The human brain is like a large complex computer that directs and controls the functions of the nervous system. It acts as a center for both receiving and sending reactions to the stimuli around us. Everyone knows that the brain is an important part of the body, but how much do we know about the brain and its functions?

What is the nervous system?

Like a large control room, the nervous system is made up of all the nerve cells in the body. It acts as a center for information that is passed from the external environment through various senses, then analyzes the information and directs the organs to respond appropriately to each stimuli. For example, when our hands touch a hot plate, the information is sent to the nervous system along with the pain to the brain. Our nervous system automatically and immediately tells us to let go of the plate.

The nervous system is divided into two parts categorized by their location:

·       Central Nervous System consisting of nerve cells, brain, and spinal cord.

·       Peripheral Nervous System consisting of other nerve cells that are not located in the central nervous system.

Function of the nervous system

The function of the nervous system depends on billions of neurons that do lots of different things. For example, sensory neurons receive information from the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin and relays it to the brain for processing and response. Motor neurons are responsible for receiving orders from the brain and spinal cord to control the functions of various organs.

All neurons transmit information to each other through electrochemical processes until they form a network which affects thinking, learning, movement, and our behaviors. This can be divided into different aspects as follows:

·       Intelligence and memory

While the neurons of a newborn are not connected, when a child learns something new, a lot of information is transmitted between neurons until it becomes connected and becomes a nerve impulse which affects the child’s intelligence.

·       Basic body functions

Breathing and digestion etc.

·       Movement

The left hemisphere controls the functions of the body on the right side and the right hemisphere controls the functions of the left side.

·       5 senses

Sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Six common neurological diseases

1. Dementia

Cause: Dementia is caused by a brain disorder arising from several factors, including: abnormal cerebrovascular disease leading to ischemic stroke; Lewy Body Dementia causing diseases such as Parkinson's, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, brain tumor, and others; severe malnutrition; toxic exposure; chronic alcohol dependence, and effects on the brain of certain events such as brain hypoxia, brain infection, brain injury, and others.

Symptoms: Dementia often begins with the inability to perform normal daily activities such as impaired speech, being unable to eat or dress by oneself, putting things in the wrong place, inability to plan ahead, inability to remember times and places, and inability to remember events that just happened. As symptoms increase, behavior changes, paranoia, and hallucinations occur.

2. Alzheimer's disease

Cause: Alzheimer’s is caused by genetics. There is currently no cure for it, and it can be life threatening. The symptoms are caused by the destruction of brain cells and no new cells being created to replace them. This causes the patient to have cognitive impairments affecting thinking, memory and decision-making.

Symptoms: Alzheimer’s can be divided into three stages, which last 3-20 years from the onset of symptoms. In the early stage, Alzheimer’s patients begin to lose short-term memory and are unable to remember anything new, the past, or something coming up. In the mid stage, the patients may experience hallucinations, ringing in their ears as well as aggressive behavior, and they may not find their way home when they leave the house alone. In the last stage, the patient’s brain is destroyed until it is unable to control the functions of the body and eventually the patient dies.

3. Parkinson's disease

Cause: Parkinson’s is caused by the death of brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine which controls muscle movement. This makes it harder to control the muscles.

Symptoms: Parkinson’s patients have tremors in the hands, arms, legs and jaw and can only move slowly. The tremors make it difficult for them to move their arms and legs, hold postures or walk. They may also have numbness, muscle pain, slow speech, difficulty chewing or swallowing, constipation, urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, insomnia, and memory loss. Psychological symptoms include depression and anxiety.

4. Epilepsy

Cause: Epilepsy is caused by abnormal electrical currents in the brain. This can be caused by many factors, including genetics, congenital cerebral palsy, parasites in the brain, blood vessel abnormalities in the brain, brain tumor and accumulation in the brain of toxic substances such as lead.

Symptoms: At least two spasmodic seizures occur. The patient loses consciousness, falls, bulges, makes noises, clenches teeth, pauses for breath and twitches. This all only lasts a few minutes. When the seizure stops, the patient feels fatigue and may have muscle injuries and headache.

5. Demyelinating Disease: NMO Type (Neuromyelitis Optica)

Cause: The exact cause of Demyelinating Disease is unknown. However, we do know that certain factors may contribute to it such as heredity and ethnicity (people in Asian countries are more likely to be sufferers than Caucasians). Viruses such as EBV can also contribute.

Symptoms: Demyelinating Disease patients experience optic nerve, spinal cord, and cerebral sheaths inflammation. The inflamed optic nerve causes acute blurring of vision. Blurred vision starts from the center of the eye. Sufferers usually only have one symptom, ranging from mild sight impairment to complete blindness. As for spinal cord injury, sufferers may experience numbness in the arms, legs, torso (can be one side or both sides), muscle weakness in arms or legs, and abnormal ability to control excretion. In the case of multiple sclerosis in encephalitis, the patient will have double vision, staggered gait, hemispherical weakness of the limbs, hemiplegia, non-stop drowsiness, persistent nausea and vomiting for unknown reasons, sleep disorder, reduced consciousness, and possibly seizures.

6. Ramsay Hunt Syndrome

Cause: Ramsay Hunt Syndrome is caused by inflammation of the 7th cranial nerve that controls the function of the facial muscles. The inflammation is caused by the Herpes Zoster virus that causes chickenpox and shingles.

Symptoms: During the first 1-3 days, the patient will have pain in the face, fever and weakness. Next, the patient will begin to experience hemiplegia such as ptosis, inability to close the eyes, inability to raise eyebrows, crooked mouth, drooping corners of the mouth, blisters in the ear canal and auricle, and ear pain, and may have additional ear symptoms such as decreased hearing, ringing in the ears or vertigo.

Thus each condition has different symptoms. If you find that your close friends, family members, or even yourself has certain abnormalities that indicate being at risk of developing any of the conditions mentioned above, you should see a specialist doctor at a neurological and brain center for further diagnosis.

Take care of your nervous system with these simple methods:

·       Properly treat congenital diseases that affect the functioning of the nervous system such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

·       Exercise regularly as appropriate to your physical condition or as recommended by a doctor or specialist.

·       Eat foods that nourish the nervous system such as vitamin B6, B12 and folate.

·       Prevent dehydration by drinking enough water as dehydration can make patients feel dizzy and confused and may affect their memory.

·       Get enough sleep.

·       Refrain from smoking, drinking and using narcotics.

·       If you have vision and hearing problems, you should seek medical examination and treatment.

·       Be careful and especially avoid head injuries from accidents.

·       Prioritize what needs to be done. Don’t try to do too many things at the same time.

·       Always be learning new skills to develop concentration and ability to focus on one thing.

·       Make memos and write a to-do list in a notebook or on a calendar.

Although the brain, like any organ of the body, deteriorates over time, the consequences are more severe as it is the control center for all the body’s systems. We should continue to take care of our brain by making healthy lifestyle choices. That way we can avoid risks and extend our healthy brain functioning for the longest possible time.

Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers who are interested in healthcare can check out more health topic articles at https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/health-advisories.

References

·       Bumrungrad Hospital
https://bit.ly/3RAHmgA

·       Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University
https://www.si.mahidol.ac.th/th/healthdetail.asp?aid=1235

·       Praram 9 Hospital
https://www.praram9.com/ramsayhunt-syndrome/

·       Pobpad website
https://bit.ly/3cUnR3K