Definitions - Neurological Conditions - B

Neurological Conditions list covering definitions beginning with the letter B.

Back Pain - (also known "dorsalgia") is pain felt in the back that may originate from the muscles, nerves, bones, joints or other structures in the spine.

Barth Syndrome - is a rare congenital metabolic and neuromuscular disorder that affects boys. It is passed from mother to son through the sex-linked, or X, chromosome. Symptoms affect multiple systems of the  body and may include changes to metabolism, motor delays, hypotonia, delayed growth, cardiomyopathy, weakened immune system, chronic fatigue, lack of stamina, hypoglycemia, mouth ulcers, diarrhea, and  varying degrees of physical and learning disability.

Batten Disease - is a rare, fatal, autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder that begins in childhood. Also known as Spielmeyer-Vogt-Sjogren-Batten disease, it is the most common form of a group of disorders  called neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (or NCLs). Although Batten disease is usually regarded as the juvenile form of NCL, some physicians use the term Batten disease to describe all forms of NCL.

Becker's Myotonia - Myotonia congenita is an inherited neuromuscular disorder characterized by the inability of muscles to quickly relax after a voluntary contraction.  The condition is present since early childhood,  but symptoms can be mild.  Most children will be 2 or 3 years old when parents first notice their muscle stiffness, particularly in the legs, often provoked by sudden activity after rest.

Behcet's Disease - is a chronic condition due to disturbances in the body’s immune system. This system, which normally protects the body against infections through controlled inflammation, becomes overactive and  produces unpredictable outbreaks of exaggerated inflammation. This extra inflammation affects blood vessels, usually the small ones. As a result, symptoms occur wherever there is a patch of inflammation, and can  be anywhere where there is a blood supply.

Bell's Palsy - is a weakness or paralysis of the muscles that control expression on one side of your face. The disorder results from damage to one of a pair of facial nerves that runs beneath each ear to the muscles in  your face.

Benign Essential Blepharospasm - (BEB) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by involuntary muscle contractions and spasms of the eyelid muscles. It is a form of dystonia, a movement disorder in  which muscle contractions cause sustained eyelid closure, twitching or repetitive movements.

Benign Focal Amyotrophy - Monomelic amyotrophy (MMA) is a rare disease of the nerves that control voluntary movements of the limbs. Monomelic amyotrophy may also be known as benign focal amyotrophy,  single limb atrophy, Hirayama syndrome or Sobue disease. Descriptive terms such as brachial monomelic amyotrophy (MMA confined to an arm) or monomelic amyotrophy of the lower limb (MMMA of a leg) may be  used to specify the type of limb affected.

Benign Intracranial Hypertension - sometimes called benign intracranial hypertension (BIH) or pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by increased intracranial pressure (ICP), in the  absence of a tumor or other diseases affecting the brain or its lining. The main symptoms are headache and visual problems. Diagnosis requires brain scans and lumbar puncture. There are various medical and  surgical treatments.

Bernhardt-Roth Syndrome - is a disorder characterized by tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the outer side of the thigh. The disorder is caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve as it exits  the pelvis. It more commonly occurs in men than women, and is generally found in middle-aged or overweight individuals. People with the disorder frequently report that it appears or worsens after walking or standing.  The skin is often sensitive to touch. Meralgia paresthetica is associated with clothing that is too tight, pregnancy, diabetes, and obesity.

Binswanger's Disease - or Subcortical Leukoencephalopathy is a rare form of multi-infarct dementia caused by damage to deep white brain matter. It is characterized by loss of memory and intellectual function and by  changes in mood.

Blepharospasm - (eye twitching) is any abnormal tic or twitch of the eyelid. However, it is normally distinguished from less serious disorders and refers to Benign Essential Blepharospasm, a focal dystonia (a  neurological movement disorder involving involuntary and sustained muscle contractions) of the muscles around the eyes. The cause is often undetermined, but fatigue or an irritant are possible contributing factors.

Bloch-Sulzberger Syndrome - Incontinentia pigmenti (IP) is one of a group of gene-linked diseases known as neurocutaneous disorders. These disorders cause characteristic patterns of discolored skin and also  involve the brain, eyes, nails, and hair. In most cases, IP is caused by mutations in a gene called NEMO (NF-kappaB essential modulator). Males are more severely affected than females.

Brachial Plexus Injuries - The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Brachial plexus injuries are caused by damage to those nerves. Erb-Duchenne  (Erb's) palsy refers to paralysis of the upper brachial plexus. Dejerine-Klumpke (Klumpke's) palsy refers to paralysis of the lower brachial plexus. Symptoms of brachial plexus injury may include a limp or paralyzed  arm; lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist, and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand.

Bradbury-Eggleston Syndrome - Orthostatic hypotension is a sudden fall in blood pressure that occurs when a person assumes a standing position. It may be caused by hypovolemia (a decreased amount of blood in  the body), resulting from the excessive use of diuretics, vasodilators, or other types of drugs, dehydration, or prolonged bed rest. The disorder may be associated with Addison's disease, atherosclerosis (build-up of  fatty deposits in the arteries), diabetes, and certain neurological disorders.

Brain and Spinal Tumors - are abnormal growths of tissue found inside the skull or the bony spinal column, which are the primary components of the central nervous system (CNS). Benign tumors are noncancerous,  and malignant tumors are cancerous. The CNS is housed within rigid, bony quarters (i.e., the skull and spinal column), so any abnormal growth, whether benign or malignant, can place pressure on sensitive tissues  and impair function. Tumors that originate in the brain or spinal cord are called primary tumors.

Brain Aneurysm - A cerebral aneurysm or brain aneurysm is a cerebrovascular disorder in which weakness in the wall of a cerebral artery or vein causes a localized dilation or ballooning of the blood vessel.

Brain Injury - (TBI), traumatic injuries to the brain, also called intracranial injury, or simply head injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes brain damage. TBI can result from a closed head injury or a penetrating  head injury and is one of two subsets of acquired brain injury (ABI). The other subset is non-traumatic brain injury (e.g. stroke, meningitis, anoxia). Parts of the brain that can be damaged include the cerebral  hemispheres, cerebellum, and brain stem. TBI can cause a host of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social effects.

Brown-Sequard Syndrome - is an incomplete spinal cord lesion characterized by a clinical picture reflecting hemisection of the spinal cord, often in the cervical cord region. It is a rare syndrome, consisting of  ipsilateral hemiplegia with contralateral pain and temperature sensation deficits because of the crossing of the fibers of the spinothalamic tract.

Bulbospinal Muscular Atrophy - or Kennedy's disease is an inherited motor neuron disease that affects males. It is one of a group of disorders called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Onset of the disease is usually  between the ages of 20 and 40, although it has been diagnosed in men from their teens to their 70s. Early symptoms include tremor of the outstretched hands, muscle cramps with exertion, and fasciculations  (fleeting muscle twitches visible under the skin).

Alphabetical list of Neurological Disorder Definitions.

A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - R - S - T - V - W - X - Z

Email article    Print