Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Brain and Spine Complications EDS, particularly the hypermobile and classical variants, can cause difficulties with the brain, spine, or central nervous system when weak connective tissue causes nerve cell injury or malformation. Symptoms may not appear until late in life, but when they do, they can be serious. Disability may result from common symptoms such as headache, memory problems, pain sensitivity, poor coordination, vision problems, and weakness or numbness in an arm or leg. In severe cases, patients may have trouble breathing, eat slowly or require assistance with eating, and suffer from bleeding into the eyes or ears. The most common symptom of EDS is easy bruising, followed by neurological problems. People with this disorder have abnormal amounts of collagen in their skin, blood vessels, joints, and other tissues. This excessive collagen can cause problems during pregnancy or after surgery. Classification criteria for EDS: (1) joint hypermobility; (2) skin features characteristic of EDS, such as easy bruisability, coarse facial features, and translucent skin; (3) one or more additional types of EDS signs and symptoms, including neurological problems, internal organ damage, cardiovascular disease, and osteopenia/osteoporosis. Neurological problems include seizures, dementia, and migraine headaches.