Neurodegenerative disease

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Neurodegenerative disease (Greek νέυρο-, néuro-, "nerval" and Latin dēgenerāre, "to decline" or "to worsen") is a condition in which cells of the brain and spinal cord are lost. The brain and spinal cord are composed of neurons that do different functions such as controlling movements, processing sensory information, and making decisions. Cells of the brain and spinal cord are not readily regenerated en masse, so excessive damage can be devastating. Neurodegenerative diseases result from deterioration of neurons or their myelin sheath which over time will lead to dysfunction and disabilities resulting from this.

Some sources limit the term "degenerative" to conditions primarily affecting gray matter that are not associated with a obvious inciting event.

For more information about Neurodegenerative disease, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.


News tagged with neurodegenerative disorder


Subtle change dramatically reduces pathogenic potential of Huntington's protein

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Scientists have identified a key molecular switch that may drive the onset of Huntington's disease (HD), an incurable neurodegenerative disorder that leads to severe disruptions in muscle coordination and cognitive function. ...


Synergistic interaction enhances pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease

Electronics /

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Scientists have identified a synergistic interaction that disrupts normal intracellular transport mechanisms and leads to the accumulation of neuron-damaging clumps of protein associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative ...





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Proline Repeats in Protein Help Grow Tooth Enamel (w/ Podcast)

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- A simple amino acid that is repeated in the center of proteins found in tooth enamel makes teeth stronger and more resilient, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.


Sniffing out clues to dogs' compulsive behavior

Sniffing out clues to dogs' compulsive behavior

Biology / Biotechnology

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (4) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- At first glance, a dog chasing its tail seems a harmless, if fruitless, pursuit. But for many dogs and their owners, the habit has a dark side, one that means endless hours and energy spent ...


Imaging tests identify role of allergies in chronic sinus disease

Medicine & Health / Diseases

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Exposing patients with chronic sinus disease to allergens and then obtaining repeated images by X-ray or ultrasound reveals that nasal allergies may be involved in some cases of chronic sinus disease, according to a report ...


Growing evidence suggests progesterone should be considered a treatment option for traumatic brain injuries

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 22, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, GA, recommend that progesterone (PROG), a naturally occurring hormone found in both males and females that can protect damaged cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems, ...


Do computers understand art?

Do computers understand art?

Technology / Computer Sciences

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

A team of researchers from the University of Girona and the Max Planck Institute in Germany has shown that some mathematical algorithms provide clues about the artistic style of a painting. The composition ...


Genomic differences identified in common skin diseases

Medicine & Health / Research

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

(PhysOrg.com) -- If you have dry skin, wet it, if wet skin, dry it. This has been a general rule of dermatology for centuries, but scientists are working to develop more precise treatments for the dozen-plus inflammatory ...


Microcephaly genes associated with human brain size

Medicine & Health / Genetics

created Dec 21, 2009 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 1

A group of Norwegian and American researchers have shown that common variations in genes associated with microcephaly - a neuro-developmental disorder in which brain size is dramatically reduced - may explain differences ...


Genomic toggle switches divide autoimmune diseases into distinct clusters

Medicine & Health / Genetics

created Dec 23, 2009 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Genomic switches can predispose an individual to one set of autoimmune disorders but protect the same person against another set of them, scientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have found.



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