CHARACTERISTICS AND TEATMENT OF COMMON NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS

CHARACTERISTICS AND TEATMENT OF COMMON NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS

� Inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord � May be bacterial or viral � Symptoms – headache, fever, stiff neck � In severe form, may lead to paralysis, coma and death � Diagnosis – lumbar puncture � If bacterial, treat with antibiotics

� Seizure disorder of the brain, characterized by recurring and excessive electrical discharge from neurons � Cause – uncertain � Grand mal seizure – severe, convulsive seizure � Petit mal seizure – milder, seems to be staring or daydreaming

� Progressive disease, begins with problems remembering � Nerve endings in brain degenerate and block signals that pass between nerve cells � Cause – unknown � 1 st stage (2 -4 years) confusion, short-term memory loss, anxiety, poor judgment � 2 nd stage (2 -10 years) increase memory loss, difficulty recognizing people, motor problems, logic problems, loss of social skills � 3 rd stage (1 -3 years) inability to recognize oneself, weight loss, seizures, mood swings and aphasia

� Interruption � Tissue of blood and oxygen to brain death � Third leading cause of death in U. S. � Risk factors – smoking, hypertension, heart disease, family history � Cause – 90% blood clots, 10% ruptured blood vessels in the brain � Symptoms – hemiplegia, sudden severe headache, dizziness, loss of vision in one eye, aphasia, dysphasia, coma, possible death

� Paralysis – loss of power of motion (movement) or sensation (feeling) � Hemiplegia – paralysis on one side of the body � What are quadriplegia and paraplegia? � See figure 8 -13 pg. 166