Brain & Nervous System

Trigeminal neuropathy, or trigeminal neuralgia, is an extremely painful condition characterized by disruption of the trigeminal nerve, which supplies sensation to the face and scalp. The Mayo...

Its name comes from the Latin word for "wandering," and the vagal nerve, or vagus, is known as the rambler or the wanderer because of its extensive connections from the cranium to the rest of the...

Seizures occur when electrical signals within the brain malfunction momentarily. One type of seizure is known as a petit mal seizure. Petit mal seizures are sometimes referred to as silent...

Seizures brought on by flashing lights, changing light patterns and sharp contrasts in color are known as photosensitive epilepsy. Strobe lights, televisions, computer screens and even sunlight...

According to the National Institutes of Health, a seizure is the physical manifestation of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Symptoms can include loss of consciousness, body tremors,...

Myoclonic seizures may occur as a symptom of juvenile myclonic epilepsy, progressive myclonic epilepsy or Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Myoclonic seizures associated with juvenile myclonic epilepsy are...

Due to a lack of symptoms, brain aneurysms -- weakness in the wall of the artery which provides blood to the brain-- often go undiagnosed. In rare cases brain aneurysms rupture, triggering...

People usually develop an injury to their scalp, brain or skull because of a car accident, fall from a high place or impact by an object. Head trauma often only causes a minor external injury, but...

Meningitis is a potentially fatal illness caused by viral, bacterial and fungal infections. Immediate treatment is required to prevent or reduce the risk of complications such as memory loss,...

An abnormal increase in electrical activity in the brain can result in a seizure. The part of the brain affected determines what happens to the body during the seizure. With over 20 different...

Both Pick's disease and Alzheimer's disease are forms of dementia which are progressive, meaning that their affects grow worse over time. Pick's disease is distinguished from Alzheimer's in that...

Brachial plexus neuropathy, also known as brachial plexopathy, is a condition that can lead to pain and other symptoms in the arm and shoulder. Symptoms are caused by a problem in the brachial...

Nausea is the sensation of discomfort that occurs before vomiting. Lightheadedness, or the feeling that you're going to faint, is sometimes associated with nausea. Because many conditions can...

People with Huntington's disease have increased calorie requirements, but also experience challenges eating as a result of the symptoms of the disease. Huntington's disease, therefore, requires...

There are no treatments approved specifically for use in Pick's disease, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Some medications can be used to manage symptoms,...

Micrographia means "small writing." It is a common symptom of Parkinson's disease, which affects many voluntary and involuntary muscle movements through the loss of the brain chemical dopamine.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive condition, meaning that its effects grow worse over time. An increasing degree of disability can be expected, although individual sufferers are impacted...

In Parkinson's disease, the control of muscle movements is lost because of a lack of the neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) dopamine. This can affect muscle movement in the face, a collection...

Parkinson's disease is caused by the loss of function in or death of cells in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical that carries messages between brain cells. The loss of this chemical,...

Parkinson's disease causes the loss of control of muscle movement because of the loss of the brain chemical dopamine. Although not the most common treatment for Parkinson's, a form of brain...

In Parkinson's disease, voluntary and involuntary muscle movements are lost or become impaired because of a lack of the neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) dopamine. Constipation is one of the...

Parkinson's disease affects muscle functions. The disease can have an effect on the muscles of the throat, which can lead to aspiration pneumonia.

Tremorogenic means "causing tremors." The symptom most commonly associated with Parkinson's disease is tremor, or shaking in the limbs. Almost everyone who develops Parkinson's disease has a...

Epilepsy, according to MedlinePlus, is a brain disorder characterized by "repeated, spontaneous seizures of any type." Seizures vary in intensity but involve a disturbance in brain function that...

Myoclonus is, according the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a physical event in which a muscle contracts and then relaxes. Action-myoclonus Renal Failure Syndrome (AMRF...

Microdiscectomy is a microsurgical procedure in which a spinal surgeon uses a microscope and laser incisions to remove a section of vertebra to access a pinched nerve. The surgeon removes the...

Parkinson's disease occurs when cells in the brain that produce a neurotransmitter, which is a chemical that carries messages between brain cells, die or stop working. The loss of this chemical...

A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, directly affects brain function. It can result from many causes, such as a hit on the head or a stroke. Whatever its cause, such an injury can result in a long...

Parkinson's disease is idiopathic, meaning the overall cause remains unknown. However, people who have a family member who has Parkinson's disease are at a slightly increased risk for developing it.

Parkinson's disease is not infectious, meaning that it cannot be passed through contact with an affected individual, and it is not caused by an infectious agent (such as a bacterium or virus).

The cerebellum is located in the lower back portion of the brain, just above the brain stem. It is responsible for movement, balance and muscle tone. The vestibular region of the inner ear aids...

Most people who develop Parkinson's disease, according to Medline Plus, develop symptoms after the age of 50. However, in some cases, the symptoms of Parkinson's disease can develop in younger people.

Stroke sufferers may develop temporary or permanent disabilities after the medical crisis. However, even when recovery can't restore all lost abilities, patients are often able to return to a...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, spinal meningitis and meningitis refer to the same disease. It is an inflammation of the thin membranes (meninges) that surround the...

The cost of medical care and rehabilitation services for patients with brain injuries can cause a severe burden for individuals and families. Inpatient and outpatient medical expenses, plus...

Short term memory loss disorder or anterograde amnesia is a condition in which the brain is no longer able to convert short-term memories into long-term memories. The condition affects episodic...

Schizophrenia, a devastating condition that disrupts people's ability to interpret the world around them, damages the lobes of the brain. The rate and extent of the damage depends on the age of...

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a multitude of disorders, all affecting people at an early age. It affects the neuromuscular system, resulting in fatigue, rigidity, weakness and loss of...

Smoking and alcohol consumption can cause serious short- and long-term health effects. However, their effects on the brain can be most severe and lead to permanent neurological damage.

Vertigo is a specific type of dizziness. It's different than being lightheaded. People who experience vertigo feel as if the room is spinning. A variety of tests are performed to determine the...

According to PBS.org, PBS is an organization that provides 356 member stations so all Americans can discover new ideas about life through television and online content. In 2007, PBS began airing...

When abnormalities strike the periventricular white matter in the brain, disease often follows. Damage to white matter from arterial problems can lead to such devastating conditions as dementia,...

Seizure disorder is a term used to describe abnormal discharges of electrical energy in the brain that temporarily disrupt normal brain functions. These discharges have a number of potential...

If a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or is showing signs of it, don't give up all hope. Although there is no cure for dementia, according to MedlinePlus, there are measures that can be...

Serotonin is a hormone found naturally in the body which acts as a messenger between nerve cells. Low levels of serotonin can lead to depression, while normal levels lead to a state of calm. You...

Epilepsy is a nervous disorder of the brain that results in violent muscular contractions called seizures. Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common form. The temporal lobe is that part of...

Lumbar spinal stenosis is a debilitating condition that usually occurs in the elderly. The use of steroids to treat spinal stenosis should be part of a total rehabilitation regime, according to...

Dementia is the symptom of many neurological disorders, the most common of which is Alzheimer's. Dementia includes forgetfulness, loss of long-term memories, behavioral change and even loss of...

Epilepsy is a serious neurological condition wherein the electrical current in the brain is disrupted, leading to seizures. Epilepsy affects many different parts of the brain and can even affect...

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, or RSD, in the foot is intense pain, usually occurring together with swelling, skin changes, and sensitivity. RSD is a progressive disease of the nervous system. RSD...