Brain and nerves

Messages relay between the brain and the motor and sensory nerves of the body in a constant 'conversation'.

Brain death differs from other states of unconsciousness in important ways.

Brain surgery is performed for a number of reasons, including alterations in brain tissue, brain blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid.

Folic acid taken before conception, and during at least the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, can prevent around 7 out of 10 cases of neural tube defects.

A wide range of illnesses, conditions and events can cause coma.

The nervous system helps all the parts of the body to communicate with each other.

Loss of memory can be temporary or permanent, but 'amnesia' usually refers to the temporary variety.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is characterised by physical deterioration of the brain, dementia and walking difficulties

Dementia is not a normal part of ageing and can happen to anybody.

Although nearly all of us will experience a headache during our lifetime, persistent headaches need to be medically investigated with tests such as scans, eye tests or sinus x-rays.

Migraine causes a severe and throbbing headache, usually on one side of the head, as well as symptoms such as nausea.

Hydrocephalus is the abnormal enlargement of the brain cavities (ventricles) caused by a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid.

Leukodystrophy refers to a group of inherited disorders that affect the white matter of the brain, which causes loss of normal brain functions.

A stroke is when blood can’t get to all parts of your brain and is a medical emergency. If blood can’t get through, your brain can be injured.

In its earlier stages, an acoustic neuroma can present similar symptoms to other, less serious conditions, which may delay diagnosis and treatment.

Brain cancer symptoms and treatment depend on which part of the brain is affected.

Gliomas are brain tumours associated with the three types of glial cell in the brain.

A meningioma is a non-cancerous brain tumour and responds well to treatment.

Generally, pituitary tumours are benign and slow growing, and pituitary cancers are extremely rare.

Medication can provide seizure control for approximately 70 per cent of people with epilepsy.

Good seizure management is an important part of reducing the risks associated with epilepsy.

Learn about your epilepsy so that you can make informed decisions about your lifestyle.

Epilepsy most commonly begins in childhood or in older adulthood, although it can begin at any age. People over 65 years of age have the highest incidence of epilepsy of any age, accounting for almost a quarter of cases of new onset epilepsy.

Many people living with epilepsy are successfully employed across a range of professional fields.

It is rare for a person with epilepsy to have a seizure during physical activity, but you should always take safety precautions when exercising.

Epilepsy is a common condition of the brain in which people experience recurrent unprovoked seizures. Most people living with epilepsy progress well as learners through primary and secondary school, further education and training.

Children with epilepsy generally have seizures that respond well to medication, and they enjoy a normal and active childhood.

A febrile convulsion is a fit that occurs in children when they have a high fever.

Fibromyalgia is a condition associated with widespread pain and tenderness.

Medicinal cannabis is a legal, high quality medicine that can be prescribed for people by their doctor.

The majority of people with Bell's palsy, around 90 per cent, will recover completely with time.

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by repetitive hand movements, pregnancy and arthritis.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful condition of a person?s arm, hand, leg or foot, which occurs after an injury, such as a fracture.

Type 2 diabetes may be prevented, but it cannot be cured.

Diabetes is the most common cause of neuropathy

Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve that causes blurred, grey and dim vision.

To the casual observer, a person with Friedreich's ataxia may seem to be drunk.

Most people with Guillain-Barré syndrome experienced some form of viral or bacterial infection before the onset of symptoms.

Neuralgia is pain in a nerve pathway. Generally, neuralgia isn’t an illness in its own right, but a symptom of injury or a particular disorder.

Pins and needles is a sensation of uncomfortable tingling or prickling, usually felt in the hands or feet.

Most cases of sciatica resolve by themselves within six weeks to three months.

Childhood apraxia of speech affects a person?s ability to organise the muscles used in speech.

Dyslexia is a type of specific learning difficulty (SLD) in which the person has difficulties with language and words.

Children who stutter should see a speech pathologist, preferably before they start school.

Many quadriplegics could live more independent lives with a highly specialised operation called tendon transfer surgery.

Folate can prevent up to 70 per cent of spina bifida cases if taken daily for one month before conception and during the first three months of pregnancy.

Most people who have a spinal cord injury are young males, who have a greater tendency to indulge in risky behaviour.

A child with spinal muscular atrophy type 1 rarely lives beyond three years of age.

Syringomyelia is the growth of a cyst in the spinal cord that may result in paraplegia or quadriplegia if not treated.

The CT scan is a medical imaging procedure that uses x-rays and digital computer technology to create detailed images of the body.

In a person with epilepsy, an electroencephalogram (EEG) may show bursts of abnormal discharges in the form of spikes and sharp wave patterns.

The MRI scan is a medical imaging procedure that uses a magnetic field and radio waves to take pictures inside the body.

PET scans are tests that show how an organ or tissue is working.

An x-ray examination uses a special machine to take two-dimensional pictures of internal body structures to help diagnose conditions or injuries.