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Important note on Parkinson’s disease you need to know.

Important note on Parkinson’s disease you need to know.

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Parkinson’s disease is a neurological condition that worsens over time. Movement issues are one of the earliest symptoms. Dopamine is a chemical that exists in the brain and is responsible for smooth and coordinated motions of the body’s muscles. The “substantia nigra” is a region of the brain where dopamine is made.

The substantia nigra cells begin to deteriorate in Parkinson’s disease. Dopamine levels drop as a result of this. Parkinson’s disease symptoms begin to show up when they have decreased by 60 to 80%.

Parkinson’s disease stages

Parkinson’s is a progressive illness, which means that over time, the condition’s symptoms usually get worse.

The Hoehn and Yahr scale is frequently used by doctors to categorise its stages. This scale categorises symptoms into five phases and aids medical practitioners in determining the severity of disease symptoms and signs.

Stage 1

Stage 1 is the mildest type is Parkinson’s. In fact, it’s so mild that you could not even notice any symptoms. Your regular activities and chores might not yet be affected by them.

Even if you do experience symptoms, they might just affect one side of your body.

Stage 2

It may take months or even years for stage 1 to move into stage 2. The experiences of each person will vary. You might feel symptoms at this stage, which is moderate such as:

Stiffness in your muscles can make regular tasks more difficult and take longer to complete. However, you probably won’t have any balance issues at this point.

The body’s two sides may experience the same symptoms. Posture, movement, and facial expression modifications may be more obvious.

Stage 3

The symptoms change course at this midpoint. You probably won’t develop any new symptoms, but they might become more obvious. They might also obstruct all of your daily activities.

Activities move more slowly as a result of the noticeable slower movements. Falls can grow more frequent as balance problems become more serious. However, people with Parkinson’s disease in stage 3 can typically keep their independence and carry out daily tasks without much help.

Stage 4

There are substantial modifications as the stages 3 and 4 proceed. Without a walker or other aid, it will be quite difficult for you to stand at this point.

Significantly slower reactions and muscle motions are also observed. It might be risky and unsafe to live alone.

Stage 5

In this most advanced stage, constant help is required due to the intense symptoms. Standing will be challenging, if not impossible. Most likely, a wheelchair will be needed.

Parkinson’s patients may also have disorientation, delusions, and hallucinations at this stage. The disease’s consequences can start developing in its latter stages.

Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease

Some of the early signs of Parkinson’s can show up years before there are any movement issues. These initial indications include:

  • reduced capacity to smell (anosmia)
  • constipation
  • tiny, squished handwriting
  • voice variations
  • hunched position

The four most prevalent motor issues include:

  • tremor (shaking that occurs at rest)
  • sluggish motions
  • rigidity in the arms, legs, and trunk
  • difficulties with balance and a propensity to tumble

Additional signs include:

  • blank look on the face
  • a propensity to become trapped while walking
  • low-pitched, muted speech
  • reduced swallowing and blinking
  • inclination to reverse direction
  • shortened arm walking while swinging
  • Parkinsonian gait, or the propensity to walk with shuffled steps

Additional signs and symptoms could be:

  • Seborrheic dermatitis is the condition when the skin develops flaky white or yellow scales on greasy areas.
  • greater likelihood of developing the deadly skin disease melanoma
  • vivid dreams, chatting, and movement while sleeping are all signs of disturbed sleep.
  • depression
  • anxiety
  • hallucinations
  • psychosis
  • issues with focus and memory
  • visual-spatial interactions are challenging

Parkinson’s disease’s early warning signals could go unnoticed. With these warning signals, your body may try to warn you of the movement issue years before any movement difficulties appear.

Causes of Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological condition brought on by alterations in the brain. Although the exact reason why it occurs is unknown, scientists have found some varieties that do.

Low dopamine levels

Parkinson’s disease symptoms are mostly brought on by low or declining levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine. It occurs when brain cells that make dopamine die.

The area of the brain that regulates movement and coordination receives information from dopamine. Therefore, it may be more difficult for people to control their movement when dopamine levels are low.

The severity of the symptoms gradually worsens as dopamine levels continue to drop.

low levels of norepinephrine

Damage to the nerve terminals that create another neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, which supports blood circulation and other natural bodily activities, may also be a component of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease patients with low norepinephrine levels may have both motor and nonmotor symptoms like:

  • rigidity and stiffness
  • physical unsteadiness
  • tremor
  • anxiety
  • having trouble focusing
  • dementia
  • depression

This may help to explain why orthostatic hypotension frequently occurs in persons with Parkinson’s disease. When someone stands up, their blood pressure fluctuations, which can cause dizziness and a chance of falling, is referred to as this.

The Lewy body

The brain of a person with Parkinson’s disease may have Lewy bodies, or clusters of the protein alpha-synuclein. Changes in movement, thinking, behaviour, and mood can result from the buildup of Lewy bodies, which can also result in nerve cell death. Dementia may also result from it.

Lewy body dementia is not the same as Parkinson’s disease, although because the symptoms are similar, some people may have both.

Genetic factors

Although mutations in numerous genes have been found to be associated with Parkinson’s disease, experts do not believe this to be a hereditary ailment.

Only 10% of cases, particularly in those with early-onset disease, seem to be genetic in nature.

Autoimmune factors

According to a 2017 study, there may be a hereditary connection between inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and Parkinson’s disease.

In 2018, Taiwanese health data were examined by researchers who discovered a 1.37-fold increased risk of Parkinson’s disease in patients with autoimmune rheumatic disorders.

Risk factors for parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s disease risk may be increased by a number of environmental variables.

These consist of:

  • Past traumatic brain injury: For instance, head traumas sustained while playing contact sports may raise the likelihood of the illness.
  • Exposure to toxins: These include metals, pesticides, solvents, and other contaminants.
  • Males are 50% more likely than females to have the illness, while a 2016 study found that the risk for females may rise with age.
  • Age: The illness frequently manifests around the age of 60.
  • Some pharmaceuticals: Some drugs can cause Parkinsonism, a condition in which a person exhibits tremors and other symptoms but does not have Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms typically start to show up around the age of 60. However, early-onset Parkinson’s, which manifests before the age of 50, affects 5–10% of those who have the condition.

Statistics in the past have indicated that Black Americans are less likely than people of other ethnicities to have Parkinson’s disease.

The lack of knowledge about how the disease can affect Black people and a higher likelihood of misdiagnosis as a result of unequal access to healthcare, according to experts, may be to blame for this.

REFERENCES:

  • https://www.healthline.com/health/parkinsons
  • https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323409
  • https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055
  • https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8525-parkinsons-disease-an-overview
  • https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/parkinsons-disease

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Important note on causes and treatment for brain cancer.

Important note on causes and treatment for brain cancer.

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The development of malignant cells in the brain leads to brain cancer. Depending on the type of tumour, the cancer cells produce slow- or fast-growing tumours.

The goal of brain cancer treatment is to remove the tumour and then eradicate any cancer cells that may still be present. In particular for slow-growing tumours, new advancements in brain cancer therapies are increasing survival rates.

What is brain cancer?

Primary brain cancer, commonly referred to as brain cancer, is characterised by an excess of brain cells that develops into masses known as brain tumours. Cancer, on the other hand, begins in another place of the body and progresses to the brain. It is referred to as secondary or metastasized brain cancer when that occurs.

Some malignant brain tumours have a rapid rate of growth. These cancerous tumours may interfere with how your body functions. Brain tumours should be treated as soon as they are discovered since they can be fatal.

Brain tumours are rather rare. People have a less than 1% lifetime chance of getting a malignant brain tumour, according to estimates from the American Cancer Society.

Types of brain tumors

Names for brain tumours are determined by their location within the brain or upper spine. A grade is also assigned to tumours. You can determine the projected rate of growth of a tumour by looking at its grade. Grades range from one to four, with four being the fastest-growing grades and one being the slowest.

The following are some of the most prevalent kinds of brain tumours:

  • Glioma. About 3 out of 10 occurrences of brain cancer are gliomas, which are brain tumours that start in the glial cells.
  • Astrocytoma. Glioblastomas, the kind of quickly-expanding brain tumour, are a subtype of astrocytomas.
  • Meningioma. Meningioma tumours, the most prevalent kind of brain tumour in adults, develop in the tissue that surrounds your brain and spinal cord and are frequently benign and slow-growing.
  • Ganglioglioma. Surgery is typically used to treat the slow-growing tumours known as gangliogliomas that are present in glial and neuronal cells.
  • Craniopharyngiomas. Craniopharyngiomas are slow-growing tumours that develop between the pituitary gland and the brain. Because they frequently encroach on the optic nerves, they can impair eyesight.
  • Schwannomas. Almost typically benign, schwannomas are slow-growing tumours that develop around the cranial nerves.
  • Medulloblastoma. Children are more likely to develop medulloblastomas, which are rapidly developing tumours that develop on the nerve cells in the brain.

Symptoms of brain cancer

The size and location of the brain tumour affect the symptoms of brain cancer. Particularly in its early stages, brain cancer exhibits many of the same symptoms as a number of less dangerous diseases.

Numerous of these symptoms are extremely typical and are not likely to be signs of brain cancer. However, it’s a good idea to see a doctor if you’ve had any of these symptoms for longer than a week, if they came on suddenly, if they don’t go away with over-the-counter painkillers, or if any of them worry you.

Typical signs of brain cancer include:

  • morning headaches that are typically worse
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • a miscommunication
  • a loss of equilibrium
  • having trouble walking
  • Memory problems
  • having trouble thinking
  • speech issues
  • vision issues
  • personality alters
  • inconsistent eye motions
  • body jerking
  • muscle jerking
  • unexpected fainting or syncope
  • drowsiness
  • tingling or numbness in the arms or legs
  • seizures

Early diagnosis significantly improves the prognosis for brain cancer. If you frequently suffer any of the aforementioned symptoms or suspect that your symptoms may be more serious, schedule an appointment with a doctor right away for a diagnosis.

Causes and risk factors

Primary brain cancer has an unidentified specific cause. However, studies have connected excessive ionising radiation exposure to a higher chance of developing brain cancer. The most frequent sources of ionising radiation include radiation therapy treatments, frequent medical imaging tests (CT scans and X-rays), and potential employment exposure.

Additional factors that could increase the risk of acquiring brain cancer include:

  • greater age
  • a history of brain cancer in the family
  • chronic smoking
  • being exposed to fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides
  • working with substances like lead, plastic, rubber, petroleum, and some textiles that might cause cancer
  • having mononucleosis or Epstein-Barr virus infection

Secondary brain cancer Some types of cancer are more likely than others to cause brain cancer, which develops when cancer that started in another part of your body travels to your brain.

The following cancers frequently metastasis, or spread, to the brain:

  • lung disease
  • mammary cancer
  • renal cancer
  • urethral cancer
  • melanoma, a form of skin cancer

How is brain cancer treated?

Brain cancer can be treated in a number of ways. A primary brain cancer will be treated differently than a cancer that has spread to other organs.

The kind, size, and location of your brain tumour will determine whether you receive one therapy or more. There will also be considerations for your age and general health.

Treatments for brain tumours include:

Surgery.

The most frequent form of treatment for brain tumours is brain surgery. Depending on the tumor’s position, it might be possible to remove it whole, partially, or not at all.

Chemotherapy.

These medications can reduce your tumour and kill brain cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered orally or intravenously.

Radiation treatment. 

Using high-energy waves like X-rays, this procedure eliminates cancer cells and tumour tissue that can’t be removed surgically.

Combination treatment.

Combination therapy refers to the simultaneous administration of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Biologic medicines

These medications support, guide, or restore your body’s natural tumour defences. For instance, immunotherapy is a class of biologic medication that is frequently prescribed and increases your immune system’s capacity to recognise and combat cancer.

Other medicines.

To treat symptoms and adverse effects brought on by your brain tumour and brain cancer therapies, your doctor may prescribe drugs.

Clinical studies.

Clinical trial medicines and drugs may be employed in advanced brain cancer instances that don’t respond to treatment. These are medications that are still being tested. An immunotherapy trial and a CAR T cell therapy trial may be part of clinical trials for brain cancer.

Rehabilitation.

If your disease or treatment have made it difficult for you to speak, walk, or perform other daily tasks, you might need to go to rehabilitation sessions. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other types of therapies are all included in rehabilitation. These treatments can assist you in relearnng activities.

Various forms of treatment.

There isn’t much evidence to back up the use of complementary medicines to treat brain cancer. To make up for the nutrients lost during cancer treatment, some medical specialists do advise taking measures like following a bland diet and taking vitamin and mineral supplements. 

Before making any dietary changes, using any herbs or supplements, or pursuing any alternative treatments, see your doctor.

How to reduce your risk of brain cancer?

Although there is no known way to prevent brain cancer, you can lower your risk by staying away from:

  • pesticide and insecticide exposure
  • exposure to cancer-causing substances
  • smoking
  • radiation exposure that is not essential

REFERENCES:

  • https://www.healthline.com/health/brain-cancer
  • https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/brain-cancer
  • https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brain-tumor/symptoms-causes/syc-20350084

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Important substancial factors to avoid Alzhiemer’s disease.

Important substancial factors to avoid Alzhiemer’s disease.

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What is Alzhiemer’s disease?

A form of dementia that progresses is Alzheimer’s disease. A condition that adversely impacts memory, thinking, and behaviour is referred to as dementia. The modifications make daily life more difficult. There are numerous possible causes of dementia, including diseases and brain traumas. Sometimes there is no known cause.

The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases are caused by Alzheimer’s disease. The condition is typically diagnosed in patients over the age of 65. Alzheimer’s disease is typically described as having a “early onset” or “younger onset” if it is discovered earlier. Alzheimer’s has no known cure, but there are medications that can halt the disease’s growth.

Importants facts about Alzhiemer’s disease

  • Alzheimer’s disease is a persistent, chronic (long-term) illness. It is not a normal ageing symptom.
  • Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are not the same thing. A form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Its symptoms appear gradually, and its degenerative effects on the brain result in a steady decline.
  • Alzheimer’s disease can affect anyone, but some people are more susceptible to it than others. People over 65 and those with a family history of the illness are included in this.
  • Alzheimer’s patients cannot be predicted to have a particular outcome. While some persons experience a slower onset of symptoms and a faster rate of disease progression, others experience lengthy lifespans with minor cognitive impairment.

What does Alzheimer’s disease look like?

Even though the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s may differ from person to person, memory issues are often one of the first signs of the disease. The very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease may also be indicated by a deterioration in other cognitive abilities, including the ability to express oneself clearly, problems with vision or spatial awareness, and impaired reasoning or judgement. However, not everyone who has minor cognitive impairment (MCI) will go on to acquire Alzheimer’s. MCI is a condition that can be an early indicator of the disease.

Alzheimer’s patients struggle with simple tasks like driving a car, preparing food, and paying their bills. They might repeatedly ask the same questions, become disoriented quickly, misplace items or put them in strange places, and find even the most basic of tasks to be confusing.

Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease

Everybody occasionally experiences moments of amnesia. However, those who have Alzheimer’s disease exhibit a number of persistent habits and symptoms that get worse with time. These may consist of:

  • Memory loss that interferes with regular tasks like remembering appointments
  • difficulty performing routine tasks, including using a microwave
  • inability to solve problems
  • difficulty speaking or writing
  • becoming uncertain of the time or location
  • reduced judgement
  • lower level of personal hygiene
  • changes in personality and mood
  • retreat from the community, family, and friends

These symptoms do not always indicate Alzheimer’s disease. To ascertain the cause, it’s crucial to visit a doctor.

As the condition progresses, the symptoms change. People with Alzheimer’s frequently experience substantial difficulty speaking, moving, or reacting to events around them in the later stages of the disease.

Causes of Alzhiemer’s disease(Factors to avoid)

According to current theories, the aberrant protein buildup in and around brain cells is what causes Alzheimer’s disease. Amyloid is one of the proteins involved, and deposits of it create plaques around brain cells.

The other protein is tau, which builds up inside brain cells to form tangles. Scientists now know that this process starts many years before symptoms manifest, even if the exact cause is unknown.

The chemical messengers (known as neurotransmitters) used to communicate or send signals between brain cells decline as brain cells are damaged. The brains of those who have Alzheimer’s disease have notably low levels of one neurotransmitter, acetylcholine.

Different parts of the brain diminish throughout time. Memory-related areas are frequently the first to be damaged. Different parts of the brain are affected in more uncommon forms of Alzheimer’s disease. Instead of memory issues, the earliest signs may be issues with vision or language.

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease

Examining brain tissue after death is the only surefire technique to determine if someone has Alzheimer’s disease. However, a doctor can measure your mental capacity, identify dementia, and rule out other disorders using different examinations and tests.

Taking a medical history will probably be the doctor’s first step. They might inquire as to:

  • symptoms
  • family’s history of illness
  • other health issues, present or previous
  • Medications taken now or in the past
  • alcohol consumption, nutrition, and other lifestyle choices

After that, your doctor will probably ask for a number of tests to see if you have Alzheimer’s disease.

What to do if you suspect Alzheimer’s disease

If you want to know if the symptoms you’re having are caused by Alzheimer’s disease or something more manageable like a vitamin deficiency or a drug side effect, make an appointment with your doctor.

A timely and correct diagnosis also gives you and your family the chance to think about financial preparation, create advance directives, sign up for clinical trials, and foresee care requirements.

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What are the possible side effects of using Serpentina?

What are the possible side effects of using Serpentina?

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A member of the milkweed family, rauwolfia (Rauwolfia serpentina), often spelled ravolphia, is a useful shrub. Its root is either marketed as pills or capsules, or it is ground into a powder and packaged in this way. It is a substance that is frequently utilised in Asian medicine, particularly the traditional Ayurvedic treatment that originated in India.

About 50 alkaloids, which are its active constituents, have been identified; however, reserpine, rescinnamine, and deserpidine seem to produce the strongest psychedelic effects. Indian snakeroot should not be confused with Yohimbe or Rauvolfia vomitoria. They are not equivalent.

Uses

Indian snakeroot is used to treat mental illnesses such agitated psychosis and insanity, as well as mild high blood pressure, anxiety, and sleeplessness. It is also used as a tonic for general debilities and for snake and reptile bites, fever, constipation, feverish intestinal problems, liver disorders, achy joints (rheumatism), fluid retention (edoema), and epilepsy.

Indian snakeroot has a substance that is similar to the prescription medication reserpine. Reserpine is used to treat schizophrenia, mild to severe hypertension, and a few signs of impaired circulation.

  • Difficulty sleeping (insomnia). Early research suggests that Indian snakeroot, when taken with two additional plants, may be able to treat insomnia.
  • Nervousness.
  • illnesses of the mind like schizophrenia.
  • Constipation.
  • Fever.
  • liver issues.
  • painful joints
  • due to inadequate circulation, leg spasms.
  • mildly elevated blood pressure
  • other circumstances

Side effects

When a standardised extract is administered under the guidance of a medical expert with experience using it, Indian snakeroot is POSSIBLY SAFE. Standardized Indian snakeroot has a predetermined dosage of medication. Indian snakeroot has a range of compounds, including reserpine, depending on the plant.

Indian snakeroot contains reserpine and other potentially hazardous compounds; therefore, a skilled healthcare expert must accurately calculate the dosage and monitor any side effects. Nasal congestion, stomach cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, drowsiness, seizures, Parkinson’s-like symptoms, and coma are just a few of the side effects that can range in severity from mild to serious. When driving or operating heavy machinery, Indian snakeroot should not be taken because it can impair reaction time.

SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS & WARNINGS

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Indian snakeroot is NOT SAFE to take during pregnancy or when nursing a baby. Indian snakeroot has compounds that could lead to birth abnormalities. Additionally, it is NOT SAFE to utilise this Indian snakeroot when nursing. It contains toxins that can enter breast milk and damage a nursing infant.

Shock therapy (electroconvulsive therapy, ECT): Indian snakeroot should not be administered by patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), also known as shock therapy. Indian snakeroot should be stopped at least a week before starting ECT.

Gall stones: Indian snakeroot may exacerbate gallstones and gallbladder disorders.

Stomach ulcers, intestinal ulcers, or ulcerative colitis: If you have ever experienced stomach, intestinal, or ulcerative colitis, you should not use Indian snakeroot.

Allergic reaction to reserpine or other drugs classified as rauwolfia alkaloids: If you have an allergy to any of these medications, avoid taking Indian snakeroot.

Depression: If you have depression or suicidal thoughts, avoid using Indian snakeroot.

Pheochromocytoma: An adrenal gland tumour that raises blood pressure to hazardous levels: In this case, stay away from Indian snakeroot.

Surgery: Indian snakeroot may hasten the central nervous system during surgery. There is a worry that it can make surgery more difficult by raising blood pressure and heart rate. Before any scheduled surgery, stop using Indian snakeroot at least two weeks in advance.

REFERENCES:

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