The brain, spinal cord and nerves all make up the nervous system. Together, they control all the workings inside the body. When something starts to go wrong in your nervous system, you may have problems moving, speaking, swallong, breathing or learning. You can also have additional problems with your memory, senses or even your mood.
There are more than 600 neurologic diseases. Some of the major types include:
- Diseases caused by faulty genes, these include Huntington’s disease and muscular dystrophy
- Problems with the way the nervous system develops, such as spina bifida
- Degenerative diseases, where nerve cells are damaged or they can even die, these include Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease
- Diseases of the blood vessels that help supply the brain, these include stroke
- Injuries that afflict the spinal cord and brain
- Seizure disorders, for instance, epilepsy
- Cancer, especially brain tumors
- Infections, such as meningitis
