NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (Unit 5 Nervous Sytem)

NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (Unit 5 Nervous Sytem)

CONDITION / CAUSE / SYMPTOMS / TREATMENT / MISC. RELEVANT INFO.
Parkinson’s Disease / Exact cause not known; deterioration of dopamine releasing neurons in brain / *Tremor (hand, arm, leg)
*Stiff & aching muscles
*Slow, limited movement
*Weakness of face/throat muscles / Medication to relieve symptoms
Dementia / Damage to or changes in the brain / *Loss of mental skills (ex: memory loss) / *take B12
*change medication that is causing confusion
*remove tumors
*medication to treat infection that is causing confusion / -more common as get older
-Alzheimer’s is the most common cause
Alzheimer’s / Brain lesions/ plaques accumulate and brain cells die / *Memory loss
*confusion
*forgetfulness when in familiar surroundings / Medication to slow progression
Multiple Sclerosis / Autoimmune disease; your own immune system destroys myelin on neurons / *tingling
*numbness
*loss of balance
*weakness in 1 or more limbs
*blurred or double vision / *Medication to slow disease
*physical therapy to control symptoms
Epilepsy / Cause not known / *Repeated seizures (from strange smells/sounds to falling with muscle spasms) / Medication to control seizures
CONDITION / CAUSE / SYMPTOMS / TREATMENT / MISC. RELEVANT INFO.
Migraine / Cause not known (could be related to blood vessels in the brain) / *painful, throbbing headaches that last 4-72 hrs
*may not be able to follow normal routines due to pain/nausea/light sensitivity / *Avoid triggers
*medication to help alleviate symptoms / Tends to run in families
Cerebral Palsy / Brain injury or problems during pregnancy/birth/ during first 2-3 years of life / *problems with body movement & posture (from slight limp to difficulty in controlling body parts) / *physical therapy
*medication to control symptoms (relax muscles, prevent seizures)
Schizophrenia / Cause not known;
Brain chemistry & structure are not normal / *hallucinations (see & hear things)
*delusions (believe things that aren’t true)
*paranoia (think people are trying to harm them) / *medications to control symptoms
*counseling/therapy to help individual live with the condition
Huntington’s Disease / Inherited autosomal dominant condition (only need 1 copy from a parent; gene is NOT on the sex chromosomes); nerve cells in brain degenerate / *abnormal/ unusual movements
*behavior changes (moodiness, hallucinations)
*dementia (loss of memory, judgment, speech changes) / *medication (ex: dopamine blockers) / -gene mutation on chromosome pair #4
-DNA repeat of “CAG” normally repeats 10-35 times but with HD it repeats 36-120 times