Common Kinds of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Disease and illness attack our bodies at their most vulnerable places. Though we have medications, treatments, and care, there is a limit to what medicine can do for those with degenerative diseases, especially ones related to the brain. Here are a few of the most common kinds of neurodegenerative diseases.
What Is a Neurodegenerative Disease?
The best way to understand neurodegenerative diseases is to break down the word itself. “Neuro” relates to the brain, and “degenerative” describes a declining or worsening state. So, neurodegenerative diseases attack the brain, degrade its structures, and impair its functions. These diseases are particularly vicious and challenging to treat since the brain is a sensitive organ.
Common Kinds of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Sadly, there are many kinds of neurodegenerative diseases. Like any other part of the body, illnesses affect the brain in myriad ways, down to its substructures. Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s—these are a few of the most common neurodegenerative diseases.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is a neurodegenerative disease that gradually reduces the efficacy of the brain-body connection. A white substance called myelin coats the middle part of our brain’s cells. This myelin allows neurons to efficiently and quickly transmit electrochemical messages, ultimately translating into our thoughts and actions. MS impairs everything from vision to balance to coordination. If you or a loved one has MS, be sure to know the essential tips for Multiple Sclerosis caregivers.
Alzheimer’s Disease
A whole host of brain problems can result in Alzheimer’s, but the largest culprit is a loss of neuron connection. When your brain cells fail to communicate, messages don’t travel down the usual path, leaving people unable to finish thoughts or recall memories. Dementia, one of the hallmark symptoms of Alzheimer’s, occurs when enough of these lost connections happen in the brain areas that form, store, and retrieve memories.
Parkinson’s Disease
Though MS and Alzheimer’s involve neuronal damage, Parkinson’s disease relates to neuron death. When your brain cells die, it leads to consequences in both intracranial communication and manifested behavior. The shakiness associated with Parkinson’s results from neurons’ continual death in a specific region of the brain responsible for movement. As the disease progresses, people eventually lose the ability to move at all.
Knowing the most common kinds of neurodegenerative diseases helps you stay alert to their presence in people around you. Between the middle-aged adults and senior adults in your life, these diseases are prevalent in every community. If you know anyone with these illnesses, reach out to them and offer your support.
