The brain and spinal cord makeup a majority of the central nervous system and literally control every function in the body. The brain is responsible for speech, vision, thoughts, movement and controls many of the organs of the body. Most of the function of the brain is automatic and unconscious, but when disease or damage occurs the resulting loss of function can be a devastating thing for the individual. There are many different diseases of the brain that can cause problems and each has its own effect on brain function.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease was first described in 1906 and is a progressive and fatal brain disease. According to the Alzheimer's Association, as many as 5.3 million Americans are living with this disease, which is the seventh leading cause of death in the US. Alzheimer's destroys brain cells and causes memory loss, disrupts the ability to think appropriately and changes personality. It progressively gets worse and is eventually fatal. This disease is the leading cause of dementia and the Alzheimer's Association says that it causes 50 to 80 percent of all cases of dementia. As of 2010, there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease.
Parkinson's Disease
According to the National Parkinson's Foundation, there are an estimated four to six million people around the world suffering with Parkinson's disease with 50,000 to 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Parkinson's is a disease that affects a part of the brain called the substantia nigra which normally produces dopamine, a chemical messenger, that helps coordinate and control smooth movement throughout the body. If these dopamine-producing cells in the substantia nigra are damaged and do not produce enough dopamine, the typical symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear, such as a resting tremor or shakiness, stiffness in the arms, legs or trunk, a shuffling walk and poor postural control. Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson's disease and treatment revolves around reducing symptoms and improving quality of life.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive neurological disease that attacks the central nervous system. Motor neurons within the central nervous system have a covering called the myelin sheath which aids in transmission of neural impulses along the nerve and allows for smooth and quick communication. Multiple sclerosis breaks down the myelin sheath and causes slowed or poor neural communication. The result of this myelin sheath breakdown is often fatigue, numbness, balance and coordination problems, bowel or bladder dysfunction, vision problems, vertigo, pain, depression and emotional changes. The effects of MS can be either mild or disabling and tend to come and go, with symptoms being unpredictable from one patient to another. According to the National MS Society, multiple sclerosis is thought to be an autoimmune disease in which the body's own defense attacks the myelin sheath and breaks it down.
