Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. It is neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. The motor neurons travel from the brain to the spinal cord and from the spinal cord to the muscles in the body. The progressive deterioration of the motor neurons in ALS finally lead to their death. When the motor neurons die then the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. Read more
Chiari Malformation - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prognosis
Chiari malformations (CMs) are structural defects in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance. When the indented bony space at the lower rear of the skull is smaller than normal, the cerebellum and brainstem can be pushed downward. The resulting pressure on the cerebellum can block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and can cause a range of symptoms including dizziness, muscle weakness, numbness, vision problems, headache, and problems with balance and coordination. Read more
Oppositional Defiant Disorder - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) as a recurrent pattern of negativistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that persists for at least 6 months. Behaviors included in the definition include the following: losing one’s temper; arguing with adults; actively defying requests; refusing to follow rules; deliberately annoying other people; blaming others for one’s own mistakes or misbehavior; and being touchy, easily annoyed or angered, resentful, spiteful, or vindictive. Read more
Schizophrenia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Schizophrenia, from the Greek roots schizein and phr’n, phren is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality. It most commonly manifests as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions or disorganized speech and thinking in the context of significant social or occupational dysfunction. Onset of symptoms typically occurs in young adulthood, with approximately 0.4–0.6% of the population affected. Diagnosis is based on the patient’s self-reported experiences and observed behavior. No laboratory test for schizophrenia currently exists. Read more
Tourette’s Syndrome - Causes, Symptoms, Prognosis
Tourette’s Syndrome (also known as Tourette’s Disorder) is a fairly common childhood-onset condition that may be associated with features of many other conditions. Thus, what started as a site for parents and educators on Tourette’s Syndrome expanded to include other conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, non-OCD anxiety disorders, Executive Dysfunction, depression, Bipolar Disorder, autism spectrum disorders including Asperger’s Disorder, ‘rage attacks,’ sensory integration issues, and sleep disorders. Read more
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by excessive, uncontrollable and often irrational worry about everyday things, which is disproportionate to the actual source of worry. This excessive worry often interferes with daily functioning, as individuals suffering GAD typically catastrophise, anticipate disaster, and are overly concerned about everyday matters such as health issues, money, family problems, friend problems or work difficulties. Read more
Depression Medication
Depression refers to any downturn in mood. Depression is relatively very transitory and perhaps due to something very trivial. Depression needs to be addressed as early as possible. If depression is neglected will lead to clinical depression which is more complex to treat. Read more
Cerebral Palsy - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term for a group of disorders affecting body movement, balance, and posture. Loosely translated, cerebral palsy means “brain paralysis.” Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal development or damage in one or more parts of the brain that control muscle tone and motor activity (movement). The resulting impairments first appear early in life, usually in infancy or early childhood. Infants with cerebral palsy are usually slow to reach developmental milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking. Read more
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder can be a distressing medical condition, both for the people who have it and for those around them. When you have borderline personality disorder (BPD), you have difficulty controlling your emotions and are often in a state of upheaval — perhaps as a result of harmful childhood experiences or brain dysfunction. Read more
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive compulsive disorder, also called OCD, is a disorder characterised by recurrent and unstoppable anxious thoughts associated with repetitive actions that help to ease these thoughts. These thoughts are called ‘obsessions’ and arise in a person’s mind, over which he apparently has no control. The person tries to banish them, often unsuccessfully. Attempting to do so can often lead to greater anxiety. Instead, he ends up repeating the actions, called compulsions, to erase the thoughts. Read more
