- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arteriovenous Malformations
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Back Pain
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Tumors
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Childhood Brain Tumors
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Ischemic Stroke
- Memory
- Meningitis
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Speech and Language Problems in Children
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Tremor
- Walking Problems
- West Nile Virus
- A1C
- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes Complications
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes Medicines
- Diabetes Type 1
- Diabetes Type 2
- Diabetic Diet
- Diabetic Eye Problems
- Diabetic Foot
- Diabetic Heart Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Problems
- Diabetic Nerve Problems
- How to Prevent Diabetes
- Hyperglycemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
- Abortion
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Diseases
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breastfeeding
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Female Infertility
- Health Problems in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- HPV
- Hysterectomy
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Miscarriage
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Stillbirth
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Trichomoniasis
- Tubal Ligation
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Diseases
- Uterine Fibroids
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Diseases
- Vaginitis
- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Disorders
- Yeast Infections
- Alcohol
- Calcium
- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Brain Malformations
- Cerebral Palsy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Chiari Malformation
- Cleft Lip and Palate
- Color Blindness
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Friedreich Ataxia
- Genetic Counseling
- Hemophilia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Neural Tube Defects
- Neurofibromatosis
- Newborn Screening
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Pregnancy and Medicines
- Rett Syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Tourette Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis
- Usher Syndrome
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Allergy
- Animal Bites
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Asthma
- Asthma in Children
- Childhood Leukemia
- Childhood Vaccines
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Eosinophilic Disorders
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Hay Fever
- HIV
- HIV and Infections
- HIV in Women
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Pemphigus
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Tonsillitis
- Vaccines
- Viral Infections
- Adhesions
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Arm Injuries and Disorders
- Back Injuries
- Brachial Plexus Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries and Disorders
- Concussion
- CPR
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dislocations
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Eye Injuries
- Facial Injuries and Disorders
- Finger Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Fractures
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Heel Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Inhalation Injuries
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Jaw Injuries and Disorders
- Knee Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Mosquito Bites
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Sprains and Strains
- Tick Bites
- Toe Injuries and Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Acute Bronchitis
- Bird Flu
- Chronic Bronchitis
- COPD
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
- Croup
- E-Cigarettes
- Fistulas
- Flu
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
- Legionnaires’ Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Sleep Apnea
- Smoking
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping Cough
- Anatomy
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Birth Control
- Chlamydia Infections
- Circumcision
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes Simplex
- Infertility
- Male Infertility
- Penis Disorders
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate Diseases
- Reproductive Hazards
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Problems in Men
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Syphilis
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Disorders
- Vasectomy
- Abdominal Pain
- Bad Breath
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems
- Bruises
- Chest Pain
- Choking
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and Vertigo
- Edema
- Fainting
- Fever
- Frostbite
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Heat Illness
- Hives
- Hypothermia
- Indigestion
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Pain
- Rare Diseases
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Sciatica
- Speech and Communication Disorders
- Stuttering
Brain Diseases
Summary
The brain is the control center of the body. It controls thoughts, memory, speech, and
movement. It regulates the function of many organs. When the brain is healthy, it works
quickly and automatically. However, when problems occur, the results can be devastating.
Inflammation in the brain can lead to problems such as vision
loss, weakness and paralysis. Loss of brain cells, which happens if you suffer a stroke, can affect your ability to think clearly. Brain tumors can also press on nerves and affect brain function. Some brain
diseases are genetic. And we do not know what causes some
brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The symptoms of brain diseases vary widely depending on the specific problem. In some
cases, damage is permanent. In other cases, treatments such as surgery, medicines, or
physical therapy can correct the source of the problem or improve symptoms.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Treatments and Therapies
- About Neurointerventions Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery
- Intracranial Hypertension: Medication and Surgery Intracranial Hypertension Research Foundation
Specifics
- Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Brain Lesions Cleveland Clinic Foundation
- Central Pontine Myelinolysis National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Cerebral Atrophy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Hepatic Encephalopathy American Liver Foundation
- Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Klüver-Bucy Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Neuronal Migration Disorders National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Periventricular Leukomalacia National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Porencephaly National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Pseudotumor Cerebri National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- Pseudotumor Cerebri (Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- What Is IH (Intracranial Hypertension)? Intracranial Hypertension Research Foundation
Genetics
- Acute necrotizing encephalopathy type 1: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Biotin-thiamine-responsive basal ganglia disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- COL4A1-related brain small-vessel disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Familial porencephaly: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Hereditary cerebral amyloid angiopathy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
- Primary familial brain calcification: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
Encyclopedia
- Ammonia blood test Medical Encyclopedia
- Athetosis resulting from basal ganglia injury Medical Encyclopedia
- Brain components Medical Encyclopedia
- Brain PET scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Brain surgery – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Cerebral amyloid angiopathy Medical Encyclopedia
- Cerebral hypoxia Medical Encyclopedia
- Fontanelles – bulging Medical Encyclopedia
- Head CT scan Medical Encyclopedia
- Head MRI Medical Encyclopedia
- Hepatocerebral degeneration Medical Encyclopedia
- Hypothalamic dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia
- Increased intracranial pressure Medical Encyclopedia
- Intraventricular hemorrhage of the newborn Medical Encyclopedia
- Neurosciences Medical Encyclopedia
- Periventricular leukomalacia Medical Encyclopedia
- Skull x-ray Medical Encyclopedia
- Subdural hematoma Medical Encyclopedia
Patient Handouts
- Basal ganglia dysfunction Medical Encyclopedia
- Brain abscess Medical Encyclopedia
- Brain surgery Medical Encyclopedia
- Central pontine myelinolysis Medical Encyclopedia
- Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) collection Medical Encyclopedia
- EEG Medical Encyclopedia
- Hepatic encephalopathy Medical Encyclopedia
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension Medical Encyclopedia
- Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
Start Here
- Brain Basics: Know Your Brain National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Reference Desk
- Brain Facts: Glossary Society for Neuroscience
- Central Nervous System: The Brain and Spinal Cord Nemours Foundation
- Your Brain and Nervous System Nemours Foundation
Diagnosis and Tests
- Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Analysis National Library of Medicine
- Computed Tomography (CT) — Head Radiological Society of North America
- Head MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Radiological Society of North America
- Magnetic Resonance, Functional (fMRI) — Brain Radiological Society of North America
- Neurological Exam National Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Brain Diseases National Institutes of Health
Images
- Craniotomy – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
Find an Expert
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke