Definitions - Neurological Conditions - T

Disabled World's Neurological Conditions Definitions. These definitions begin with the letter T.

Tabes Dorsalis - a slow degeneration of the nerve cells and nerve fibers that carry sensory information to the brain. The degenerating nerves are in the dorsal columns of the spinal cord (the portion closest to the back  of the body) and carry information that help maintain a person's sense of position.

Tardive Dyskinesia - a symptom caused by the long-term or high-dose use of dopamine antagonists, usually antipsychotics, but also e.g. antiemetic metoclopramide. These neuroleptic drugs are generally prescribed  for psychiatric disorders. Other dopamine antagonists that can cause tardive dyskinesia are drugs for gastrointestinal disorders (for example metoclopramide) and neurological disorders.

Tarlov Cysts - are fluid-filled sacs that most often affect nerve roots in the sacrum, the group of bones at the base of the spine. These cysts can compress nerve roots, causing lower back pain, sciatica (shock-like or  burning pain in the lower back, buttocks, and down one leg to below the knee), urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and some loss of feeling or control of movement in the leg and/or foot.

Tay-Sachs Disease - (TSD, also known as GM2 gangliosidosis, Hexosaminidase A deficiency or Sphingolipidosis) is a genetic disorder, fatal in its most common variant known as Infantile Tay-Sachs disease. TSD is  inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. The disease occurs when harmful quantities of a fatty acid derivative called a ganglioside accumulate in the nerve cells of the brain.

Temporal Arteritis - also called giant cell arteritis (GCA) is an inflammatory disease of blood vessels (most commonly large and medium arteries of the head). It is therefore a form of vasculitis. The name comes from  the most frequently involved vessel (temporal artery which branches from the external carotid artery of the neck). The alternative name (giant cell arteritis) reflects the type of inflammatory cell that is involved (as seen  on biopsy).

Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome - is a neurological disorder caused by tissue attachments that limit the movement of the spinal cord within the spinal column.  These attachments cause an abnormal stretching of the  spinal cord.  The course of the disorder is progressive.  In children, symptoms may include lesions, hairy patches, dimples, or fatty tumors on the lower back; foot and spinal deformities; weakness in the legs; low  back pain; scoliosis; and incontinence.

Thomsen's Myotonia - 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.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome - (TOS) consists of a group of distinct disorders that affect the nerves in the brachial plexus (nerves that pass into the arms from the neck) and the subclavian artery and vein blood vessels  between the base of the neck and axilla (armpit).

Thyrotoxic Myopathy - is a neuromuscular disorder that may accompany hyperthyroidism (Graves' disease, caused by overproduction of the thyroid hormone thyroxine). Symptoms may include muscle weakness,  wasting of the pelvic girdle and shoulder muscles, fatigue, and heat intolerance. Muscle breakdown may occur in acute cases. Physical acts such as climbing stairs may be difficult. Patients may develop muscle  damage to the eyes and eyelids, which may affect mobility of the eye muscles, and temporary, but severe, attacks of muscle weakness known as periodic paralysis.

Tic Douloureux - also known as Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), is a chronic pain condition that causes extreme, sporadic, sudden burning or shock-like face pain that lasts anywhere from a few seconds to as long as 2  minutes per episode.  The intensity of pain can be physically and mentally incapacitating. TN pain is typically felt on one side of the jaw or cheek. Episodes can last for days, weeks, or months at a time and then  disappear for months or years.

Todd's Paralysis - (or postictal paresis/paralysis, "after seizure") is focal weakness in a part of the body after a seizure. This weakness typically affects appendages and is localized to either the left or right side of the  body. It usually subsides completely within 48 hours. Todd's paresis may also affect speech, eye position (gaze) or vision.

Tourette Syndrome - (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. The early symptoms of TS are almost always noticed first in  childhood, with the average onset between the ages of 7 and 10 years. TS occurs in people from all ethnic groups; males are affected about three to four times more often than females. Tics are classified as either  simple or complex. Simple motor tics are sudden, brief, repetitive movements that involve a limited number of muscle groups. Some of the more common simple tics include eye blinking and other vision irregularities,  facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging, and head or shoulder jerking.  Simple vocalizations might include repetitive throat-clearing, sniffing, or grunting sounds.

Transient Ischemic Attack - (TIA) is a transient stroke that lasts only a few minutes. It occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is briefly interrupted. TIA symptoms, which usually occur suddenly, are similar  to those of stroke but do not last as long. Most symptoms of a TIA disappear within an hour, although they may persist for up to 24 hours. Symptoms can include: numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg,  especially on one side of the body; confusion or difficulty in talking or understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; and difficulty with walking, dizziness, or loss of balance and coordination.

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies - (TSEs, also known as prion diseases) are a group of progressive conditions that affect the brain and nervous system of humans and animals and are transmitted by  prions. Mental and physical abilities deteriorate and myriad tiny holes appear in the cortex causing it to appear like a sponge (hence 'spongiform') when brain tissue obtained at autopsy is examined under a  microscope. The disorders cause impairment of brain function, including memory changes, personality changes and problems with movement that worsen over time.

Transverse Myelitis - is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across both sides of one level, or segment, of the spinal cord. The term myelitis refers to inflammation of the spinal cord; transverse simply describes the position of the inflammation, that is, across the width of the spinal cord.

Traumatic 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. Anyone with signs of moderate or severe TBI should receive medical attention as soon as possible. Because little can be done to reverse the initial brain damage caused by trauma, medical personnel try to stabilize an individual with TBI and focus on preventing further injury. Primary concerns include insuring proper oxygen supply to the brain and the rest of the body, maintaining adequate blood flow, and controlling blood pressure. Imaging tests help in determining the diagnosis and prognosis of a TBI patient.

Tremor - is an unintentional, somewhat rhythmic, muscle movement involving to-and-fro movements (oscillations) of one or more parts of the body. It is the most common of all involuntary movements and can affect the hands, arms, head, face, vocal cords, trunk, and legs. Most tremors occur in the hands. In some people, tremor is a symptom of another neurological disorder. There is no cure for most tremors. The appropriate treatment depends on accurate diagnosis of the cause. Drug treatment for parkinsonian tremor involves levodopa or dopamine-like drugs such as pergolide mesylate, bromocriptine mesylate, and ropinirole. Essential tremor may be treated with propranolol or other beta blockers (such as nadolol) and primidone, an anticonvulsant drug.

Trigeminal Neuralgia - (TN), or Tic Douloureux, ( also known as prosopalgia ) is a neuropathic disorder of the trigeminal nerve that causes episodes of intense pain in the eyes, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, and jaw. Trigeminal neuralgia is considered by many to be among the most painful of conditions and is often labeled the "suicide disease" because of the significant numbers of people taking their own lives when they cannot find effective treatments.

Tropical Spastic Paraparesis - (TSP) has been used to describe a chronic and progressive disease of the nervous system that affects adults living in equatorial areas of the world and causes  progressive weakness, stiff muscles, muscle spasms, sensory disturbance, and sphincter dysfunction.

Troyer Syndrome - is one of about 30 neurological disorders known as the hereditary spastic paraplegias. It is characterized by progressive muscle weakness and spasticity in the legs. Additional symptoms include leg contractures, difficulty walking, speech disorders, drooling, atrophy of the hand muscles, mild developmental delays, fluctuating emotions, and short stature. Onset is in early childhood

Tuberous Sclerosis - or tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare, multi-system genetic disease that causes benign tumours to grow in the brain and on other vital organs such as the kidneys, heart, eyes, lungs, and skin. A combination of symptoms may include seizures, developmental delay, behavioural problems, skin abnormalities, lung and kidney disease. TSC is caused by mutations on either of two genes, TSC1 and TSC2, which encode for the proteins hamartin and tuberin respectively.

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

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