neurological conditions library

Amnesia, autism and coma are major neurological conditions covered in this section. Also included in the Neurological Conditions section are helpful exercises and strategies to improving your memory.

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5 Most Misunderstood Neurological Conditions

For many people, your health just isn't something you talk about in public. And while privacy has its place, lack of information can lead to misunderstandings. Let's take the mystery out of the five most misunderstood neurological conditions.

Are epileptic seizures more common during a full moon?

People blame a lot of things on the full moon, including an increase in the rate of seizures among those with epilepsy. But is it really true, or just a sort of superstitious lunacy?

Can head trauma really cause amnesia?

TV shows, movies and books depict characters that have suffered a bad injury to the head and have lost their memory. But could it really happen that fast? And will their memory ever return?

Can you delay dementia?

The thought of losing your most precious memories to dementia is enough to scare anyone. But does it have to be that way, or is there something you can do to save your mind?

Do vaccines cause autism?

No one likes seeing a nurse come toward you with a long needle. But some people say there's more to worry about with a vaccine than just some tears and a Band-Aid. Do you need to worry about autism, too?

How Alien Hand Syndrome Works

Alien hand syndrome sounds like something from a B-grade horror movie, but it's a real condition. You could be completely at the mercy of your own, renegade hand -- it could keep your other hand from functioning, punch you or even choke you.

How ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) Works

In the 1938 baseball season, slugger Lou Gehrig suddenly lost his swing. His slip was a sign of ALS, the degenerative disease that would eventually kill him. What is ALS?

How Alzheimer's Disease Works

A little forgetfulness is normal, but what about when a person can no longer remember the names of their family members? For those with Alzheimer's and the people who love them, debilitating memory loss is a sad fact of everyday life.

How Amnesia Works

Memory is your only personal record of the past and of who you are as an individual. What if you woke up one morning and your memory was gone?

How Autism Works

Autism is a condition that interferes with a child's ability to communicate and interact socially. And in recent years, the number of children diagnosed with this condition has been rising.

How Cerebral Palsy Works

Pregnant women have a lot to worry about, and cerebral palsy is one of those worries. The brain damage that causes CP happens in the womb, during childbirth or in early childhood, and some cases are quite serious.

How Comas Work

Learn the physiological processes that trigger a coma, how an actual coma differs from television depictions and how often people awaken after months or even years of being in a coma.

How Dementia Works

If a fire headed toward your house, you might be tempted to rescue a precious memento like a photo album or a child's blanket. When dementia heads for the brain, there's no chance of saving your memories.

How Epilepsy Works

You can liken seizures to electrical storms or traffic jams in the brain, but what do those seizures do to the rest of the body? Do epileptics swallow their tongues? Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide, but most people don't know much about it.