Multiple Sclerosis - Causes, Symptoms, Types, Tests and Treatments

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition which affects the brain and/or spinal cord (otherwise called central nervous system or CNS), marked by weakness, numbness, and loss of muscle coordination resulting in a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, speech, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance, and bladder control.

Delirium (Confusion): An Overview of Acute Confusional State

Delirium (sudden confusion) is a serious disturbance in mental abilities resulting in confused thinking and reduced awareness of the environment. There is rapid decline from previous baseline mental functioning over a short period of time, typically hours to days. Delirium can have many different causes, and often traced to one or more contributing factors, such as changes in metabolic balance (like low sodium). Get medical help immediately if someone suddenly becomes confused (delirious).

Parkinson's Disease - Treatment modalities for a quality life

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a medical condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. Symptoms include muscle rigidity, tremors (or shaking), and changes in speech and gait.

Parkinson's Disease - Overview, Causes, Clinical features and Diagnosis

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disease of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms generally come on slowly over time. Put more simply, it is a medical condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease include muscle rigidity, tremors (or shaking), and changes in speech and gait.

Dementia - Symptoms, Common Causes, Treatment and Other Key Facts

Dementia is a syndrome – usually of a chronic or progressive nature – in which there is deterioration in cognitive function (i.e. the ability to process thought) beyond what might be expected from normal ageing. It affects memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgement. Consciousness is not affected. The impairment in cognitive function is commonly accompanied, and occasionally preceded, by deterioration in emotional control, social behaviour, or motivation.

Poliomyelitis - Symptoms, Transmission, Prevention and Key Facts

Polio, or poliomyelitis or infantile paralysis, is a crippling and potentially deadly infectious disease. It is caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can invade an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis (inability to move parts of the body).

Guillain–Barré Syndrome - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Key Facts

In Guillain-Barré syndrome, the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system. The syndrome can affect the nerves that control muscle movement as well as those that transmit feelings of pain, temperature and touch. This can result in muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the legs and/or arms.

Huntington Breakthrough: New Drug May Stop or Cure The Disease

The defect that causes the neurodegenerative disease Huntington's has been corrected in patients for the first time. An experimental drug, injected into spinal fluid, safely lowered levels of toxic proteins in the brain.

Parkinson's disease - Living with this medical condition

As we defined in an earlier post, Parkinson's disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disease in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease include muscle rigidity, tremors (or shaking), and changes in speech and gait. Causes are unknown but genetics, aging, toxins are suspected. We also saw that although there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, treatments are given to help relieve symptoms.

American Heart Association Statement on Hypertension and Cognitive Function

Dementia is a major, growing public health problem, and cardiovascular risk factors and conditions are also highly prevalent. The American Heart Association (AHA) had previously addressed the role of vascular risk factors in cognitive impairment, but has now critically reviewed current evidence regarding the association of cognitive function with hypertension.

Scientists Improve Human Self-control through Electrical Brain Stimulation

If you have ever said or done the wrong thing at the wrong time, you should read this. Neuroscientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the University of California, San Diego, have successfully demonstrated a technique to enhance a form of self-control through a novel form of brain stimulation.

Differential Diagnoses Of Ring Enhancing Lesions

When a patient undergoes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomographic scan (CT scan), the doctor or radiologist expects to see a couple of signs which could suggest specific lesions in the body. One of the signs which may be seen is a ring-enhancing lesion.

Bell's Palsy

Bell's palsy is facial weakness (paralysis) that occur due to dysfunction of the nerve fibres of the seventh cranial nerve, also called the facial nerve, resulting in inability to control the muscles of the face on the affected side. The 7th cranial nerve originates in the brain and controls the muscles of the face.

New Diagnostic Criteria for Alzheimer's Published

April 28, 2011 — New diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease (AD), including mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to AD and a new "for research purposes only" category of preclinical AD, are now published.

Parkinson's Disease: Frequently Asked Questions

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disease of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system, and the symptoms generally come on slowly over time. With a diagnosis of such a life-changing medical condition, you may feel angry, afraid, sad, or worried about what lies ahead. Medical Notes has compiled a list of possible frequently asked questions (FAQs) you may have.

Fingolimod, First Pill for Multiple Sclerosis Wins Advisory Panel Approval

First Oral Pill to be Approved for Multiple Sclerosis Soon.
This is nothing short of great news within the medical community as the first oral pill designed to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) is on its way to final approval by the United States FDA.