The degeneration nerve disease can affect several parts of the body’s activities such as talking, breathing, heart function and movement. Several of the diseases are because of a genetic condition while others are the result of medical causes such as tumor, stroke, medications or infection. There are various diseases affecting the nerves of the body and some of them include Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body disease, spinal muscular atrophy, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Friedreich’s ataxia.
Alzheimer disease
This is a form of dementia that affects the normal mental function. This progressive disease occurs from the degeneration and the death of brain cells resulting in the decline of mental function. This disease can affect an individual’s memory causing dramatic changes in their lives. As the disease progresses, the proteins can accumulate in the brain developing structures known as plaques that affect the normal connection of nerve cells and reducing the size of the brain. The common symptoms include the inability to learn new things, being lost in familiar places, forgetting appointments and forgetting the recent event. The severe cases can reduce the individual’s ability to continue normal activities such as walking or eating thus requiring support. There is no cure for this condition and the treatment is focused on providing supportive care.
Lewy Body disease
This is also a common form of dementia that develops particularly among the elderly when the abnormal structures called the Lewy bodies accumulate in the brain. This condition develops because of the degeneration and the death of the nerve cells in the brain. Although the exact cause of the condition is not identified, research suggests that depression can be associated with the Lewy body dementia. The common symptoms of this condition include confusion, difficulties with movement, muscle stiffness, loss of memory, acting out dreams and malfunctions of the autonomic nervous system. This condition appears to deteriorate rapidly with death occurring as the result of pneumonia or an infection with an average lifespan of around seven years from the onset of symptoms. There is no cure for this disease but treatment can slow or stop the progression of the condition.
Friedreich ataxia
This is a genetic condition that affects the nervous system of the body. The affected individuals can present impaired muscular coordination that can deteriorate with time, loss of strength and sensation in the arms and legs, muscles stiffness and problems with the hearing, speech and vision. The onset of symptoms can occur between the ages of 5 and 15 with poor coordination and balance as the initial indication of the disease. Normally the affected individual requires the use of a wheelchair 10 years after the onset of symptoms. There is no cure for the disease and the treatment focuses on the symptoms evident.
References
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=100
https://www.fightdementia.org.au/about-dementia/types-of-dementia/lewy-body-disease
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/friedreich-ataxia#genes
