the vessel and slow … [Read more…]
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also called tic douloureux, is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal or 5th cranial nerve, one of the most widely distributed nerves in the head. TN is a form of neuropathic pain (pain associated with nerve injury or nerve lesion.) The typical or “classic” form of the disorder (called “Type 1” … [Read more…]
Tremor is an involuntary, rhythmic muscle contraction leading to shaking movements in one or more parts of the body. It is a common movement disorder that most often affects the hands but can also occur in the arms, head, vocal cords, torso, and legs. Tremor may be intermittent (occurring at separate times, with breaks) or … [Read more…]
Transverse myelitis is an inflammation of the spinal cord, the part of the central nervous system that sends impulses from the brain to nerves in the body. The spinal cord also carries sensory information back to the brain. The term myelitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord; transverse refers to the pattern of changes in … [Read more…]