CH. 14 DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

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CH. 14 DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

• Human Diseases, Injuries and Conditions
• Ms. Monroe

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Part 2DegenerativeNeural Diseases

• SWCTA
• Dr. Michael J. Georges

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Central Nervous SystemThe Brain

• From a top view, notice how the brain is divided
  into two halves, called hemispheres.
• Each hemisphere communicates with the other
  through the corpus callosum, a bundle of nerve
  fibers.

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Cerebral Cortex

• The cortex is a sheet of tissue that makes up the
  outer layer of the brain.
• The thickness of the cerebral cortex varies from
  2 to 6 mm.

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Cerebral Cortex

• Functions
• Thought
• Voluntary movement
• Language
• Reasoning
• Perception

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Conditions of the Cerebral Cortex

• Huntingtons Disease (Chorea) an inherited
  disease but sxs may not appear until middle age.
• If either parent has the disease, ALL their
  children will have a 50 chance of inheriting it.
• A progressive degenerative disease of the brain
  that results in loss of muscle control causes
  certain brain cells to waste away, affecting
  mental status.
• Chorea means ceaseless, rapid, jerky movements,
  which are involuntary distinctive of this
  disease.
• Affects both the mind body which leads to
  personality changes, carelessness, poor judgment,
  and impaired memory, ultimately deteriorating to
  total mental incompetence, dementia.

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• ALZHEIMERS DISEASE genetic based disease.
• Occurs from a loss of the chemical signal
  acetylcholine and the dysfunction of synaptic
  junctions necessary to carry out the message
  designated by the nerve(s).
• Currently, 4 million elderly Americans are
  afflicted. Of people ages 75-84 yrs, 19 have
  Alzheimers and age 85 and beyond it rises to
  more than 40.
• Individuals with one afflicted parent is 3 times
  as likely to develop this disease.
• Sxs may start as early as the 40s to 50s and
  include forgetfulness, confusion, emotional
  outbursts personality changes. Confirmation of
  this disease is subject only to autopsy.

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• CONVULSION a sudden, intense series of
  involuntary contractions and relaxations by
  muscles. Not to be confused with a seizure !
• Primary cause is abnormal electrical discharges
  spread over the brain. Hyper-excitation of
  nerves abnormally stimulate muscles to conract.
• Other factors chemical imbalance, an
  accumulation of waste products in the blood
  (toxemia, drug poisoning, and withdrawal from
  alochol), irritations to nerve cells, infectious
  diseases such as meningitis encephalitis,
  occurs in infants and young children with high
  fevers.

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EPILEPSY

• A group of uncontrolled cerebral discharges that
  recurs at random intervals. Seizures associated
  with epilepsy are a form of convulsions.
• Can be acquired as a result of a brain injury, a
  penetrating wound, skull fx, tumor and
  alcoholism. Most cases are idiopathic (unknown)
  but may also be inherited. Petit Mal seizure
  may be mild or severe with loss of conscious for
  a few seconds, appearing absent-minded. Some
  muscular twitching around eyes, mouth, head
  swaying. Seen mostly in children and usually
  disappears in late teens or early 20s.

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• Major seizures of epilepsy involve a loss of
  consciousness and person falls to the floor.
• General convulsions are mild to severe with
  violent shaking thrashing movements.
  Hyper-salivation causes foaming at the mouth.
  Loses control of urine sometimes feces. This is
  characteristic of grand mal epilepsy.
• Aura warning of an approaching grand mal
  seizure which allows person to lie down or reach
  for support. Felt as a ringing in the ears,
  tingling in fingers, seeing spots or various
  odors.
• After a seizure, the person is groggy and unaware
  of what happened. Length of seizures vary and
  may recur at varied frequencies.
• Diagnosis is made by an electroencephalogram
  (EEG), a recording of brain waves.
• Tx anticonvulsant medication (Dilantin) is very
  effective.

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Developmental Errors(Formed during fetal
development)

• SPINA BIFIDA a condition when one or more
  vertebrae fail to fuse, leaving an opening in the
  vertebral column.
• Results in muscular abnormalities, incorrect
  posture, inability to walk, lack of bladder /or
  bowel control.
• Strabismus (crossed eyes) may point to this
  disorder.
• Dietary supplements of folic acid (folate) at a
  dose of 0.4 mg/day, in addition to no smoking or
  alcohol consumption by pregnant woman will assure
  a baby born with normal spinal cord and cranial
  development.

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Other Forms of Spina Bifida

• MENINGOCELE meninges protrude through the
  opening in the vertebra as a sac filled with CSF.
• MENINGOMYELOCELE- serious defect where nerve
  elements protrude into the sac and are trapped,
  preventing proper placement. Thus, child may be
  mentally retarded.
• Surgical correction effective.

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HYDROCEPHALUS(Water/Fluid in the Brain)
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• HYDROCEPHALUS abnormal accumulation of
  cerebrospinal fluid, causing the ventricles of
  the brain to enlarge and push the brain against
  the skull. Usually caused by an obstruction or a
  congenital defect (stenosis of an opening in the
  ventricles).
• TX a shunt is inserted to relieve the excess
  fluid by diverting in via catheter into the
  peritoneal cavity and enter general circulation.

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Cerebellum

• The word "cerebellum" comes from the Latin word
  for "little brain." The cerebellum is located
  behind the brain stem.
• Functions
• Movement
• Balance
• Posture

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Degenerative Neural DiseasesConditions of the
Cerebellum

• MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) a major disorder of the
  CNS. Chronic progressive disease of unknown
  origin.
• Usually affects young adults between 20-40 yrs.
• Possible causes include an immunologic reaction
  to a virus, bacteria, trauma, or hereditary.
• Initial sxs are muscular with loss of balance
  poor circulation. Tingling numbness progress
  to a shaking tremor and muscular weakness.
  Difficulty speaking clearly and bladder
  dysfunction often develops.
• Vision may suddenly be impaired double vision
  occurs often and blindness may develop.
  Nystagmus (involuntary rapid eye movements) can
  occur.
• There is no effective TX for MS. Physical
  therapy helps the muscular system, muscle
  relaxants are helpful psychological counseling to
  help deal with the affects of the disease.

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• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) AKA Lou
  Gehrigs disease.
• Is a chronic, terminal disease in which theres a
  progressive loss of motor neurons.
• Cause is unknown.
• ALS is characterized by disturbances in movement
  and atrophy of muscles of the hands, forearms,
  and legs.
• Also affected are certain cranial nerves which
  impair the muscles of the mouth throat, thus
  swallowing tongue movements are affected,
  causing speech to be difficult or impossible.
• ALS occurs later in life, most commonly 50 -60
  years old and slightly more common in women.
• Death usually occurs within 3-4 years from
  pulmonary failure.

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Who was Lou?

• Lou Gehrig
• Diagnosed with ALS in the 1930s
• Famous New York Yankee from (1923-1939)
• Babe Ruth was teammate
• MVP Hall of Famer
• Died at age 38 in 1941

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Parkinsons Disease Overview(Shaking Palsy)

• Parkinson's disease is a disorder that affects
  nerve cells (neurons) in the part of the brain
  controlling muscle movement (cerebellum).
• People with Parkinson's often experience
  trembling, muscle rigidity, difficulty walking,
  and problems with balance and coordination.
• These symptoms generally develop after age 50,
  although the disease affects a small percentage
  of younger people as well.
• Parkinson's disease is progressive, meaning the
  signs and symptoms become worse over time.
• The cause is unknown, but may be hereditary.
• Parkinson's disease is treatable with physical
  therapy, medications, and surgery.

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Michael J. Fox(Actor)

• Michael J. Fox was (born 1961) diagnosed with
  young-onset Parkinson's disease in 1991.
• Disclosed his diagnosis to the public in 1998.
• Retired from acting in 2000.
• The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's
  Research, launched in year 2000, to increase
  awareness funding about Parkinson's disease.

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• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• The earliest symptom of Parkinson's disease can
  be as subtle as an arm that doesn't swing when
  walking, a mild tremor in the fingers of one hand
  or soft, mumbling speech that's difficult to
  understand.
• Other signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease
  may include
• Tremors often start with slight shaking in one
  finger and may spread to whole arm.
• Characteristic tremors of the fingers resemble
  pill-rolling
• Slowed motion (bradykinesia). Shuffling walk,
  slow, unsteady gait, stooped posture.
• Muscle (rigidity) stiffness in limbs, neck and
  face.
• Loss of automatic movements.
• Impaired Speech
• Dementia diminished ability to think and
  remember

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SUMMARY

• HUNTINGTONS (Chorea) DISEASE an inherited
  disease that leads to loss of muscular function,
  affects both the mind body
• ALZHEIMERS DISEASE - genetic based disease.
  Currently, 4 million elderly Americans are
  afflicted. Sxs may start as early as the 40s to
  50s and include forgetfulness, confusion,
  emotional outbursts personality changes.
  Confirmation of this disease is subject only to
  autopsy.
• CONVULSION a sudden, intense series of
  involuntary contractions and relaxations by
  muscles. Not to be confused with a seizure !

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SUMMARY

• EPILEPSY - A group of uncontrolled cerebral
  discharges that recurs at random intervals.
  Seizures associated with epilepsy are a form of
  convulsions. Two types - petit mal major
  seizures.
• Can be acquired as a result of a brain injury, a
  penetrating wound, skull fx, tumor and
  alcoholism. Most cases are idiopathic (unknown)
  but may also be inherited.
• SPINA BIFIDA a condition when one or more
  vertebrae fail to fuse, leaving an opening in the
  vertebral column thereby allowing contents to
  protrude.
• Results in muscular abnormalities, incorrect
  posture, inability to walk, lack of bladder /or
  bowel control.
• MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) a major disorder of the
  CNS. Chronic progressive disease of unknown
  origin.
• Usually affects young adults between 20-40 yrs.
  Does not affect mental ability.

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SUMMARY

• AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS) AKA Lou
  Gehrigs disease.
• Is a chronic, terminal disease in which theres a
  progressive loss of motor neurons. Cause is
  unknown.
• ALS is characterized by disturbances in movement
  and atrophy of muscles of the hands, forearms,
  and legs.
• Death usually occurs within 3-4 years from
  pulmonary failure.
• PARKINSONS DISEASEis a disorder that affects
  nerve cells in the part of the brain controlling
  muscle movement (cerebellum).
• The three obvious signs are trembling, muscle
  rigidity, slowness of movement, difficulty
  walking, and problems with balance and
  coordination.