Nervous System Diseases Study Guide
Introduction
The human nervous system is complex. The brain is the main control center, and the spinal cord acts as a highway connecting the brain. The nerve carries messages from the brain to the body and vice versa so that the brain can interpret the signal and take the necessary action.
Diseases that affect the nervous system are not rare, and it affects millions worldwide. Most nervous system disorders are severe and end up damaging the day-to-day functioning of the body.
Diseases of the Nervous System
Here are some of the common nervous system diseases:
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a serious nervous system disorder from the nervous system diseases list that causes the insulating cover of the nerve to degenerate. Depending on the location and the amount of degeneration, the patient suffers discomfort. It could cause blindness, paralysis, loss of sensory perception, and other difficulties in managing sensory functions.
Parkinson’s
The disease affects the brain cells, which causes a drop in dopamine levels. It affects the human body’s movement and results in paralysis. Parkinson’s has no treatment, but with therapies and medicines, it is possible to control it.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a severe disorder of the nervous system which can cause seizures and abnormal patient behavior. It can be caused because of a head injury. The disease can manifest at any age, and cases of children who have epilepsy are also very high.
Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia. It attacks the brain cells and causes them to degenerate. The disease makes most patients lose their memory and control over their basic functioning. The majority of cases of dementia are caused because of Alzheimer’s. The disease has no permanent cure, but it can be controlled temporarily with medication and therapies.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
ALS is also one of the disorders of the nervous system. It is known as Lou Gehrig’s disease and is a disease of the motor neuron that causes the muscles to weaken progressively, which in turn starts to hamper one’s physical functions.
Huntington’s disease
This is an inherited condition that causes the nerves in the brain cells to degenerate. Some vascular disorders are among the diseases that affect the nervous system. These include stroke, transient ischemic attack, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Encephalitis, meningitis, epidural abscess, and polio can also affect the nervous system and cause diseases.
Nervous system Diseases: Symptoms
You may hardly notice any drastic or major symptoms of nerve-related diseases. Some general signs to watch out for nervous system diseases are:
- Unstable headache
- Weakness or loss in the muscle strength
- Loss of any sensory feeling and tingling
- Double vision or sudden vision problems
- Lack in coordination
- Sudden or persistent headache
- Muscle rigidity
- Impaired mental ability
- Seizures and tremors
Conclusion
- The nervous system guides everything that you say, do, think, or feel.
- It is responsible for controlling the complicated processes in the body like memory, movement, and thought.
- It also lets you do things that you do without thinking, like blinking and breathing.
- The complex nervous system is in complete command of your body. It regulates the way the body’s system works and lets you experience the environment.
- A vast network of nerves send electrical signals to and from the body to the brain.
- However, disruption of this functioning cause diseases that affect the nervous system.
FAQ
1. What are the top 3 common nervous system disorders?
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and Dementia, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are common nervous system disorders.
2. What are 4 common disorders of the nervous system?
Epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS, and Multiple Sclerosis are the four nervous system diseases.
3. What disease attacks the nervous system?
Encephalitis and meningitis are diseases that attack the nervous system.
4. How do you fix your nervous system?
The nervous system can be taken care of by:
- Exercising regularly
- Not smoking or taking tobacco products
- Getting plenty of rest
- Eating a balanced diet
5. Can B12 repair nerve damage?
Vitamin B12 helps enhance nerve repair and improves functional recovery, especially after a traumatic brain injury. It does this by inhibiting the ER stress-related neuron injury.
6. Which medicine is best for the nervous system?
Pain relievers, anti-seizure drugs, and antidepressants are usually prescribed for treating nervous system disorders.
7. What vitamin is good for nerves?
The Neurotropic B vitamins play a crucial role in the nervous system’s functioning. These are coenzymes. Vitamin B1 or thiamine, vitamin B6 or pyridoxine, and vitamin B12 cobalamin are essential to maintain a healthy nervous system.
8. Can your nervous system heal?
If there are damaged fibers in the spinal cord or brain, then it usually does not heal.
9. How can I test my nervous system at home?
A balance test is the best way to test your nervous system functioning at home.
We hope you enjoyed studying this lesson and learned something cool about Nervous System Diseases! Join our Discord community to get any questions you may have answered and to engage with other students just like you! Don’t forget to download our App to experience our fun, VR classrooms – we promise, it makes studying much more fun! 😎
Sources:
- Nervous System. https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/word-nervous-system.html. Accessed 25 Nov, 2021.
- Nervous System: Facts, Function & Diseases. https://www.livescience.com/22665-nervous-system.html. Accessed 25 Nov, 2021.
- Nervous System Diseases. https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-biology-flexbook-2.0/section/13.19/primary/lesson/nervous-system-disorders-bio/. Accessed 25 Nov, 2021.