Neural Disorder Topics

Here is a list of possible neurological disorders to write about for your 5 page written project (with a link to the wikipedia page for a quick read -- but you'll be expected to use other sources from PubMed for your actual report).

After reviewing this list, go to the Canvas Quiz "Neural Disorder Topics". Indicate your choice on the first quiz question. You can also choose a topic which is not on this list. Just fill in the blank on the second quiz question

Alzheimer's disease. chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and worsens over time, the cause of 60% to 70% of cases of dementia.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/Lou Gehrig’s. also known as motor neurone disease (MND), and Lou Gehrig's disease, is a specific disease which causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles.

Angelman syndrome. a genetic disorder with symptoms of a small head and a specific facial appearance, severe intellectual disability, developmental disability, speech problems, balance and movement problems, seizures, and sleep problems. Children are usually happy in nature and have a particular interest in water.

Aphasia. inability to comprehend and formulate language because of damage to specific brain regions.

Bell's palsy. a type of facial paralysis that results in an inability to control the facial muscles on the affected side.

Beriberi / Wernicke’s / Korsakoff. thiamine deficiency; weight loss, emotional disturbances, impaired sensory perception, weakness and pain in the limbs, and periods of irregular heart rate.

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease. inherited disorder of the peripheral nervous system characterized by progressive loss of muscle tissue and touch sensation across various parts of the body.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy. a neurodegenerative disease found in people who have had multiple head injuries. Symptoms may include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking.

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. caused by a protein known as a prion; memory problems, behavioral changes, poor coordination, and visual disturbances; later dementia, involuntary movements, blindness, weakness, and coma occur.

Diabetic neuropathy. nerve damaging disorders associated with diabetes mellitus.

Down syndrome. a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21; physical growth delays, characteristic facial features and mild to moderate intellectual disability.

Epilepsy. epileptic seizures are the result of excessive and abnormal neuronal activity in the cortex of the brain.

Fragile X syndrome. a genetic disorder; mild to moderate intellectual disability.

Guillain–Barré syndrome. a rapid-onset muscle weakness caused by the immune system damaging the peripheral nervous system; initially changes in sensation or pain along with muscle weakness, beginning in the feet and hands; spreads to the arms and upper body, with both sides being involved.

Huntington's disease. also known as Huntington's chorea, is an inherited disorder that results in death of brain cells; as the disease advances, uncoordinated, jerky body movements become more apparent.

Myasthenia gravis. a long-term neuromuscular disease that leads to varying degrees of skeletal muscle weakness.

Narcolepsy. long-term neurological disorder that involves a decreased ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles.

Parkinson's disease. a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system; shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty with walking.

Phantom limb. the sensation that an amputated or missing limb is still attached.

Prader–Willi syndrome. a genetic disorder; beginning in childhood the person becomes constantly hungry which often leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Rabies. a viral disease that causes inflammation of the brain; violent movements, uncontrolled excitement, fear of water, an inability to move parts of the body, confusion, and loss of consciousness.

Restless legs syndrome. a disorder that causes a strong urge to move one's legs.

Retinitis pigmentosa. a genetic disorder of the eyes that causes loss of vision.

Rett syndrome. a genetic brain disorder ;problems with language, coordination, and repetitive movements. Often there is slower growth, problems walking, and a smaller head size.

Reye's syndrome. a rapidly progressive encephalopathy; vomiting, personality changes, confusion, seizures, and loss of consciousness.

Shingles/Herpes zoster. a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area; typically the rash occurs in a single, wide stripe.

Stroke. a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death; an inability to move or feel on one side of the body, problems understanding or speaking, feeling like the world is spinning, or loss of vision to one side.

Temporal lobe epilepsy. a chronic disorder of the nervous system characterized by recurrent, unprovoked focal seizures that originate in the temporal lobe of the brain and last about one or two minutes.

Tinnitus. the hearing of sound when no external sound is present; often described as a ringing, it may also sound like a clicking, hiss or roaring.

Traumatic brain injury. occurs when an external force injures the brain; physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral symptoms, and outcome can range from complete recovery to permanent disability or death.

Vestibular disorders. causes an individual to feel unsteady, for example when standing or walking. It may be accompanied by feelings of giddiness, or wooziness, or having a sensation of movement, spinning, or floating.

Von Hippel–Lindau disease. a rare genetic disorder with multisystem involvement. It is characterized by visceral cysts and benign tumors with potential for subsequent malignant transformation; headaches, problems with balance and walking, dizziness, weakness of the limbs, vision problems, and high blood pressure.

Wilson's disease. genetic disorder in which copper builds up in the body; tremors, muscle stiffness, trouble speaking, personality changes, anxiety, and seeing or hearing things that others do not.