Neuroscience

Getting Started Memory Quizchevron_right Migraine Headaches Quizchevron_right Parkinson Disease Quizchevron_right Today in Health News Scrolling, Staring at Screens Could Give You 'Tech Neck' Read this Article More Health News Calculate Your Health Stroke: Test Your Knowledge True or false: There's no way of predicting if or when someone will have a stroke. About the Brain and Nervous System See All  Anatomy of the Brain in About the Brain and Nervous System The brain is an important organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, respiration, and every process that regulates your body. ...more  Understanding Skull Base Tumors in About the Brain and Nervous System The skull base offers support from the bottom. Think of it as the floor of the skull, where the brain sits. Tumors can form at the base of the skull. ...more  Anatomy of the Spinal Cord in About the Brain and Nervous System Made up of bundles of nerves, the spinal cord carries signals from your body to your brain, and vice versa. ...more  Neurological Exam in About the Brain and Nervous System A neurological exam may be performed with instruments, such as lights and reflex hammers, and usually does not cause any pain. ...more  Overview of Nervous System Disorders in About the Brain and Nervous System Disorders of the nervous system include stroke, infections, such as meningitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and functional disorders, such as headache and epilepsy. ...more  Neurology in About the Brain and Nervous System Neurology is the branch of medicine that is concerned with the study and treatment of disorders of the nervous system. ...more  Neurological Surgery in About the Brain and Nervous System Neurological surgery is used to treat disorders of the brain, spine, and nerves. The healthcare provider who specializes in neurological surgery is called a neurosurgeon or neurological surgeon. ...more  Endovascular Neurosurgery and Interventional Neuroradiology in About the Brain and Nervous System Endovascular neurosurgery is a subspecialty within neurosurgery. It uses catheters and radiology to diagnose and treat various conditions and diseases of the central nervous system. ...more Neurological Tests and Procedures See All Detailed Tests and Procedures  See All  Diagnostic Tests for Neurological Disorders in Neurological Tests and Procedures Evaluating and diagnosing damage to the nervous system is complicated and complex. Many of the same symptoms occur in different combinations among the different disorders. ...more Neurological Conditions and Diseases See All Back and Neck Pain See All Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries See All Brain and Spinal Tumors See All Epilepsy and Seizures See All Multiple Sclerosis  See All Neurological Infections See All Neuromuscular Diseases See All Other Neurological Conditions  See All Parkinson's and Movement Disorders See All Peripheral Nerve Conditions See All  Low Back Pain in Back Pain, Care of the Back Everyone has experienced low back pain at one time or another. Most people can recover from low back pain with home treatment, such as changes in activity, weight loss, quitting smoking, and other steps. Sometimes medicine or surgery is needed. ...more  Pinched Nerve in Back Pain Radiculopathy, commonly called pinched nerve, often occurs in the low back....more  Corticosteroid Shots in Care of the Back Corticosteroid injections can treat many skeletal, muscular, and spinal conditions. Some of these injections can be done by your healthcare provider during a routine clinic visit. Others need a referral to a pain specialist. ...more  Neck Pain in Neck Pain Your neck is at risk for injury because of its location and range of motion. Neck pain can be caused by injury, age, or inflammatory disorders. ...more  Cervical Spondylosis in Neck Pain Cervical spondylosis is a type of arthritis that affects your neck. This condition becomes more common with age, and most people who are older than 60 have it....more  Head Injury in Brain Injuries A head injury is a broad term that describes many injuries that occur to the scalp, skull, brain, and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the head. Head injuries are also commonly referred to as brain injury, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), depending on the extent of the head trauma. ...more  Traumatic Brain Injury in Brain Injuries Acquired brain injury hapens when a sudden, external, physical assault damages the brain. It is one of the most common causes of disability and death in adults....more  Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in Spine Injuries Car accidents, falls, and other injuries are a common cause of acute spinal cord injury....more  Spinal Cord Compression in Spine Injuries Spinal cord compression can occur anywhere along your spine. Symptoms include numbness, pain, and weakness. ...more  Anatomy of the Brain in About Brain Tumors The brain is an important organ that controls thought, memory, emotion, touch, motor skills, vision, respiration, and every process that regulates your body. ...more  Brain Tumor: Risk Factors in About Brain Tumors Healthcare providers do not know exactly what causes a brain tumor. But certain factors may raise your risk. ...more  Brain Tumors: Chemotherapy in Deciding on Treatment Chemotherapy uses medicines to kill cancer cells. The medicines attack and kill cells that divide rapidly. Some of these rapidly dividing cells are cancer, but others are normal cells in the body. ...more  Brain Tumors: Radiation Therapy in Deciding on Treatment There are 2 main types of radiation therapy. Healthcare providers can give it from a machine outside the body or from small radioactive pellets placed inside or near the tumor. ...more  Spinal Cord Tumor Overview in About Spinal Tumors A tumor forms when an abnormal cell grows to form a mass of abnormal cells. Spinal cord tumors are tumors that form on the spinal cord or in the area around it. ...more  Epilepsy and Seizures in Epilepsy and Seizures Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes a person to have seizures. It's one of the most common disorders of the nervous system. ...more  Status Epilepticus in Epilepsy and Seizures A seizure that lasts at least 30 minutes is called status epilepticus, or a prolonged seizure. This is a medical emergency that may lead to permanent brain damage or death. Many medical experts become concerned that a seizure is status epilepticus after it lasts 5 to 10 minutes. ...more  Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the fatty tissue that surrounds the nerves is destroyed. When this happens, the nerves are unable to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain. It causes muscle weakness, impaired coordination, and fatigue. ...more  Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis in Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that interferes with your brain's ability to operate your body....more  Bacterial Meningitis in Neurological Infections Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. It causes headache, stiff neck, and high fever. ...more  Meningitis in Neurological Infections Meningitis is inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain. Meningitis can be caused by either a virus or bacteria. Bacterial meningitis may be life-threatening. ...more  Types of Muscular Dystrophy and Neuromuscular Diseases in Neuromuscular Diseases Muscular dystrophy is a group of inherited diseases that are characterized by weakness and wasting away of muscle tissue, with or without the breakdown of nerve tissue. ...more  Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) in Children in Neuromuscular Diseases Muscular dystrophy (MD) is an inherited (genetic) disorder of the muscles. It is called a neuromuscular disease. There are several types. Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a rare type. ...more  Acoustic Neuroma in Other Neurological Conditions Acoustic neuroma is a rare noncancer tumor. It affects hearing and balance when the tumor presses on the nerves in the inner ear. ...more  Bell Palsy in Other Neurological Conditions Bell's palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis that begins suddenly and worsens over 48 hours. It is caused by a damaged facial nerve. ...more  Parkinson Disease in Parkinson's Disease Parkinson disease is a motor system disorder that causes trembling, stiffness and trouble moving. ...more  Parkinson Disease and Dementia in Parkinson's Disease Parkinson disease is a movement disorder that can cause muscles to tighten and become rigid. It can make it hard to walk and engage in daily activities. ...more  Ataxia in Other Movement Disorders Ataxia means without coordination. People with ataxia lose muscle control in their arms and legs, which may lead to a lack of balance, coordination, and trouble walking. Ataxia may affect the fingers, hands, arms, legs, body, speech, and even eye movements. ...more  Dystonia in Other Movement Disorders Dystonia is a body movement disorder. It causes your muscles to contract, move involuntarily, or get stuck in an abnormal position. ...more  Brachial Neuritis in Peripheral Nerve Conditions Brachial neuritis is nerve damage that affects the chest, shoulder, arm, and hand. It causes pain, weakness and lack of muscle control and lack of feeling in the shoulder or arm. ...more  Brachial Plexus Injuries in Peripheral Nerve Conditions The brachial plexus can be injured in many different ways - from pressure, stress, or being stretched too far. The nerves may also be damaged by cancer or radiation treatment. Sometimes, brachial plexus injuries happen to babies during childbirth. ...more Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders See All Other Dementias See All  Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Alzheimer disease is a disease that affects the brain and nervous system. It is a type of dementia that happens when nerve cells in the brain die. ...more  Early-Onset Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Alzheimer disease most commonly affects older adults. But it can also affect people in their 30s or 40s. When Alzheimer disease occurs in someone younger than age 65, it is known as early-onset (or younger-onset) Alzheimer disease. ...more  Stages of Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Alzheimer disease is a type of brain disorder. It causes memory loss, confusion, and changes in personality. It is a type of dementia. ...more  Caring for Someone with Alzheimer Disease in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders Alzheimer disease is a progressive condition, which means that it keeps getting worse. Eventually, people with Alzheimer disease need help with daily activities because they lose the ability to dress, bathe, and feed themselves. ...more  Helping Someone with Memory Loss in Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders In older people, it's easy to mistake memory problems for the everyday forgetfulness that some people have as they grow older. ...more Headaches See All About Headaches See All Cluster and Tension Headaches See All Migraines See All  Headache in About Headaches Nearly everyone has suffered from a headache. This article discusses several types of headache, how they are diagnosed and treated. ...more  Increased Intracranial Pressure (ICP) in About Headaches A brain injury or some other health problem can cause growing pressure inside your skull. This dangerous condition is called increased intracranial pressure (ICP). It can lead to a headache. It can also further injure your brain or spinal cord. ...more  Cluster Headaches in Cluster and Tension Headaches Cluster headaches are rare and cause severe pain that tends to recur in the same way each time. Cluster headaches occur in groups, or clusters, and each attack lasts about 1 to 3 hours on average. ...more  The Cluster Headache: Just Like Clockwork in Cluster and Tension Headaches Cluster headaches -- called "cluster" because of their pattern of striking in groups or clusters -- hit at the same time of day for a period of weeks or months, then vanish as suddenly and as mysteriously as they appeared. ...more  Migraine Headaches in Migraines This often severe, throbbing type of headache is different from other types of headaches in that symptoms other than pain occur with the headache. Nausea and vomiting, lightheadedness, sensitivity to light (photophobia), and other visual disturbances are common migraine symptoms. ...more  How a Migraine Happens in Migraines A look at what we know about how migraine pain starts....more Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases See All Stroke Overview See All Signs and Symptoms of Stroke See All Stroke Treatment and Recovery See All Stroke Prevention See All Other Cerebrovascular Diseases See All  Types of Stroke in Stroke Overview Strokes are classified as either ischemic or hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are caused by the blockage of an artery. Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. ...more  Stroke in Stroke Overview, Signs and Symptoms of Stroke, Stroke Treatment and Recovery A stroke, or brain attack, happens when blood flow to your brain is stopped. It is an emergency situation. ...more  Effects of Stroke in Stroke Treatment and Recovery When an area of the brain is damaged, which typically occurs with a stroke, an impairment may result. An impairment is the loss of normal function of part of the body. Sometimes, an impairment may result in a disability, or inability to perform an activity in a normal way. ...more  Tests to Diagnose a Stroke in Stroke Treatment and Recovery Tests that may be used to help diagnose a stroke include a CT scan or MRI, and an electroencephalogram. ...more  Arteriovenous Malformations in Other Cerebrovascular Diseases Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) happen when a group of blood vessels in your body forms incorrectly. Here's what you need to know. ...more  Carotid Artery Disease in Other Cerebrovascular Diseases Carotid artery disease causes a narrowing of the major blood vessels that supply the brain. It is caused by atherosclerosis and can lead to a stroke. ...more Understanding Rehabilitation See All Rehabilitation Team See All Family and Community See All  Neurological Rehabilitation in Understanding Rehabilitation Neurological rehabilitation (rehab) helps people with diseases, injury, or disorders of the nervous system. It can often increase function, ease symptoms, and improve a person's well-being. ...more  Overview of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) in Understanding Rehabilitation PM&R is a medical specialty that works to restore function for a person who has been disabled due to a disease, disorder, or injury. ...more Children & Neurological Conditions See All Brain and Nervous System Overview See All Brain Tumors See All Congenital and Hereditary Conditions See All Other Neurological Conditions  See All  Anatomy of a Child's Brain in Brain and Nervous System Overview The brain can be divided into 3 main parts: the cerebrum, the brainstem, and the cerebellum....more  Neurological Exam for Children in Brain and Nervous System Overview Is it time for your baby to have a full physical exam? Your pediatrician might want to conduct a "neuro exam." Don't worry, this series of tests designed to evaluate your child's nervous system is painless. Here's what it entails. ...more  Brain Tumors in Children in Brain Tumors A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. The brain is part of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS also includes the spinal cord. ...more  Anencephaly in Children in Congenital and Hereditary Conditions Anencephaly is a birth defect that affects the brain and skull bones. With this condition, the brain isn't fully formed. It often lacks part or all of the cerebrum. ...more  Cephalic Disorders in Congenital and Hereditary Conditions Cephalic disorders affect the central nervous system as it develops. They may also affect the brain and the growth of the skull. ...more  Kids' Headaches: The Diagnosis Is Difficult in Headaches Most headaches in kids are caused by tension, not disease. Your pediatrician can determine what kind of headache your child has. ...more  Headaches in Children in Headaches A headache is pain or discomfort in one or more areas of the head or face. Headaches can happen once in a while. Or they may happen often. ...more  Acute Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in Children in Injuries Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is when the spinal cord is damaged from an accident or other situation. An SCI may be a bruise (contusion), a partial tear, or a complete tear (transection) in the spinal cord. ...more  Head Injury in Children in Injuries A head injury can be as mild as a bump, bruise (contusion), or cut on the head. Or it can be a concussion, a deep cut or open wound, broken skull bones, internal bleeding, or damage to the brain. Head injuries are one of the most common causes of disability and death in children. ...more  Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD) in Children in Neuromuscular Diseases Muscular dystrophy (MD) is an inherited (genetic) disorder of the muscles. It is called a neuromuscular disease. There are several types. Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) is a rare type. ...more  Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in Children in Neuromuscular Diseases Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare genetic condition that weakens your child's muscles. It appears in young boys, usually between ages 2 and 5....more  Absence Seizures in Other Neurological Conditions Absence seizures are a type of epilepsy that most often occur in children. Read on for details about this condition. ...more  Brain Abscess in Children in Other Neurological Conditions An abscess is a pocket of infection. In the brain, an abscess may be in one or more areas. This condition may cause problems with how the brain and spinal cord function. It is a serious and life-threatening condition that needs to be treated right away. ...more Interactive Tools See All  Alzheimer Disease Quiz Find out more about this degenerative disease of the brain by taking this quiz....more  Back Care Quiz Back pain is a common complaint, but how serious is it? Take this quiz and see how much you know about back care. ...more Multimedia See All  Ankylosing Spondylitis Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the ligaments and joints of the spine, especially the lower back. As the disease progresses, it can lead to a stooped posture. In this video, you'll find out how this condition develops and the treatments available....more  Exercises for a Healthy Back Most people will have back pain at some time in their lives. But you don’t always need the help of a doctor to fix it. Sometimes exercise is all that you need to relieve the pain. Watch and learn exercises to keep your back feeling good....more