Neurological Disorders

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Neurological Disorders
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Dementia

• A degenerative syndrome characterized by deficits
  in memory, language, and mood.
• The most common form Alzheimers Disease
• Usually slow onset
• Characterized by three stages.

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What happens in the brain?

• Plagues Tangles
• Signs Symptoms
• Short-term memory loss
• Psychosis, aggression, may have personality
  changes,
• Eventually loss of judgment, unable to care for
  oneself

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Alzheimers Association, 2011
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Alzheimers Association, 2011
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Alzheimers Association, 2011
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Alzheimers Association, 2011
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Those affected by Alzheimers

• Caregiver burden is high
• Who are the caregivers?
• 17.5 billion hours of unpaid care to patients
  with Alzheimers (Alzheimers Association, 2013)
• Estimated value of 216 billion
• Medicare is the largest payer for paid care
  (hospitals, doctors, etc)

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Treatment / Prevention

• Medications available to help slow progression,
  treat some symptoms

• Lifestyle factors
• Vitamin E

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• Parkinsons Disease

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Parkinsons Disease (PD)

• Movement disorder that results from degeneration
  of nerve cells in basal ganglia.
• Cause Unknown
• Environmental factors may be key, especially
  undetected viruses

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Signs Symptoms of PD

• Tremor
• Rigidity
• Loss of reflexes
• Mask-like facial expression

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Surgical Treatment of PD

• Deep brain stimulation
• Generates electrical activity
• Not curative

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Treatment / Prevention of PD

• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Supportive care
• Prevention??

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• Multiple Sclerosis

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Multiple Sclerosis

• Chronic, progression disorder of unknown origin.
• Possible causes
• Viruses, immunologic reaction to virus, bacteria,
  trauma, autoimmunity, and genetics.
• Cause remains inconclusive

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Signs Symptoms of MS

• Muscle impairment
• Loss of balance / poor coordination
• Numbness / tingling
• Difficulty speaking clearly
• Double vision

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Treatment Prevention of MS

• Currently, no cure
• Some therapies may help with symptoms
• Physical Therapy
• Muscle relaxants
• Acupuncture
• Connection to Vitamin D???

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• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

• AKA Lou Gehrigs Disease
• Chronic, terminal, neurological disease
  characterized by progressive loss of motor
  neurons.
• Cause unknown
• Slightly more common in men

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Symptoms of ALS

• Early symptoms include
• Tripping, dropping things, abnormal fatigue of
  arms/legs, slurred speech, muscle cramps
• As the disease progresses
• Difficulty in lifting, walking or using
  arms/hands, chewing, swallowing and eventually
  breathing become difficult
• Only affects motor neurons

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Treatment / Prevention of ALS

• Early education to patient and family on how to
  care for patient.
• Special attention to airway
• Can it be prevented?