Brain lesion is a general term for an unusual area of brain tissue, and is typically linked to a brain disorder or injury. Appetite suppressants can sometimes cause side effects related to your brain and nervous system, but brain lesions have not...
The mineral zinc is vital to the cells of the body for it fulfills several important functions, but the recommended daily allowance depends on the age and sex of the individual taking it. Zinc toxicity can cause several symptoms, and taking too...
Small vessel disease---SVD---of the brain occurs when the small arteries and arterioles in the brain become damaged and deteriorate due to the buildup of plaque, the formation of small tears, or the arteries becoming hard and inflexible. This...
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) can progress from a mild difficulty with walking and sight to a debilitating or even fatal disease. Demyelination of nerves and lesions on the brain cause a "short circuiting" of electrical impulses to various parts of the...
The large and small blood vessels of the body are responsible for the circulation of blood, oxygen and nutrients to the brain and tissues of the body. Diseases of the small blood vessels in the brain results in a eduction in the flow of blood to...
The University of Connecticut Health Center states that almost everyone experiences atrophy of the brain, also called cerebral atrophy. Atrophy of the brain changes the structuring of the brain, specifically an enlargement of the sulci which are...
Neurologists specialize in disorders and diseases that affect the brain and the nervous system. Since the eyes can be affected by some of these conditions, doctors who specialize in neurology may be needed to diagnose and treat certain visual...
Mitochondria have the important job of changing the nutrients within a cell into energy. Yet, it has only been 10 years since mitochondrial diseases have gained importance, according to Gregory Barsh, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Pediatrics and...
Cerebral malaria is a dangerous form of malaria which affects the brain. Cerebral malaria is caused by plasmodium falciparum, a protozoan parasite. Plasmodium falciparum causes ring-like lesions in the brain leading to changes in mental status and...
Small vessel disease, a disease that affects the blood flow through the brain, describes the most prevalent neurological disorder of the brain, according to the American Stroke Association. The risk of developing small vessel disease increases...
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines long-term memory loss as difficulty remembering events that occurred further in the past. Long-term memories are formed when short-term memories, or non-permanent memories, are consolidated in the...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recognizes monosodium glutamate, a popular food additive known better as MSG, as safe. However, news reports and scientific research question whether MSG is healthy and whether it's part of the reason the...
Nicotinic acid, also known as niacin or vitamin B3, is a component of the water-soluble B complex vitamins that play a crucial role in various metabolic processes in the body. Foods such as yeast, dairy products, meat, fish, beans, green...
Almost 36 million Americans are afflicted with tinnitus, the American Academy of Otolaryngology says. Tinnitus is a condition characterized by a ringing or other high-pitched noise in one or both ears that occurs without any corresponding external...
The human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, causes the AIDS disease. It duplicates itself after it enters white blood cells called the CD4+ T lymphocytes. The infection progresses as the virus destroys these blood cells. As the number of CD4+ T...
Brain tumors occur in various places within the cranium or skull. Many benign tumors can threaten life but in a different way than the malignant ones. Because a tumor occupies space, it infringes on what little space the brain has within the...
There are several diseases associated with epilepsy. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures or violent muscle spasms....
Ear infections, also called otitis media, can become severe and cause distress, particularly in infants and children. Infants are more susceptible to ear infections because their auditory canals are more horizontal compared to older children and...
Before you know if a loss of muscle coordination is caused by ataxia, you need to define the different types of this physical impairment. Sporadic ataxia, for instance, progresses very slowly and may be difficult to diagnose, especially if there...
Boxing is an exciting but dangerous sport that requires physical fitness, dexterity and endurance. Amateur and professional boxing leagues provide guidelines for weight classes, match regulations, illegal moves and other facets of the sport. If...
A grand mal seizure, also known as a tonic-clonic seizure, is caused by generalized, unregulated impulses throughout the entire brain, resulting in muscle rigidity, convulsions and lack of consciousness. While most grand mal seizures have no known...
The brain stem serves as a “highway” that connects the rest of the brain to the spinal cord and through the spinal cord, to the rest of the body. The brain stem helps regulate breathing, digestion, heart function, sexual function and...
Neurosurgeons perform brain surgery for a variety of medical reasons, including brain tumors, epilepsy, vascular malformations and traumas. Brain surgeries have been performed for thousands of years and typically required removal of a portion of...
As a child is growing, different parts of his brain specialize in different language-related functions. Thus, the left hemisphere typically begins to process most aspects of linguistic function while the right hemisphere specializes in other...
In the United States, stillbirth is defined as a pregnancy that terminates at 20 weeks gestation or more. According to "The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine," in the United States, stillbirths occur in about 1 percent of all births...
When a brain tumor/lesion is the cause of apraxia, sometimes the apraxia can be cured or diminished by treating the cause. Surgery, radiation and chemotherapy are the standard courses of treatment for a brain tumor. Even after treatment, it's...
The largest brain lobe in the cerebrum, the frontal lobe is responsible for essential brain functions, like language, judgment, memory, motor function, problem solving and impulse control, according to the Centre for Neuro Skills. Because of its...
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids, or healthy fats. These are essential nutrients for the body, but the body cannot make them. They are necessary for good health and are associated with the reduction of heart disease and proper...
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates that 400,000 Americans have multiple sclerosis. MS is a chronic, autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. The cause of MS is not known, but MS is more common in...
