Neurodegenerative Disorders
By Declan Wise
Neurodegenerative disorders/disease is a broad term used for a range of conditions which have been known to primarily affect the neurons in a human brain. These disorders/diseases can target any demographic and any age group but are most commonly seen in the elderly population. They have been increasing over the recent years with the elderly population as they have been increasing in numbers and living longer.
The neurons of the brain are the building blocks of the nervous system and are the target of any neurodegenerative disorder. When these neurons are damaged or destroyed they are unable to replace themselves. The death or damage of the nerve cells affect people’s ability to move, speak, breath and mental function.
A few of these disorders are Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Motor neuron disease, Huntington’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis. These diseases are just some of the disorders that affect your nervous system and start to cause neurodegeneration.
The cause of many neurodegenerative disorders is unknown and could be seen in anyone. Some are inherited through the family with having one or more of the faulty genes. The other factor that can have an impact is the environment. Multiple Sclerosis is one of those neurodegenerative disorders that can be seen to affect people in different climates.
Some of the common signs and symptoms of these disorders are:
- Memory loss
- Forgetfulness
- Balance loss
- Irregular gait patterns
These are just some of the most common signs and symptoms. There are many more from speech problems to hearing problems, etc.
Early diagnosis of these disorders is key and can help with starting rehabilitation or medication to help with symptoms. There is no cure for neurodegenerative disorders but recent studies and guidelines have shown that physical activity and treatment can help with these disorders as they all worsen the motor, cognitive and autonomic patterns of the body.
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