Illnesses of the nervous system

Illnesses of the nervous system

To keep the nervous system try and do the following...

• Lead an orderly life and try to keep a regular timetable with an even balance between resting and leisure

• Do not consume any type of drugs because these cause alterations in the nervous systems that can be severe and irreversible

• Perform intellectual and mental exercises regularly to keep the nerve functions working well.

• Try to eat foods rich in Vitamin B1, B3 and phosphorous because the nervous system needs them to function.

Stress

• One of the important ones is to avoid stress.

• This term refers to a combination of reactions that take place in our body as a response to stimuli that we interpret as a threat.

• A defensive reation, at first, is not harmful because it prepares us for danger.

• The problem arises when you have these situations too frequently.

Open Ended

What things trigger stress?

STRESS!

Stress caused by, but are not limited to the following: personal problems, too much work, frightening situations, ongoing anxiety and a very fast paced lifestyle.

Nervous System Diseases

There are many nervous system diseases and disorders. They are classified into three groups: degenerative, mental and others.

Alzheimer's

• Alzheimer's causes the destruction of neurons in the cerebral cortex, causing symptoms such as loss of memory, disorientation, behavioural disorders, dementia and the progressive deterioration of intellect.

Parkinson's

Involuntary trembling is typical for people who have this disease. The trembling is particularly noticeable in the sufferer's hands.

Fill in the Blank

Which famous actor is known to suffer from Parkinson's?

(Hint: he stars in Back to the Future)

Multiple Sclerosis

This disease is related to the immune system. THe myelin sheaths and the neurons destroy each other which slow down the nerve impulses. This affects almost the entire body, causing a loss of balance and motor impairment

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

This is a type of neuromuscular disorder that causes the loss of function and the death ofmotor neurons that are responsible for carrying the electric signals to the muscles. This causes a slow paralysis that will lead to death.

Fill in the Blank

Which famous person died of ALS? (Hint: The film 'The Theory of Everything' is about his life)

Schizophrenia

This is characterised by a lack of coordination between thoughts, feelings and actions. The patient can have hallucinations and develop unpredictable behaviour. This leads the sufferer to live in their own world, distanced from reality.

Neurosis

These are chronic disorders that come from an intense internal conflict due to an inability to adapt to or cope with reality.

Eating Disorders

• Bulimia and Anorexia are mental disorders related to eating.

• People with bulimia go through periods of eating lots of food very quickly (binge eating) and then make themselves sick, among other things, to try to stop themselves gaining weight.

• People who have anorexia try to keep their weight as low as possible by not eating enough food or exercising too much, or both. This can make them very ill because they start to starve.

• People with anorexia often have a distorted image of their bodies, thinking they are fat even when they are underweight.

• Both these diseases are common in teenagers.

Depression

• This is a disorder characterised by anxiety, a sense of failure, a general llack of interest and several physical symptoms, such as sleeping disorders, digestive problems, headaches and tiredness

Epilepsy

This is characterised by seizures and a loss of consciousness, often because of visual stimuli.

A number of factors cause it: genetics, tumours, head injuries and others.

Multiple Choice

Which new video game was called a 'serious risk to gamers with epilepsy' due to it's visuals?

• Bladerunner 2049

• Among Us

• Cyberpunk 2077

• Call of Duty

Narcolepsy

This is an autoimmune disease that may be genetic. It provokes uncontrollable sleepiness during the day, sleep disorders and even hallucinations.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT a symptom of Narcolepsy?

• Uncontrollable sleepiness during the day

• Hallucinations

• Sore muscles

Multiple Choice

Which disease causes uncontrollable trembling in the sufferer?

• Dementia

• Alzheimer's

• Parkinson's

• ALS

Multiple Select

Bulimia and Anorexia are most common amongst old people.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which disease is characterised by lack of coordination between thoughts feelings and actions.

• Schizophrenia

• Neurosis

• Psychosis

• Quadrophenia

Multiple Choice

In which disease does the sufferer have hallucinations AND develop unpredictable behaviour

• Narcolepsy

• Schizophrenia

• Neurosis

• Thrombosis

Multiple Choice

Which disease did people raise money for research for by doing the ice bucket challenge?

• Parkinson's

• Anxiety

• Depression

• ALS

Multiple Select

Which of these are symptoms of depression? (select multiple)

• sleeping disorders

• digestive problems

• fatigue

• hallucinations

• headaches