Acknowledgments The neuroradiological illustrations were generously provided by Blaine Hart, MD, Department of Radiology (Neuroradiology), University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. Brain Edema and Disorders of Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral edema are life-threatening complications…
Drug dependence is of two types. Psychic dependence (addiction) refers to craving and drug-seeking behavior. Physical dependence refers to an adaptive state in which abrupt cessation of drug use results in somatic withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance refers to the need for…
Neurotoxic disorders are occurring increasingly as a result of occupational or environmental exposure and often go unrecognized. Exposure to neurotoxins may lead to dysfunction of any part of the central, peripheral, or autonomic nervous system and the neuromuscular apparatus. Neurotoxic…
Malnutrition causes a wide spectrum of neurological disorders ( Table 85.1 ) . Despite socioeconomic advances, nutritional deficiency diseases such as kwashiorkor and marasmus are still endemic in many underdeveloped countries. The problem in Western countries is usually the result…
Toxic and metabolic encephalopathies are a group of neurological disorders characterized by an altered mental status—that is, a delirium , defined as a disturbance of consciousness characterized by a reduced ability to focus, sustain, or shift attention that cannot be…
When the heart stops and cerebral blood flow is interrupted during a cardiac arrest, patients lose consciousness and may remain comatose after resumption of circulation. Such a global injury to the brain is understandably profound, and more than 70% of…
Autoimmune encephalitis with antibodies to neuronal cell surface/synaptic antigens (further referred to as autoimmune encephalitis) are a group of neuropsychiatric disorders ( Table 82.1 ) in which the antibodies produce neuronal dysfunction by direct interaction with their target antigen (…
Pathogenesis Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNSs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders that are immune mediated ( Table 81.1 ). It is postulated that the expression of neuronal proteins (called onconeuronal proteins) by a tumor provokes an immune response that is…
Diseases affecting central nervous system (CNS) myelin can be classified on the basis of whether a primary biochemical abnormality of myelin exists (dysmyelinating) or whether some other process damages the myelin or oligodendroglial cell (demyelinating) . Demyelinating diseases in which…
Prior to the modern antimicrobial era, non-viral infections of the central nervous system (CNS) were almost universally fatal. The diagnosis and treatment of CNS infections have improved significantly with advancements made in spinal fluid diagnostic tests, neuroimaging, antimicrobial therapy, and…