Espaņol

The Brain and the Nervous System

The brain coordinates the nervous system and regulates many body functions. It controls the conscious activities and the principal autonomic functions such as heartbeat and breathing.

Encephalitis

Encephalitis is the inflammation of brain matter. Several virus, like rubella, varicella, and the whooping cough, can cause this infection. Among the main symptoms are high fever, headaches, fatigue, and drowsiness.

Apoplexy

Apoplexy is also called brain haemorrhage. It ocurrs when the brain lacks normal blood pressure, when a blood clot penetrates it, or a blood vessel breaks, or hypertension causes a brain aneurysm. The apoplexy destroy the nervous cells which control particular parts of the body, causing paralysis.

Meningitis

The inflammation of the meniges, the membrane that covers the brain and the spinal marrow, is called meningitis. The most common type of meningitis is the epidemic cerebrospinal, which is produced by the meningococcusbacteria. There are several kinds of non-epidemic meningitis such as the tuberculostatic, pnemococcal, staphylococcical and viral meningitis.

Sclerosis

Sclerosis is the result of the body movement's discoordination and the degeneration of nervous tissues. Drowsiness is the main symptom of the muscle atrophy. In general, physiotherapy and massages help to soothe the muscle's movement.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is an anormaly of the nervous system. The most common and dangerous type of epileptic seizure is the grand mal. During the attack, the person that suffers from the grand mal loses his/her consciousness. He/She convulses due to the tension of the muscles. Foam comes out of the person's mouth and his/her eyes turn white. It is advisable to stick a spoon or a wood stick in between the teeth to prevent any damages to the tongue. Children suffer from another kind of epilepsy called petit mal. The sypmtoms between the petit mal and the gran mal are relatively similar. However, the epileptic crisis caused by the petit mal is shorter (thirty seconds) than the grand mal (up to fiver minutes).

Cerebral Tumors

Cerebral tumors can be malignant or beningn. Beningn tumors may grow for years before symptoms appear. Symptoms may include lost of balance or coordination, and impairment sight or smell. Diagnosis of a brain tumor requires CAT (Computer ?? Tomography) or MRI (Magnetic Resonance imaging).

Cerebral Trauma

Fracture of the cranium may cause cerebral trauma. Loss of consciousness, or bleeding from the nose, eye, or the mouth may indicate that the brain has suffered a fracture and a severe injury.

Headaches

Headaches, such as the migraine, can be chronic. In most cases, an aspirin aliviates the headache. However, if the headache persists, it may be indicative of a brain tumor or arterial hypertension.

Tics

A tic is an involuntary and intermittent spasmo of a muscle. A tic could be the result of fatigue, anxiety, an emotional conflict, or a neurologiscal disease.