How Obesity Can Damage Brain Functions
Problems that can affect your brain explain why when something goes wrong with the brain it is often serious and can affect many different parts of the body. For example, inherited diseases, brain disorders related to mental illness, and head injuries can affect the way the brain works. And as a result, upset the daily activities of the rest of the body.
Your brain is always on the go. Take, for instance, you are in the middle of a meeting at work, but your mind keeps drifting to the parent-teacher meeting you have later in the day. In an instant, your mind moved on to the children you have to pick up from school. Same time you wished you had not skipped lunch because the rumbling in your stomach is driving you nuts. And then, suddenly, you are back in the moment, hoping nobody noticed your brief “departure.”
This is small evidence that your brain controls what you think and feel, how you learn and remember, and the way you move and talk. It also controls many things you are less aware of, such as the beating of your heart, and the digestion of your food. And yes, even the amount of stress you feel. As a matter of fact, think of your brain as a central computer that controls all bodily functions. Read more about 7 problems that can affect your brain:
Brain Tumours
One of the 7 problems that can affect your brain is brain tumours. A tumour is a swelling caused by overgrown tissue. A tumour in the brain may grow slowly and produce few symptoms until it becomes large. Or it can grow and spread rapidly, causing severe and quickly worsening symptoms. Brain tumours in children can be benign or malignant. Benign tumours usually grow in one place and may be curable through surgery. This is if they are located in a place where they can be removed without damaging the normal tissue near the tumour. A malignant tumour is cancerous and likely to grow rapidly and spread.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is caused by a developmental defect or damage to the brain before or during birth. It affects the motor areas of the brain. A person with cerebral palsy may have average intelligence or severe developmental delays or mental retardation. Moreover, cerebral palsy can affect body movement in different ways. In mild cases of cerebral palsy, there may be minor muscle weakness of the arms, and legs and in other more severe motor impairments. For example, a child may have trouble talking and performing basic movements like walking.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a wide variety of seizure disorders. For example, partial seizures involve specific areas of the brain with varying symptoms depending on the location of the seizure. While generalized seizures involve a larger portion of the brain. This involves uncontrolled movements of the entire body and loss of consciousness when they occur. In many cases, epilepsy can be related to brain injury, tumours, or infections. Also, the tendency to develop epilepsy may be inherited in families.
Headaches
Of the many different types of headaches, the most frequently occurring include tension headaches caused by muscle tension in the head, neck, and shoulders. There is also a migraine, an intense, recurring headache with an unclear cause. And cluster headache is considered to be a form of migraine. Migraines occur with or without warning and may last for several hours or days. There seems to be an inherited predisposition to migraines as well as certain triggers that can lead to them. People with migraines may experience dizziness, numbness, sensitivity to light, and nausea, and may see flashing zigzag lines before their eyes.
Meningitis and Encephalitis
These are infections of the brain and spinal cord that are usually caused by bacteria or viruses. Meningitis is an inflammation of the coverings of the brain and spinal cord. And encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain tissue. Both conditions may result in permanent injury to the brain.
Mental Illness
Mental illnesses are psychological and behavioural in nature and involve a wide range of problems in thought and function. Some are linked to structural abnormalities or chemical dysfunction of the brain or inherited. But most often the cause is unknown. Injuries to the brain and chronic drug or alcohol abuse can also trigger some mental illnesses. Similarly, signs of chronic mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, may first show up in childhood. In addition, mental illnesses that can be seen in younger people include depression and eating disorders such as bulimia or anorexia nervosa. As well as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias.
Head Injuries
Head injuries come in two categories: external injury (usually scalp) and internal head injuries. Internal injuries may involve the skull, the blood vessels within the skull, or the brain. Fortunately, most childhood falls or blows to the head result in injury to the scalp only, which is usually more frightening than threatening. An internal head injury could have more serious implications because the skull serves as the protective helmet for the delicate brain.
Concussions are also a type of internal head injury. It is a temporary loss of normal brain function due to an injury. Also, repeated concussions can cause permanent injury to the brain. One of the most common reasons kids get concussions is through sports. So it is important to make sure they wear appropriate protective gear and do not continue to play if they have had a head injury.
Bottom Line
Although there are problems that can affect your brain, it is possible to prevent, manage or treat them when they occur. But most importantly see your doctor for any unusual warning signs.
https://www.webmd.com/brain/brain-damage-symptoms-causes-treatments
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
