Even though it’s frequently a life-saving procedure, brain surgery can have major consequences. There are many mental and physical obstacles on the road to rehabilitation. Nonetheless, you may manage your recuperation and rediscover yourself after brain surgery if you have the correct facts, informational support system, and optimistic outlook.

The sort of brain surgery you have and the complexity of your case will determine how long it takes you to recover. You may feel tired, in pain, confused, or have trouble communicating in the early days after surgery. You will usually be under close observation in the intensive care unit (ICU) until you are stable enough to be moved to a regular hospital room.

Rehabilitation becomes an essential part of your recovery after your condition stabilizes. Your speech, physical capabilities, mental health, and emotional stability will all be enhanced by therapists. Making the most of every chance to get as much rest as you can once you’re home is essential.

Here are some common challenges:

• You may feel weak or have trouble balancing or coordinating, depending on where the operation is performed.
• It is common to experience persistent tiredness. Make relaxation a priority and pay attention to your body.
• Potential side effects could include memory loss, concentration issues, or trouble speaking.
• Anesthesia may have an impact on your emotional state and composure. Emotional regulation issues, anxiety, and depression are prevalent.
• It may require some time to get back into the work and social scene, as well as hobbies. Be kind to yourself and have open lines of communication with those you care about.

Here are some strategies for recovery:

• Maintaining your health requires that you take your medication as prescribed, go to your rehabilitation appointments, and make lifestyle changes.
• Prioritize Your body requires enough sleep to repair itself. Avoid overexerting yourself and pay attention to your signs of exhaustion.
• Eating wholesome meals gives your body the resources it requires to heal.
• Getting enough water in your diet promotes good health and helps fight weariness.
• Getting in touch with people who have had brain surgery can offer a wealth of knowledge and support.
• Persistent stress might impede healing. Use relaxation methods such as deep breathing exercises or meditation.
• Rehab is a slow process, so have patience. Cherish little victories and refrain from evaluating yourself against others.

Glioblastoma is a kind of cancer that originates in the brain or spinal cord. It starts with astrocytes, which are the cells that support nerve cells. Glioblastoma spreads swiftly and can harm healthy tissues. The cancer can spread to other parts of the brain as well. It is the most prevalent kind of malignant or cancerous brain tumor in adults, accounting for over 50% of all cancerous brain tumors. To save lives, it is critical to raise awareness of glioblastoma and encourage early identification. Understanding the causes, symptoms and other important information about Glioblastoma will help in efficiently raising awareness about this deadly disease. This article has been written with that purpose in mind. 

What causes Glioblastoma?

The majority of glioblastomas have unknown causes.

Glioblastoma develops when cells in the brain or spinal cord undergo DNA alterations. “Mutations” or “Variants” are terms used by healthcare experts to describe these changes. Cancer cells’ DNA alterations instruct them to produce a large number of cells quickly. This large production of cancer cells produces a lump known as a tumor. The tumor may expand to push on surrounding nerves and sections of the brain or spinal cord. This causes glioblastoma symptoms, which can lead to consequences. The tumor can spread to invade and destroy healthy body tissue.

What are the symptoms of Glioblastoma to look out for?

Experts are unsure why certain people acquire dangerous brain tumors, including Glioblastoma, but some symptoms have been found. Glioblastoma symptoms appear quickly. The developing tumor puts pressure on the brain, resulting in symptoms such as:

• Double or blurred vision.
• Headaches.
• Appetite loss.
• Memory issues.
• Mood and/or personality changes.
• Muscle weakness or balance issues.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Seizures.
• Speech difficulties.
• Changes in sensation, such as numbness or tingling. 

What are the risk factors associated with Glioblastoma?

Like every disease, Glioblastoma also has some factors that can increase the risk of acquiring it. They are:

• Growing older: Glioblastomas are most common in older people. However, glioblastoma can occur at any age.
• Being exposed to ionizing radiation: People who have been exposed to ionizing radiation are at a higher risk of developing glioblastoma. Microwaves emitted by an oven are one type of ionizing radiation.
• Inherited cancer risk syndromes: In some families, DNA alterations passed down from parents to children may raise the risk of developing glioblastoma. These syndromes can be detected by genetic testing.

What are the management and treatment options for glioblastoma?

Unfortunately, Glioblastoma has no known treatment. To reduce symptoms, treatments aim to remove or shrink the tumor. The initial procedure is surgery called Craniotomy, to remove the tumor, followed by radiation and chemotherapy. If surgery is not an option owing to your health or the location of the tumor, radiation and chemotherapy can help control it.

Radiation therapy employs S-rays to destroy cancer cells and prevent them from growing. You could require up to 30 daily radiation treatments over six weeks, and chemotherapy medication circulates in your blood to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be administered concurrently with radiation therapy or after it has been completed.

Some other treatments that are employed to tackle glioblastoma include:

• Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)
• Stereotactic radiosurgery
• Targeted therapy
• Tumor treatment fields (TTF)

Fighting Glioblastoma is a true battle, but with awareness, we can combat it. This aggressive brain tumor must be detected early for the best chance of successful therapy. While the specific causes are unknown, understanding the risk factors and symptoms allows people to seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Glioblastoma Awareness Day, held annually on the third Wednesday of July, serves as an important reminder. This year, let’s band together to spread knowledge. Share information about Glioblastoma  with your loved ones, advocate for more research funds and donate to organizations dedicated to discovering a cure.

Raising awareness serves to aid patients, accelerate research, and eventually save lives. Let us shift the tide against glioblastoma one informed voice at a time.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is a nervous system disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes muscular paralysis. The condition worsens over time. ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. The specific cause of the condition remains unknown.

ALS frequently begins with muscular twitching and weakening in one arm or leg, as well as difficulty swallowing or garbled speech. ALS eventually impairs muscle control, causing difficulty moving, speaking, eating, and breathing. This deadly disease has no cure.

Symptoms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:

The symptoms of ALS differ from person to person. Symptoms vary according to which nerve cells are impacted. Some of the symptoms of ALS include:

• Difficulty walking or performing regular chores.
• Trips and falls.
• Hand weakness or clumsiness.
• Slurred speech or difficulty swallowing.
• Weakness in the legs, foot, and/or ankles.
• Unexpected crying, laughter, or yawning.
• Mental or behavioural changes.
• Weakness due to muscle spasms and twitching in the arms, shoulders, and tongue.

ALS commonly begins in the hands, feet, arms, or legs. Then it spreads to other places of your body. Muscles lose strength as more nerve cells die. The early stages of ALS are usually painless. Pain is also uncommon in later phases. ALS seldom affects bladder control. It normally has little effect on the senses, including the ability to taste, smell, touch, and hear.

ALS damages the nerve cells that regulate voluntary muscle movements like walking and talking. ALS causes motor neurons to gradually degrade and then die. When motor neurons get destroyed, they stop delivering messages to the muscles. As a result, muscles are unable to operate. A genetic cause can be found for approximately 10% of ALS patients. The reason for the remaining incidents is unknown.

ALS, often known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a persistently progressing illness that deprives people of muscle control. Although the reason is unknown and there is no cure, research is progressing. You can get involved in the struggle! Donate to organizations that promote ALS research, donate your time to assist patients and families, or simply raise awareness.

Dementia is a broad term that refers to a set of disorders and illnesses that impair thinking, memory, reasoning, personality, mood, and behaviour. Mental deterioration disrupts your daily life and activities. It is estimated that almost half of adults aged 85 and up have dementia. A person with dementia experiences two or more of these specific challenges, such as a deterioration in:

• Memory and reasoning skills.
• Language skills
• Coordination
• Mood
• Behavior

Dementia develops when infections or diseases impair the regions of your brain that control learning, memory, decision-making, and language. Dementia is classified as a late-life disease since it most commonly affects the elderly. Dementia affects 5% to 8% of persons over the age of 65, and the percentage doubles every five years after that. Dementia affects up to half of persons over the age of 85.

Some causes of Dementia include:

The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease.

However, other recognized causes of dementia include:

• Head Injuries
• Vascular Risk Factors
• Lifestyle Habits
• Genetics
• Brain Infections
• Vascular Dementia
• Lewy Body Dementia

Dementias are categorised into three categories:

• Primary (diseases and disorders with dementia as the major sickness).
• Secondary dementia (caused by another disease or condition).
• Reversible dementia-like symptoms induced by other illnesses or factors. 

What are some symptoms of Dementia?

• Forgetting current events or knowledge.
• Making multiple comments or asking inquiries in a short space of time.
• Misplacing routinely used things or placing them in odd locations.
• Not knowing the season, year, or month.
• Having trouble coming up with the correct words.
• Having a shift in mood, conduct, or interests. 

Signs that dementia is deteriorating include:

• Your memory and decision-making abilities continue to deteriorate.
• Speaking and finding the correct words becomes increasingly challenging.
• Daily complex chores like brushing your teeth, making a cup of coffee, using a TV remote, cooking, and paying payments get more difficult.
• Reduced rational thinking and behaviour, as well as problem-solving abilities.
• The sleep pattern alters.
• Anxiety, frustration, perplexity, agitation, suspicion, sadness, and/or depression increase or worsen.
• Needing additional assistance with daily chores such as grooming, toileting, bathing, and eating.
• Experience hallucinations.

Dementia, which refers to a variety of disorders that affect memory, thinking, and behaviour, interferes with daily life. While Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause, vascular issues and head injuries can also contribute. Early detection is critical because it allows for better management and assistance for people with dementia. Remember that dementia is not a natural part of aging, so if you detect any changes in memory, thinking, or behaviour, see a doctor.

Stress is a common and inescapable aspect of everyday living. It takes many forms, ranging from the stress of juggling family, job, and school obligations to dealing with health, money, and relationships. When we encounter a possible threat, our minds and bodies mobilize to deal with it or avoid it, therefore going into fight or flight mode. 

Physical symptoms associated with stress include headaches and chest pain. It can cause mood disorders such as anxiety or depression. It can even lead to behavioural issues like outbursts of rage or overeating. However, stress can also cause some serious complications to your brain like: 

• Chronic Stress can result in an increase in mental health issues or illnesses. Researchers have discovered that chronic stress contributes significantly to the emergence of several psychiatric diseases, including depression, bipolar disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder.According to studies, persistent stress causes long-term brain alterations. These alterations could explain why people who suffer chronic stress are more likely to develop mood and anxiety disorders later in life. 
• Chronic stress can cause long-term changes in the structure and function of the brain. The gray matter is an important portion of the brain that is in charge of higher-order thinking including decision-making and problem-solving. However, the brain also contains “white matter,” which is made up of all the axons that communicate with other parts of the brain. Chronic stress causes myelin overproduction, which not only causes a short-term shift in the balance of white and gray matter, but can also cause long-term structural abnormalities in the brain.
• Have you ever noticed that after a stressful incident, your recall of the facts becomes hazy? That is because stress can make events difficult to recall. Even relatively small stress can have an instant impact on your memory, such as failing to remember where your car keys are or where you left your briefcase when you arrive late for work.
• In addition to altering the structure of the brain, the hormones that your body produces when stressed can damage neurons in your brain, particularly those that have recently formed. 
• Stress not only slows the formation of brain cells, but it can also reduce overall brain capacity. Even in otherwise healthy persons, stress can cause shrinkage in brain regions responsible for emotion regulation, metabolism, and memory.
• When we are repeatedly exposed to high amounts of cortisol, we risk losing brain capacity, particularly in crucial areas such as the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.

It’s crucial to realize that not every stress causes the same effects on the brain and neural networks. Good stress, or stress that allows you to perform effectively in the face of a problem, helps to wire the brain positively, resulting in stronger networks and more resilience. Chronic stress, on the other hand, can result in a variety of difficulties. Whereas good stress promotes resilience, chronic stress is more likely to raise your vulnerability to mental health problems later on.

Stress is an ever-present companion in our fast-paced world, and while it can push us in the short term, persistent stress has a negative impact on our brains. Remember that prioritizing your own well-being is not selfish; it is necessary for a healthy brain and a full existence. Adopting stress-management practices can help you build resilience, improve cognitive function, and protect your brain health for years.

After a sleepless night, we’ve all experienced that foggy, sluggish feeling. But being sleep deprived causes more than just fatigue in the morning. Our ability to learn and remember things as well as control our emotions and mood are all negatively impacted by long-term sleep deprivation.

Sleep has different stages during which our brain goes through different stages – Non – REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and REM (Rapid Eye Movement). 

• Non-REM Sleep: In non-REM sleep, there is a slowdown in brain activity and four stages of deeper sleep. This phase is critical for the synthesis of growth hormone, tissue healing, and physical restoration.
• REM Sleep: Rapid eye movement, elevated brain activity, and dreaming are the hallmarks of REM sleep. This phase is essential for learning, processing emotions, and consolidating memories.

How much sleep is important?

The ideal amount of sleep can vary, but the following are general guidelines according to the National Sleep Foundation.

• Newborn Babies (0-3 months old) – 14 to 17 hours per day
• Infants (4-12 months old) – 12 to 15 hours per day
• Toddlers (1-2 years old) – 11 to 14 hours per day
• Preschoolers (3-5 years old) – 10 to 13 hours per day
• School-aged children (6-13 years old) – 9 to 11 hours per day
• Teenagers (14-17 years old) – 8 to 10 hours per day
• Adults (18-64 years old) – 7 to 9 hours per day
• Adults (65 years and older) – 7 to 8 hours per day

What is the impact of sleep deprivation on our brain?

• Mood Regulation: Mood regulation is impacted by chronic sleep loss, which increases our vulnerability to stress, anxiety, and sadness.
• Brain Plasticity: The brain’s capacity to change and create new neural connections depends on sleep. We can’t study and develop to the fullest extent possible if we don’t get enough sleep.
• Memory and Learning: Lack of sleep makes it more difficult for us to create long-lasting memories. Older memories grow more brittle and struggle to be encoded with new information.
• Cognitive Function: Lack of sleep impairs concentration, focus, judgment, and problem-solving skills. We grow less adept at understanding complicated ideas and more prone to making mistakes.
• Creativity and Innovation: Lack of sleep inhibits both our creativity and our ability to think creatively and innovatively. These higher-order cognitive processes depend on REM sleep.

The most intricate and intriguing organ in the human body is the brain. Everything is under its control, including our senses, movements, and thoughts and emotions. However, it continues to be a mystery to many. This blog seeks to demystify the brain by examining its major processes and illuminating a few prevalent neurological disorders that impact millions of people globally.

There are various regions in our brain, each with a specific function. The cerebral cortex manages sophisticated functions like language, thought, and planning, like a wrinkly control panel. The limbic system, which is located deep within, is in charge of processing rewards, emotions, and memories. The cerebellum controls movement and balance, whereas the brainstem regulates vital signs like breathing and heart rate. This complex network, made up of billions of neurons, controls every action we take, including breathing and creating symphonies.

The brain is vulnerable to a number of situations that might upset its delicate equilibrium, even though it exhibits incredible resiliency. Among the most typical are:

Alzheimer’s disease: This progressive neurological illness impairs thinking, memory, and day-to-day functioning. Its development is associated with age and some hereditary factors, while the specific cause is yet unknown.

Parkinson’s disease: Caused by the death of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, Parkinson’s disease is characterized by tremors, rigidity, and slow movement. Although there isn’t a cure, treatments and medicines can control the symptoms.

Stroke: An abrupt loss of function results from brain cell death caused by an interruption in blood flow to a portion of the brain. It’s critical to recognize the signs of a stroke—facial drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech—and to seek emergency medical assistance.

Epilepsy: This neurological condition is typified by aberrant electrical activity in the brain and results in seizures. There are various forms of epilepsy, and the kind and its causes determine the course of treatment.

Millions of people worldwide suffer from migraines, which are extremely painful headaches that frequently include nausea, light sensitivity, and aura. Although the precise reason is unknown, triggers such as hormone fluctuations, stress, and specific foods may be implicated.

The immune system assaults the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve fibers in multiple sclerosis (MS), an inflammatory illness that impairs brain-body communication. The symptoms can include anything from weakness and exhaustion in the muscles to visual issues and cognitive issues.

Acquiring knowledge about the brain and its weaknesses enables us to proactively promote neurological well-being. Here are some pointers:

• Keep up a healthy lifestyle: Stress reduction, a balanced diet, and regular exercise can all help to maintain a healthy brain.
• Test your thinking: Take part in brain engaging activities such as reading, puzzles, and picking up new skills.
• Get adequate sleep: Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining healthy brain function, consolidated memories, and general wellbeing.
• Recognize your ancestry: There is a hereditary component to some neurological diseases. It can be educational to discuss your medical history with your relatives.
• Visit your physician frequently: Regular screenings and checks can help identify possible problems early, especially as you get older.

We may admire the brain’s amazing complexity and endeavor to preserve its health throughout our lifetimes by being aware of its weaknesses. Recall that gaining knowledge can help us understand this amazing organ and give us the power to make wise decisions that will lead to a happy and healthy existence.