Tag Archives: Brain Disorders

What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)? Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is a maladaptive behavioral disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and impulsivity, or both, that are developmentally (age) inappropriate. For these problems to be diagnosed as ...

What Is Schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a thought disorder characterized by psychotic symptoms and inappropriate and bizarre behavior. Schizophrenia involves dysfunction in any of these areas: Cognition which are thinking skills that include intellect, language, mathematical ability, memory, perception, reasoning, judgment, ...

What Is Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy? Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a progressive demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (brain) caused by JC virus that leads to rapid death. Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy usually occurs as an opportunistic infection in patients with ...

What Is Progressive Myoclonic Ataxia? Progressive myoclonic ataxia is a movement disorder characterized by defective muscular coordination of a muscle group with its origin in the brain. The pathology is in the cerebellum.1 Myoclonus in a context of progressive ataxia ...

What Is Occipital Lobe Epilepsy With Cerebral Calcifications? Occipital lobe epilepsy with cerebral calcifications is a seizure disorder that develops from calcium deposits in the brain. This condition is characterized by repetitive abnormal electrical discharges within the brain that may ...

What Is Migraine? Migraine is a neurologic disorder characterized by reduced cerebral blood flow that causes a severe headache. The pain is usually on one side of the head, pulsates, and is aggravated by bodily exertion that increases blood pressure. ...

What Is Epilepsy? Epilepsy is a dysfunctional disorder of the brain characterized by recurring seizures also called convulsions. Q: What happens in a seizure? A: During a seizure  abnormal electrical discharges occur within the brain. Not all seizures have the same intensity ...

What Is Cortical Calcifying Angiomatosis? Cortical calcifying angiomatosis is a cortical vascular (brain blood vessel) abnormality that is characterized by calcification of blood vessels and is usually present in the parietal or occipital cortical and subcortical regions of the brain.1 ...

What Are Brain Blood Flow Abnormalities? Brain blood flow abnormalities, or cerebral perfusion abnormalities, such as spasm of blood vessels causing inadequate blood flow to the brain, are characterized by impaired brain function and thinking. Q: What is cerebral perfusion? A: ...

What Is Brain Atrophy? Brain atrophy is a degenerative condition of the brain characterized by loss of brain tissue, causing the brain to shrink. Q: How does loss of brain tissue affect the body? A: Loss of brain tissue will ...

What Is Chorea? Chorea is a movement disorder characterized by brief, jerky, purposeless or writhing involuntary movements of the distal limbs, head, and face that may occur during voluntary movement or at rest. Chorea has a large number of causes, ...

What Is Gluten Ataxia? Gluten ataxia is a degeneration of the cerebellum (lower brain) caused by an immune reaction to gluten that is characterized by positive anti-gliadin antibodies, motor abnormalities including upper or lower limb ataxia, gait ataxia, and dysarthria ...

What Is Gait Ataxia? Gait ataxia is a cerebellar (lower brain) disorder characterized by defective muscular coordination of skeletal muscles used for locomotion (walking). Q: What is defective muscle coordination for walking? A: The cerebellum does not initiate movements but ...

What Is Type I Diabetes Mellitus? Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), also termed type 1A, is an inherited autoimmune disorder in which anti-islet autoantibodies destroy the islet cells of the pancreas that secrete insulin hormone. Type 1 diabetes mellitus was formerly ...

What Is Increased Appetite? Increased appetite is the increased desire for food. Q: What causes appetite. A: Appetite is caused by hunger. The brain monitors nutritional needs and employs a hunger mechanism to alert us when fresh food is needed. Hunger is ...