Brain diseases come in many forms. In this article, we list five neurological disorders that can permanently affect the brain.
The brain is a complex but crucial organ that is responsible for performing several functions in the body. These functions may include regulating body temperature, controlling emotions, thoughts, breathing, heartbeat, sensations, and motor skills. Maintaining brain health is important to effectively combat diseases that can cause serious complications, such as cognitive loss and even permanent brain damage in some cases. Serious conditions, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI), stroke, brain tumors, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, can impair brain health.
On World Brain Day, Dr Pankaj Agarwal, Head of the Department of Neurology at Gleneagles Hospital Parel Mumbai, shared five common neurological conditions that can affect brain functioning. Scroll down to read!
World Brain Day 2024: 5 common conditions that can damage the brain
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) refers to a brain injury following a road accident where the head receives a physical impact resulting in brain trauma. It can severely affect the brain cells and create disturbances in carrying out daily activities. TBI usually occurs when a person suffers a sudden jolt or injury to the brain or body. It is one of the leading causes of permanent disability and even death in India and around the world. This can disrupt communication between nerve cells. It also causes the release of certain chemicals in the brain that can aggravate the symptoms.
- Stroke: This is a serious condition that occurs due to a sudden reduction in blood flow to a large or small part of the brain. Brain cells are unable to get nutrients and oxygen through the blood, resulting in brain cells dying within a few minutes. It can significantly affect the ability to move one or both sides of the body or face, speak, see, and even think and make simple decisions. Stroke can be serious and potentially life-threatening, and if patients get to the hospital in time, they may benefit from emergency clot-busting medication or clot removal (thrombectomy).
- Brain tumor: A type of condition that causes abnormal growth of brain cells. It can negatively affect brain health and function, leading to problems such as difficulty maintaining proper balance, frequent mood swings, and sudden changes in the way you think, speak, or hear. Brain tumors can be benign (noncancerous cells) or malignant (cancerous cells).
- Parkinson’s Disease: In this condition, a person experiences certain symptoms such as tremors, slowness and stiffness of movement, poor balance when walking, or lack of coordination. It can also cause symptoms such as memory problems, hallucinations, lack of smell, constipation and sleep deprivation, and increased frequency of urination. These symptoms start to worsen over time and affect a person’s daily life. This happens when the brain is unable to produce enough of a brain chemical called dopamine. Recognizing the symptoms early and treating them with medication can improve the quality of life. In advanced cases, deep brain stimulation or DBS can be very helpful for PD.
- Alzheimer’s disease: This is a progressive brain disorder, meaning it begins to worsen over time and can cause significant damage to the brain. This leads to the person experiencing serious complications, such as mood swings, memory loss that makes it difficult to remember certain events or situations, difficulty completing daily activities, and a decreased sense of smell. People with Alzheimer’s should be cautious and rely on frequent support from family members or loved ones to complete daily activities.
Remember that taking the necessary precautions and safety measures regarding brain health is essential. For example, wearing a helmet when riding a bike, recognizing the symptoms of brain disease early, seeing a neurologist, avoiding tobacco and smoking, treating diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease, and doing regular physical activity to keep the brain healthy.
