Edema is a medical term for swelling. When there is swelling on the brain, it is termed cerebral edema or brain edema, which results in increased pressure inside the skull. The increases in pressure, termed intracranial pressure, can prevent blood...
Sodium, or salt, makes up an essential part of your diet. Found in a number of food products, salt can act as a preservative to help extend a food's shelf life, or act as a seasoning and flavor enhancer in dishes. Eating too much salt can increase...
The American Academy of Neurology's Quality Standards Subcommittee defines a concussion as a change in mental status brought on by some sort of traumatic head injury that may or may not result in a loss of consciousness. While typical symptoms of...
The National Cancer Institute reports that in 2009 approximately 22,070 cases of brain tumors were diagnosed in the United States. Brain tumors may originate in the brain, or they may start somewhere else in the body, such as in the lungs, and...
Brain swelling, also known as cerebral edema, and intracranial pressure (ICP) can be caused by over 300 conditions and diseases. Just as an ankle or knee will swell with injury or infection, so too will the brain. Brain swelling is a very serious...
The brain and spinal cord are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, and are enclosed within bony skull and the spinal canal. CSF is made by specialized cells in the lateral and fourth ventricles, or brain chambers, which communicate with the...
A diseased liver cannot detoxify protein metabolites, such as ammonia, leading to increased levels in the blood. Liver damage prevents use of metabolites in your body because the liver is unable to filter, convert or utilize end-products. Ammonia,...
Neurons in the brain communicate through neurotransmitters and electrical signals. When those electrical signals become abnormally excited, a seizure occurs. Seizures affect about 2 percent of adults, according to the Merck Manual Home Edition. In...
