Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder that impairs your body's ability to get rid of extra copper. The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that Wilson's disease causes an accumulation of copper in your eyes, brain,...
Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder of copper metabolism; specifically, excess copper accumulates in the liver and can lead to death if not treated, According to Aftab Ala and colleagues in February 2007 in "The Lancet." Brain imaging...
Parkinson's disease is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by such symptoms as involuntary tremors, slowing of motions (bradykinesia), rigid muscles, stooped posture, unsteadiness, changes in speech and dementia. Parkinson's disease also...
Numerous diseases can cause muscle spasms. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, muscle spasms or cramps are sudden, involuntary muscle contractions that last for up to several minutes....
Numerous conditions can cause a dopamine deficiency. According to the University of Texas at Austin, dopamine -- an important neurotransmitter in the brain -- is important for a person's mental and physical health. Neurons containing dopamine are...
Liver disease is not actually one disease but a collection of diseases, infections and conditions that affect the function and cells of the liver. There are a number of essential functions the liver is responsible for, including the breakdown and...
Skin discoloration can be caused by environmental exposure, congenital factors and certain medical conditions, according to the MedlinePlus website. In some cases, skin discoloration and weight loss are symptoms of a common condition or disease....
Metabolic diseases are caused by genetic birth defects that interrupt the body's metabolism and affect close to one out of 4,000 people, report doctors at the Mayo Clinic. There are thousands of different metabolic disorders that cause a specific...
Numerous diseases are associated with a low blood protein count. According to the MedlinePlus website, albumin is a protein manufactured by the liver. Albumin is the main protein in the plasma component of blood, which is called serum. Albumin...
Molybdenum is an electron carrier for enzymes that reduce excess nitrogen in the body. People obtain molybdenum from such foods as legumes, grains, leafy greens and nuts. A molybdenum deficiency is rare, usually occurring only when a person has...
Zinc is a trace mineral found in protein-rich foods such as pork, beef and peanuts. The recommended amount of zinc a person should consume daily is between 2 and 13 mg, depending on age, gender and medical condition, according to the Office of...
Digestive disorders affect about 70 million Americans and require nearly 60 million doctor, outpatient and emergency room visits, as reported by Johns Hopkins Health Alerts. Some of the most common digestive disorders include ulcers,...
Genetic diseases are those that are passed down from parent to child through defective genes. Genes are the units of deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) that carry the code for a specific trait. Defects in genes that code for specific proteins and...
Copper, an essential trace element needed by the human body, can be found in various food and non-food sources. You have between 75 and 150 mg of copper in your body at any given time, with half of it found in your bones and muscles. Another 10...
Copper is necessary for several bodily functions, but you only need a small amount of it each day. While rare, consuming too much copper can lead to toxicity, which is characterized by many adverse symptoms. An inherited condition known as...
Copper is an essential trace mineral in humans and is required for the functioning of several enzymes needed to maintain life. The recommended daily allowance of opper is .9 milligrams per day. Excess levels of copper, however, are associated with...
The kidneys normally function by pulling excess acid from the blood and eliminating it from the body through urination. Distal renal tubular acidosis, also known as Type I RTA, is a disease that occurs when the kidney's tubes fail and do not allow...
Vitamins and minerals perform many vital biological functions in your body, including providing structure for your bones, assist enzymes in metabolic reactions, maintain proper vision, support your immune system and heal wounds. However, too much...
Copper is a trace mineral that you need in small amounts to maintain certain aspects of your normal body function. Under everyday circumstances, the copper levels in your body are closely related to your levels of another trace mineral, zinc....
The basal ganglia is a group of nerve cells located at the base of the brain that control movement of the muscles. Damage to the basal ganglia affects a person's motor ability, or the ability to control bodily muscle movements. A number of...
Tremors are rhythmic, oscillating, shaking movements over which a person has no control. Most tremors in children and adults occur in the hands, and depending on the severity, they may make it difficult to perform daily manual tasks....
Low uric acid levels affect only 0.5 percent of the normal population each year, according to UpToDate. Uric acid is a chemical naturally produced and excreted by your body. While high blood levels of uric acid are common and may result in...
According to the Mayo Clinic, liver function tests are blood tests that doctors use to determine whether a patient has a damaged or diseased liver. Some of the tests assay the blood levels of certain enzymes that the liver secretes into the blood...
When Fanconi syndrome is caused by a treatable condition such as Wilson's disease, it can subside when that condition is treated. Likewise, if Fanconi syndrome is caused by heavy metal poisoning or a reaction to another substance, avoiding that...
Copper is a mineral essential for health. Since your body cannot manufacture its own copper, your diet must provide the amounts you need for your body to work properly. Your body uses the copper in your diet to provide the blood with hemoglobin,...
Genetic disorders that affect how certain substances are broken down by the body are a common cause of Fanconi syndrome. These conditions include fructose intolerance, galactosemia and glycogen storage diseases. Most of these disorders are treated...
Abnormal accumulation of fat in liver cells causes a condition called fatty liver or steatosis. Fatty liver is important because it can trigger an inflammatory reaction, which may cause liver scarring and possibly cirrhosis. Steatohepatitis is the...
In many cases, skin discoloration on the legs and unexpected weight loss will be the result of two entirely different conditions. Often, neither are serious. However, certain conditions can cause both of these symptoms at once. If you notice leg...
Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme, or a protein that the cells use to make a biochemical reaction go at a faster pace. The normal range of alkaline phosphatase for a child is 40 to 400 IU/L. The level can rise as a result of normal metabolic...
