Neurodegenerative Diseases, What Are They? – What Should I Know
The brain is one of the most important organs in the body, but it is also one of the most mysterious. Over time, there are a number of reasons why your brain may not be working at the height of its capacity. If you have heard about neurodegenerative diseases and are wondering “what are they?” it’s important to note that this is a rather broad category that involves a number of different disorders that can hit people of all ages, but especially those in old age. This is an umbrella term that covers any progressive loss of function of the neurons in the brain.
Some examples of typical neurodegenerative diseases “what are they” include Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s diseases. These are all caused by the same root degeneration of the neurons in the brain, but they affect the body in different ways and may exhibit different symptoms. While Alzheimer’s leads patients to lose their memories and recognition of common faces and objects, for example, Parkinson’s can lead to a loss of control of motor functions. Because the brain is responsible for controlling everything that we see, feel, and experience, when it starts breaking down this can lead to devastating consequences.
However, there is hope in the fact that all of these neurodegenerative diseases are all related in a way, which is indicated more and more by research. They are all caused by the neurons breaking down on a sub cellular level. Therefore, if scientists are able to find a way to stop that breakdown from happening, it’s possible to find a cure for multiple diseases, all at once. The race is currently on for a way to do this.
Although the exact cause of these disorders has not yet been pinpointed, there are actually a number of potential causes that have been indicated in the growth and spread of these diseases. Genetics may play a large role. Another factor that they all have in common is in the way that protein in the brain is assembled, which leads to premature cell death. To get to the bottom of the question “neurodegenerative diseases what are they?” you have to look not only at the list of disorders that are covered under this umbrella topic, but also at these root causes, in order to understand how and why they happen to people. While there are treatments now, every day that passes gets us closer to the possibility of full recovery.