Health Issues Related to the Nervous System

Health Issues Related to the Nervous System

12.5

Health Issues Related to the Nervous System

Health issues	Factors	Effects
Multiple sclerosis	Body's immune system attacking the myelin sheath of nerves in the central nervous system	Affects activities of the brain and spinal cord Disturbs coordination between the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
Alzheimer	Memory cells degenerate and die progressively Usually occur in senior citizen Individual experienced brain injury Genetic factor Lifestyle	Memory loss Loss of intellectual and social skills Unable to take care of themselves
Parkinson	Less secretion of dopamine Usually occur in senior citizens progressively Usually occur in man Genetic factor	Shrinkage (tremor) of body Movement becomes slow Muscles become weak Difficulty in balancing the body
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)	Motor neurone degenerates and die Age factor, between 40-60 Genetic factor	Affects somatic nervous system Skeletal muscle unable to function progressively Finally, skeletal muscles for moving, ingesting, speaking and breathing are unable to function
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)	Genetic factor Premature baby, before 37th week or underweight A pregnant mother who smokes, alcoholic and drug abuse	Unable to pay attention, become hyperactive and easy to get bored

Effects of drug and alcohol abuse on human coordination and response:

Stimulants drug:

Examples: cocaine, nicotine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy pill and caffeine
Increase nervous system activities
Effects: affecting the functions of the blood circulatory system (high blood pressure and heart failure), digestive system (loss of appetite) and nervous system (mood changes, vandalism, tendency to commit suicide), kidney failure and causing hallucinations and depression

Depressant drug:

Examples: barbiturates, tranquillizer, morphine and heroin
Delays activities of the nervous system
Reduces blood pressure, relaxes muscles, relieves anxiety and promotes sleep
Effects: memory loss, unable to pay attention, respiratory problems, lung cancer, liver and brain damage, muscle cramp, drowsiness, delirium and coma

Alcohol abuse:

Influence someone's ability to think and make decisions
Slowing reflex actions, poor muscles condition, failure to control body balance and difficulty in estimating distance
Blurred vision, confusion and mental disorders