Neurological disorders Flashcards
what is a neurological disorder?
conditions that affect a person’s brain and nervous system functioning
What is Parkinson’s disease?
a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the nervous system
what is epilepsy
abnormal electrical activity in the brain which results in seizures.
what is contemporary research on neurological disorders?
machine learning - use of artificial intelligence
gut brain axis - communication between gut and brain (goes both ways)
what are some motor symptoms of parkinsons?
tremors, muscle rigidity, balance/posture instability, slowness of movement
what are some non-motor symptoms of parkinsons?
fatigue, cognitive problems, anxiety and depression
what is cte?
chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a neurodegenerative disease caused by repetitive head trauma. It results in the death of neurons over time, ultimately leading to death.
what are the symptoms of cte?
impairments in reasoning and decision making, memory loss, depression, anxiety and paranoia, attention and concentration difficulties
how is cte diagnosed?
it is diagnosed after death during a post mortem examination, to see if there is a build up of protein tau in the brainstem, hippocampus and cerebral cortex. This leads to neurofibrillary tangles which ‘strangles’ neurons, causing them to die.
