Brain, Spine, and Nervous System
The central nervous system is composed of the spinal cord and the brain. This complex organ system is a part of all the things we do. It controls all the bodily functions, from walking and talking to the involuntary actions performed by our body like – see, touch, taste, hear, smell and our thoughts, emotions and memory.
The brain consists of nerve tissues and cells that are soft and spongy. The three major parts of the brain – the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the medulla oblongata. Though all parts work together, each has separate functions, specially dedicated for the part.
The brain gets protected by the skull bones by a covering of three very thin membranes which are called meninges. The brain also has cushioned protection by a cerebrospinal fluid, which is produced by special cells in the ventricles. Ventricles are four hollow spaces within the brain. It flows between the ventricles and those spaces where there are meninges. Cerebrospinal fluid also works in bringing nutrients from blood to brain and then removes all the waste products that brain has.
The spinal cord has bundles of nerve fibres. It runs through a canal from the brain in the centre of spine and bones. These bones are the protectors of spinal cord. Just like the brain, the spine is also covered by meninges and has cerebral fluid cushion.
Spinal nerves make connection of brain with nerves along most parts of human body. Other nerves are also there that go straight from brain to the different parts of our head. This network that the nerves have carry messages between the brain and the entire body.
Nerve cells have the capacity to routinely decrease or increase the number of connectivity they create with different nerve cells. This process could partially explain how people learn, form, also adapt to memories. But, the spinal cord and brain hardly produce new cells. There is an exception, where hippocampus – an area within the brain that’s involved in formation of memory.
The nervous system works as an extraordinary and complex system of communication that can transmit and receive huge amount of information. However, the system is very weak ad prone to injuries and diseases, like:
- Nerve cells can easily degenerate and cause diseases like Parkinson, Huntington, and Alzheimer.
- Multiple sclerosis may be caused due to lost and inflamed Oligendrocytes.
- Viruses or bacteria may infect the spinal cord or the brain and result in a stroke.
- Tumors or other injuries can cause structural damage to spinal cord or brain.
Diseases like frontotemporal dementia, vascular dementia, lewy bodies and dementia, HIV and its dementia. Acoustic neuroma, gliocarcoma, pinealomas, Astrocytoma, glomus jugulare tumors, pituitary tumors, hemanigioblastoma, etc. are some of the serious and common diseases.
Apart from the ones mentioned above, the brain, spine and nervous system disorders could be vascular disorders like blood supply issues, injuries in the form of traumas especially in head and the spine, congenital problems present since birth, mental disorders, and exposure to several toxins.
A sudden or acute nervous system could cause several types of symptoms, based on the area where the nervous system has been attacked. Stroke or attacks could be acute symptoms in such cases.
Seizures could also cause sudden changes in feelings, sensations, consciousness, thought, or emotion. Abnormal movements of the body, like twitching in the muscles, may be or may not be there. How fast the seizures occur and their severity could depend on the causes of these seizures and the brain area involved.
At Suresh Hospital, we have a team of expert brain, spine and neurosurgeons and physicians who provide the best of treatment and cure for you. These doctors have many years of both national and global experience that helps them understand the nuances of these diseases well. We have created a very good track record of cure and recovery rates at our hospital. Almost 80% of our customers return home fully satisfied.