The 15 most common diseases of the nervous system

The nerves that run through our body can be affected by many health problems.

When we talk about the nervous system, we usually think of the brain, and indeed it is one of the most important elements of the nervous system.It is indeed one of the most important elements that make up the nervous system.

However, the brain alone would be unable to interact and control the different organs and allow us to move and perform behaviors that facilitate our adaptation, or even survival, if there were not an entire system dedicated to it. We are talking about the nervous system as a whole.

Its correct functioning is vital for the human being. However, there are different disorders and diseases that can jeopardize its proper functioning and greatly limit our capabilities, and even cause death. For this reason, in this article we are going to talk about different types of diseases of the nervous system.

Diseases of the nervous system

There are a large number of disorders and diseases that affect the nervous system.

Although they can also be considered as such those diseases that affect the brain and cerebellum, in this article we will try to focus on those that cause an effect on the entire nervous system, both at the central and peripheral nervous system level..

1. Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a disorder produced by a hyperactivation of certain neuronal groups which, for neuronal groups which for some reason are hypersensitized.and at a minimum activation they react abnormally producing diverse symptoms like the typical convulsions (although these only happen in the case of the crises of great evil), loss of conscience, incoordination and lack of control of the muscles and viscera, slowing and weakness.

Tumors

There are a great number of tumors that can affect the nervous system, whether they originate in it or if it is affected by the metastasis of a cancer in another part of the organism. Among these tumors we can find astrocytomas, glioblastomas, gliomas, meningiomas, medulloblastomas or medulloblastomas, among others.

The damage is caused by cell proliferation as well as by the rupture of synaptic connections or the compression of neurons or the compression of neurons against other structures.

3. Locked-in syndrome

This strange syndrome has its origin in lesions of the brain stem or in the nervous connections. The subject is conscious but cannot communicate or move due to the lack of nerve connection between the brain and other parts of the body.

4. Multiple sclerosis

Demyelinating disorders are a group of disorders in which the axons of the neurons progressively lose the substance called myelin, which is of great importance when it comes to bioelectrical impulses through the nervous system.. 

This causes the organism to gradually lose the ability to send messages efficiently to the body, producing symptoms such as muscle tension, weakness, pain and perceptual alterations.

5. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

In this disease there is a progressive deterioration of the motor cells of the nervous system, which gradually die. Thus, over time the muscles stop receiving nerve impulses and eventually atrophy. This prevents voluntary movement.. 

Also, as the disorder progresses, it can eventually affect the cardiac and respiratory muscles and lead to death.

6. Diabetic neuropathies and other metabolic disorders

The presence of metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus can cause severe damage to nerves and neurons throughout the body. Nerve fibers become damaged and blood vessels are unable to properly direct the flow of blood due to improper glucose metabolism.

In the case of diabetesthese problems are especially visible in the extremities, especially in the lower extremities. It can also affect organs such as the eyes or even the heart.

7. Infections

Infectious diseases can greatly affect the set of neurons and structures that make up the nervous system. HIV and untreated syphilis can alter and damage neurons.. So can herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus and rabies. Encephalitis, meningitis, immunodeficiency that facilitates the action of other viruses and neuronal necrosis and death are frequent.

8. Dementias

This type of diseases of the nervous system, especially localized in the brain, are characterized by a progressive degradation and loss of neurons and their normal functioning, causing the loss of different cognitive and motor skills.

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's or Huntington's chorea. are diseases that involve or may involve (not all people with Parkinson's disease go on to develop dementia as such, for example) the progressive deterioration of nerve fibers.

9. Mononeuropathies

Injury to a peripheral nerve by various mechanisms, such as continued compression, the presence of infection or hemorrhage or sectioning.

10. Polyneuropathies

Inflammatory process of various nerves or nervous tracts that generate a variety of symptoms such as tingling or loss of control and sensitivity, muscle atrophy, weakness, diarrhea, erectile dysfunction or cardiorespiratory alterations, among others.

11. Trauma and sectioning

Although they are not illnesses per se, the presence of blows and injuries can cause the nerves and neurons present in different parts of the body to be damaged and unable to perform their normal functions.

Perception or control of muscle groups or even relevant organs may be lost. or even relevant organs. Depending on the type of injury, it can even lead to cardiac arrest and death.

12. Guillain-Barré syndrome and other autoimmune diseases

Some autoimmune diseases, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, can cause our immune system to attack our our immune system to attack the nerves of the the nerves of the nervous system, which damages them and makes it difficult or impossible to transmit nerve signals.

13. Autonomic dysreflexia

Disease produced by the lesion of the spinal cord and that a hyperactivation of the autonomic nervous system, in addition to a spectacular and dangerous increase in Blood Pressure due to the difficulty of blood pressure regulation in the non-innervated areas below the spinal cord lesion.

14. Monoplegia, hemiplegia and tetraplegia

The sectioning or damage of the nerve fibers of the nervous system can cause paralysis of parts of the spinal cord. can cause paralysis of specific parts of the body.. This paralysis can occur at a specific point of the body (monoplegia), on one side of the body (hemiplegia) or even in all limbs (tetraplegia), making movement and even tactile perception of these areas impossible.

15. Neuralgia

The neuralgias are a group of diseases and disorders of the nervous system that are characterized by the presence of pain derived from a malfunction, pinching or alteration of theThe neural pathways linked to pain perception are pinched or altered.

Bibliographical references:

• Adams, R.D. (1997). Principles of Neurology. 6th edition. McGraw-Hill.
• Bannister, C, Tew, B. (1991). Current Concepts in Spina Bificla & Hydrocephalus. London: Mac Keith Press.