Fun neurological terms of which I am now aware
My new, minor, afflictions give me a greater sense of understanding, and extreme compassion, for those who deal with neurological issues on a greater scale.
Here are some concepts of which I am now aware thanks to my neurological condition.
Terms in my new vocabulary
Neuro-plasticity (sometimes referred to as brain plasticity, cortical plasticity or cortical re-mapping) refers to changes that occur in the organization of the brain as a result of a neurological trauma or experience.
The vestibular system sends signals primarily to the neural structures that control our eye movements, and to the muscles that keep us upright. The projections to the former provide the anatomical basis of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, which is required for clear vision; and the projections to the muscles that control our posture are necessary to keep us upright.
Periodic Limb Movements of Sleep (PLMS) is diagnosed with the aid of a polysomnogram or PSG. PLMD is diagnosed by first finding PLMS on a PSG, then integrating that information with a detailed history from the patient and/or bed partner. PLMS can range from a small amount of movement in the ankles and toes, to wild flailing of all four limbs. These movements, which are more common in the legs than arms, occur for between 0.5 and 5 seconds, recurring at intervals of 5 to 90 seconds. A formal diagnosis of PLMS requires three periods during the night, lasting from a few minutes to an hour or more, each containing at least 30 movements followed by partial arousal or awakening.
Hemispatial neglect most commonly results from brain injury to the right cerebral hemisphere, causing visual neglect of the left-hand side of space. Right-sided spatial neglect is rare because there is redundant processing of the right space by both the left and right cerebral hemispheres, whereas in most left-dominant brains the left space is only processed by the right cerebral hemisphere. Although most strikingly affecting visual perception ('visual neglect'), neglect in other forms of perception can also be found, either alone, or in combination with visual neglect.
Autotopagnosia is agnosia that affects the sense of posture. It is characterized by an inability to localize and orient different parts of the body. Autotopagnosia's cause is usually a lesion in the non-dominant parietal lobe or damage to the posterior thalamic radiations. It is also called body-image agnosia and somatotopagnosia.
