Immune-Mediated Encephalomyelitis - Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADE) is a neurological disorder involving inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. A hallmark of the disorder is damage to the myelin sheath that surrounds the nerve fibers in the brain, which results in the inflammation. ADE can occur in both children and adults, although it occurs more commonly in children. ADE is not rare, accounting for approximately 30% of all cases of encephalitis.
Inclusion Body Myositis - Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is an inflammatory muscle disease, characterized by slowly progressive weakness and wasting of the distal and proximal muscles, most apparent in the muscles of the arms and legs. Because sIBM affects different people in different ways and at different rates, there is no "textbook case." During the course of the illness, the patient's mobility is progressively restricted as it becomes hard for him or her to bend down, reach for things, walk quickly and so on. Many patients say they have balance problems and fall easily.
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. Discolored skin is caused by excessive deposits of melanin. Most newborns with IP will develop discolored skin within the first two weeks.
Infantile Hypotonia - or severely reduced muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to movement in a muscle), is seen primarily in children. It is not the same as muscle weakness but it can co-exist with muscle weakness. Hypotonia may be caused by trauma, environmental factors, or by genetic, muscle, or central nervous system disorders. Physical therapy can improve fine motor control and overall body strength. Occupational and speech-language therapy can help breathing, speech, and swallowing difficulties.
Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy - INAD is caused by an abnormal build-up of substances in the nerves throughout the brain and body, which prevents them working properly. These deposits (sometimes called spheroid bodies, because of their appearance under the microscope) are found particularly in the nerve endings going to muscles, skin and conjunctiva. A child’s development will start to slow down between the ages of six months and two years. Over the following years he or she will lose skills previously learned and vision will become increasingly impaired and eventually lost. Nystagmus (rapid, wobbly eye movements) and squints may be the first signs of this. He or she will become hypotonic (floppy), especially in the legs and body (more than in the arms).
Infantile Phytanic Acid Storage Disease - (IRD) is one of a small group of genetic diseases called peroxisome biogenesis disorders (PBD), which are part of a larger group of diseases called the leukodystrophies. These are inherited conditions that damage the white matter of the brain and affect motor movements. The primary treatment for IRD is to avoid foods that contain phytanic acid, including dairy products; beef and lamb; and fatty fish such as tuna, cod, and haddock. Some infants and children may also require plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) in which blood is drawn, filtered, and reinfused back into the body, to control the buildup of phytanic acid.
Infantile Refsum Disease - is a disorder characterized by the reduction or absence of peroxisomes in the body and by the accumulation of phytanic acid in blood plasma and tissue. Infantile Refsum disease is one of a group of genetic disorders called the leukodystrophies that affect growth of the myelin sheath, the fatty covering -- which acts as an insulator -- on nerve fibers in the brain.
Infantile Spasms - (IS) is a specific type of seizure seen in an epilepsy syndrome of infancy and early childhood known as West Syndrome. The onset is predominantly in the first year of life, typically between 3-6 months. The typical pattern of IS is a sudden bending forward and stiffening of the body, arms, and legs; although there can also be arching of the torso. The prognosis for children with IS is dependent on the underlying causes of the seizures. The intellectual prognosis for children with IS is generally poor because many babies with IS have neurological impairment prior to the onset of spasms.
Inflammatory Myopathies - is a term that defines a group of muscle diseases involving inflammation and degeneration of skeletal muscle tissues. Inclusion body myositis (IBM) mainly affects individuals over the age of 50. The onset is truly insidious with symptoms often having been present for more than five years before diagnosis. The cause of IBM remains unknown, but is thought to be a form of autoimmune disease, where the immune system responds in a harmful manner to the rest of the body.
Iniencephaly - is a rare birth defect caused by improper closure of the neural tube during fetal development. Iniencephaly is in the same family of neural tube defects as spina bifida, but it is more severe. Diagnosis is made immediately after birth because an infant’s head is so severely bent backward that the face looks upward. There is no standard treatment for iniencephaly since most infants rarely live longer than a few hours.
Intestinal Lipodystrophy - also called Whipple's disease, a rare bacterial infection that most often affects your gastrointestinal system. It interferes with normal digestion, impairing the breakdown of foods such as fats and carbohydrates and hampering your body's ability to absorb nutrients.
Intracranial Cysts - are cerebrospinal fluid-filled sacs that are located between the brain or spinal cord and the arachnoid membrane, one of the three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Primary arachnoid cysts are present at birth and are the result of developmental abnormalities in the brain and spinal cord that arise during the early weeks of gestation. Secondary arachnoid cysts are not as common as primary cysts and develop as a result of head injury, meningitis, or tumors, or as a complication of brain surgery.
Intracranial Hypertension - Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), 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.
Isaac's Syndrome - (also known as neuromyotonia, Isaac-Mertens syndrome, continuous muscle fiber activity syndrome, and quantal squander syndrome) is a rare neuromuscular disorder caused by continuous signaling of the end regions of peripheral nerve fibers that activate muscle fibers (motor neurons). Symptoms, which include progressive muscle stiffness, continuous vibrating or twitching muscles, cramping, increased sweating, and delayed muscle relaxation, occur even during sleep. Anticonvulsants, including phenytoin and carbamazepine, usually provide significant relief from the stiffness, muscle spasms, and pain associated with Isaac's syndrome. Plasma exchange may provide short-term relief for patients with some forms of the acquired disorder.
Alphabetical list of Neurological Disorder Definitions.
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