Neurology Department I Mediclinic Abu Dhabi

A cerebrovascular pathology refers to conditions affecting blood vessels supplying the brain. A stroke occurs when there is a disruption in blood flow to the brain, leading to brain cell damage or death. Ischemic strokes result from a blockage in a blood vessel, while haemorrhagic strokes occur due to a blood vessel rupture.

Symptoms: Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, difficulty speaking, severe headache, vision problems, and loss of coordination.

Treatment: Immediate medical attention is crucial. Treatments may involve medication, surgery, or rehabilitation to restore lost function.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterised by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. It can affect people of all ages, including adults and adolescents.

Symptoms: Seizures vary in type and intensity, from convulsions to staring spells or temporary confusion.

Treatment: Medications are often used to manage seizures. In some cases, surgery or other therapies may be considered for treatment-resistant epilepsy.

Headaches are common and can be due to various causes, including tension, migraines, or underlying health conditions.

Symptoms: Pain or discomfort in the head or neck region, sensitivity to light or sound, nausea, and in severe cases, vision disturbances.

Treatment: Treatment varies based on the type of headache. It may include lifestyle changes, medications, stress management, or alternative therapies.

Movement disorders encompass conditions that affect movement control. Tremors involve involuntary rhythmic shaking, while a condition such as Parkinson’s disease is characterised by tremors, stiffness, and impaired movement.

Symptoms: Tremors, difficulty with voluntary movements, muscle stiffness, and in Parkinson’s, changes in gait and balance.

Treatment: Management involves medications, physical therapy, and in some cases, deep brain stimulation or surgery.

These disorders affect nerves outside the brain and the spinal cord:

• polyneuropathies involve damage to multiple nerves
• myopathies affect muscle tissue,
• myasthenia gravis affects nerve-to-muscle communication
• radiculopathies involve nerve root issues
• plexopathies affect nerve networks

Symptoms: These may vary widely but often include weakness, numbness, tingling, and pain in affected areas.

Treatment: Treatment varies based on the specific disorder and may include medications, physical therapy, or in severe cases, surgery.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system, causing damage to the myelin sheath covering nerve fibres. Other inflammatory diseases similarly affect the CNS.

Symptoms: MS symptoms can include fatigue, numbness, coordination problems, and vision issues, among others.

Treatment: Medications aim to manage symptoms and modify disease progression. Rehabilitation and lifestyle changes are also important.

Dementia refers to a decline in cognitive function affecting daily life. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, characterised by memory loss and cognitive decline.

Symptoms: Memory loss, confusion, difficulty with language or problem-solving, and personality changes.

Treatment: Management involves medications, cognitive therapy, lifestyle changes, and support for caregivers.

Sleep disorders encompass various conditions affecting sleep quality or patterns, including insomnia, sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome.

Symptoms: These may vary depending on the specific disorder but often involve difficulty falling or staying asleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, or abnormal behaviours during sleep.

Treatment: Treatments range from lifestyle changes to medical interventions, such as CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) for sleep apnoea.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) records electrical activity in the brain. Awake and asleep EEG capture brain waves during different states. Video EEG combines EEG with video monitoring to observe behaviour during seizures.

Purpose: Helps diagnose epilepsy, monitor brain activity, and evaluate sleep disorders.

Electromyography (EMG) measures muscle response or electrical activity in response to nerve stimulation. Nerve conduction studies measure the speed and strength of electrical signals traveling along nerves.

Purpose: Diagnose nerve or muscle disorders, identify nerve damage, or evaluate conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome.

Botulinum toxin injections, commonly known as Botox, can be used therapeutically to treat various conditions, including chronic migraines, certain movement disorders like dystonia, and for managing muscle-related pain.

Purpose: Helps reduce muscle spasms, alleviate chronic migraine symptoms, and manage certain neurological conditions.