1. Cerebral Palsy
Cause unknown but may be due to birth injury or abnormal brain development
It is present at birth
Symptoms include:
Spastic quadriplegia
Head Rolling
Grimacing
Difficulty with speech and
swallowing

2. Cerebral Palsy Treatments
Physical Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Speech Therapy
No Cure!
Treat Symptoms!!

3. Parkinson’s Disease
Caused by a decrease of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Etiology is unknown though recent research has focused on looking for a specific gene

4. Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms: Tremors Shuffling Gait Pill-Rolling
Muscular Rigidity
Treatment:
L-dopa and other drugs to treat symptoms

5. Encephalitis Inflammation of the brain Cause – virus or chemical
Most common cause is herpes simplex virus that leads to hemorrhage of the temporal lobes or viruses from mosquitoes or animals
Symptoms
Fever
Lethargy
Extreme Weakness
Visual disturbances

6. Epilepsy
Seizure disorder of the brain, characterized by recurring and excessive discharge from neurons
Seizures believed to be a result of spontaneous uncontrolled electrical activity of neurons
Cause – Uncertain
Diagnosed with EEG (electroencephalogram)

7. Epilepsy Victims may have hallucinations and seizures
Two types of seizures
1. Grand Mal – severe, convulsive seizure.
2. Petit Mal – milder (sometimes like someone is just staring)
Treatment is anticonvulsant medications

8. Dementia
Loss of 2 areas of complex behavior, such as language, memory, visual and spatial abilities, or judgement
Interfers with person’s daily life.

9. Alzheimer’s Disease
Progressive disease that begins with problems remembering
Nerve endings in cortex of brain degenerate and block signals that pass between nerve cells
Abnormal fibers build up creating tangles
Cause is unknown

10. Alzheimer’s Disease First Stage (2-4 years) Confusion
    
Alzheimer’s Disease
First Stage (2-4 years)
Confusion
Short Term Memory Loss
Anxiety
Poor Judgement

11. Alzheimer’s Disease 2nd Stage (2-10 years) Increase in memory loss
Difficulty recognizing people
Motor problems
Logic problems
Loss of social skills
3rd Stage (1-3 years)
Inability to recognize oneself
Weight loss
Seizures
Mood swings
Aphasia

12. Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS
Immune cells attack myelin sheath of axon – myelin sheath destroyed, leaving scar tissue on the nerve cells.
Transmission of impulses blocked
Cause unknown

13. Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms: Weakness of extremities Numbness
Double Vision
Nystagmus
Speech problems
Loss of coordination
Possible paralysis
Usually strikes young adults age 20-40, mostly women
Rx – Avonex – slows progression
Multiple Sclerosis

14. Bell’s Palsy 7th Cranial nerve involved
Victim seems to have a stroke on one side of the face
Eye does not close properly
The mouth droops
Numbness on the effected side
Cause – unknown
Symptoms disappear within a few weeks

15. Trigeminal Neuralgia Involves 5th cranial nerve Cause – unknown
Onset – rapid
Symptoms Severe pain brought on by mild stimuli that lasts 2-5 seconds
Rx – analgesics or removal of nerve

16. Sciatica Form of neuritis that affects the sciatic nerve
May be rupture of lumbar disc or arthritic changes
Symptoms – pain which radiates through buttock, behind knee and down to foot
Rx – traction, physical therapy, possible surgery

17. Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)
Stroke or CVA
Interruption of blood and oxygen to the brain
Tissue death occurs
Third leading cause of death in the USA

18. Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)
Risk Factors:
Smoking
Hypertension
Heart Disease
Family History

19. Causes of CVA’s
90% caused by blood clots in the brain or the carotid arteries
Clots lodge in carotid arteries, blocking the flow of blood to the brain
10% caused by ruptured blood vessels in the brain

20. Symptoms of CVA Hemiplegia on opposite side of the body
Sudden severe headache
Dizziness
Sudden loss of vision in one eye
Aphasia
Dysphasia
Coma
Possible Death

21. Treatment of CVA 1. Get to the hospital immediately!
2. CAT scan done to determine etilology
3. If a clot, treatment aimed at dissolving the clot – usually use TPA.

22. Prevention of CVAs If TIAs – one asprin a day Stop smoking
Exercise and lose weight
Control hypertension

23. Types of Paralysis Paralysis – Loss of power of motion or sensation
Hemiplegia – paralysis on one side of body – usually seen with strokes
Quadriplegia – paralysis of all four extremtities
Paraplegia – paralysis of lower extremities only.

24. Diagnostic Tests for the Brain
MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging – uses a magnetic field along with a radio frequency to produce cross-section images of the body.
Patient inserted into chamber build within a huge magnet

25. Diagnostic Tests of the Brain
CAT Scan – (Computerized Axial Tomography)
Combines X-ray emission with nuclear medicine – produces cross-sectional images

26. Diagnostic Tests
Electroencephalogram (EEG) –recording of the electrical activity of the brain