Posts Tagged ‘Neurological Disorders’
Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease
July 15th, 2010 | 
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It was James Parkinson who described the disease in 1817 under the name of paralysis agitans. “The etiology is unknown but pathophysiologically related to a deficiency of dopamine in the striatum, resulting from neuronal degeneration that mainly affects the compact zone of the substantia nigra (locus niger), the locus coeruleus and other properties in catecholamine-containing which are eosinophilic inclusions known as Lewy bodies “(JC Fustinoni).
The extrapyramidal motor system is the set of motor pathways that exert a major influence on spinal motor circuits, brain stem, cerebellum and cortex. Has fibers from the motor cortex that connect with the basal ganglia, particularly the caudate and putamen, as well as bulbar nuclei (red nucleus, substantia nigra and reticular formation) or midbrain and terminate in the anterior horn of the spinal cord.
Several hypotheses attribute the disease to genetic factors (genes have been identified as responsible mutants), metabolic (oxidative stress) or environmental (pesticides, aluminum). 10% of patients exhibit genetic predisposition. One out of every thousand people with the disease is less common in blacks and Japanese.
The onset of the disease is insidious and, retrospectively, patients may report having suffered from hyposmia, pain erratic confused as arthritic origin, dysesthesias burning sensations, depression, mental or seborrheic dermatitis, which can not always be taken into account as a prodrome.
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Introduction to Child Neurology
Childhood neurological cause much anguish in the family. However, thanks to scientific advances, most young patients can enjoy a full life today.
What would be the most frequent pathologies in this specialty.
There are two groups of diseases which, by their frequency in childhood and adolescence, represent the main reasons for consultation in the neurological specialty: developmental disorders and so encompass the paroxysms.
A substantial proportion of children has a developmental disorder of sufficient magnitude to require a specialized evaluation. The reasons for consultation vary by age:
In infants: is manifested in the acquisition of maturational patterns, especially motor. In Pre-school stage in the development of language disorders. By school age and adolescence: for disorders of learning and behavior.
A similar or lower rate at some time, a transient paroxysmal episode. These are manifested as a change at the level of motor behavior (convulsions, tics, etc..) Perceptual (headache, dizziness) of impaired breathing (apneas, breath) or level of consciousness (syncope). Within the spectrum of seizures, which may have different ways of presenting stand-febrile seizures.
What other causes of consultations may be cited?
Although less common genetic and chromosomal diseases and central nervous system malformations (Down syndrome, myelomeningocele) and neuromuscular diseases (muscular dystrophy, neuropathies, spinal atrophy), neurodegenerative diseases, some with known metabolic error (phenylketonuria, galactosemia , etc.).
The importance of technological advances.