Chapter 13 Diseases of the Nervous System and the Special Senses

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Chapter 13Diseases of the Nervous System and the
Special Senses
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Organs and Function

• Brain Three major areas Cerebrum, cerebellum,
  brain stem all covered by meninges. CSF formed
  in ventricles of cerebrum as well as nerve cell
  bodies, the cerebellum controls voluntary
  movement, the brain stem is the vitals center
  because it regulates heart and lungs.
• Spinal cord within vertebral column, contains
  tracts of nerve fibers to ascend to and descend
  from brain carrying messages to and from muscles,
  organs, and glands

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Organs and Function

• Autonomic Nervous system houses sympathetic and
  parasympathetic nervous systems. Controls
  homeostasis, i.e. blood pressure, heart rate,
  gastrointestinal function, sweating, temperature
  and other involuntary actions
• Sensory Nervous system Sensations detected from
  eyes, ears, skin, muscles, tendons, internal
  organs and transmitted to central nervous system
  (spinal cord, brain)

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Organs and Function

• Motor Nervous system controls discrete
  movements of skeletal muscles, helps muscles work
  together, speech, motor skills

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Diagnostic Tests

• EMG Electromyelography Radiographic process
  viewing spinal cord and spinal subarachnoid space
  to identify spinal lesions caused by trauma or
  disease.
• EEG Electroencephalography - Records
  electrical activity of the brain to diagnose
  lesions or tumors, and seizures, in impaired
  consciousness.
• MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging To view and
  record tissue characteristics at different
  planes. To visualize brain soft tissue, spinal
  cord, tumors, hemorrhages

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Diseases of the Nervous SystemSigns and symptoms

• Meningitis High fever, chills, severe headache,
  stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, rash, delirium,
  convulsions, coma
• Encephalitis Mild-severe headache, fever,
  cerebral dysfunction, disordered thought,
  seizures, persistent drowsiness, delirium, coma
• Poliomyelitis Stiff neck, fever, headache, sore
  throat, GI disturbances, possible paralysis

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Diseases of the Nervous SystemSigns and symptoms

• Tetanus Rigidity of muscles, painful spasms and
  convulsions, stiff neck, difficulty swallowing,
  clenched jaws
• Shingles Painful rash (sm water blisters w/red
  rim) lesions along sensory nerve on one side of
  body, severe itching, scarring
• Abscess Fever, headache
• MS Multiple Sclerosis Muscle impairment,
  double vision, loss of balance, tingling,
  numbing, tremors, weakness, emotional changes,
  remission, exacerbation

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Diseases of the Nervous SystemSigns and symptoms

• ALS Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disturbed
  motility, muscle atrophy in hands, forearms, and
  legs, impaired speech and swallowing, death from
  pulmonary failure (3-4 years)
• Convulsion epilepsy Involuntary contractions,
  seizure shows illness not disease. Petit mal
  brief loss of consciousness. Grand mal aura ,
  total loss of consciousness, convulsions,
  hypersalivation

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Diseases of the Nervous SystemSigns and symptoms

• Spina bifida Opening in vertebral canal,
  meningocele, nerve tissue disorganized
• Hydrocephalus - Enlarged head develops
• Cerebral Palsy Seizures, visual or auditory
  impairment, speech defects. Spastic tense
  muscles, reflexes exaggerated. Athetoid
  Uncontrollable, persistent movements, tremor.
  Atactic Poor balance, poor muscular
  coordination, staggering gait

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Diseases of the Nervous SystemSigns and symptoms

• TIA Mini strokes Visual disturbances, muscle
  weakness on one side, sensory loss on one side,
  slurred speech, lasts minutes to hours, avg is 15
  min
• CVA Stroke Severe, sudden headache, muscular
  weakness or paralysis, speech disturbance, loss
  of consciousness
• Alzheimers Disease Memory loss, moody,
  indignent

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Diseases of the Nervous SystemSigns and symptoms

• Conjunctivitis Inflamed eye surface, oozing
• Glaucoma Elevated intraocular pressure, dim
  vision
• Cataracts Blurred, dim vision
• Macular degeneration Central vision loss
• Diabetic retinopathy Blurred, cloudy vision to
  blinded

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Diseases of the Nervous SystemSigns and symptoms

• Otitis media Internal fluid pressure, fever
• Tinnitus Ringing, roaring internal sounds
  without real external sounds
• External Otitis Discharge, pus