sarnsrun/medquad huggingface dataset:
Topic: Meningitis and Encephalitis
Question: What is the outlook for Meningitis and Encephalitis ?
Answer: The prognosis for for people with encephalitis or meningitis varies. Some cases are mild, short and relatively benign and individuals have full recovery, although the process may be slow. Individuals who experience mild symptoms may recover in 2-4 weeks. Other cases are severe, and permanent impairment or death is possible. The acute phase of encephalitis may last for 1 to 2 weeks, with gradual or sudden resolution of fever and neurological symptoms. Individuals treated for bacterial meningitis typically show some relief within 48-72 hours. Neurological symptoms may require many months before full recovery. With early diagnosis and prompt treatment, most individuals recover from meningitis. However, in some cases, the disease progresses so rapidly that death occurs during the first 48 hours, despite early treatment.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Meningitis and Encephalitis
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Meningitis and Encephalitis ?
Answer: The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. The NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health, the leading supporter of biomedical research in the world. Current research efforts include gaining a better understanding of how the central nervous system responds to inflammation in the brain, as well as to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the protection and disruption of the blood-brain barrier, which could lead to the development of new treatments for several neuroinflammatory diseases such as meningitis and encephalitis.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease
Question: What is (are) Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease ?
Answer: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure used to treat several disabling neurological symptomsmost commonly the debilitating motor symptoms of Parkinsons disease (PD), such as tremor, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement, and walking problems. The procedure is also used to treat essential tremor and dystonia. At present, the procedure is used only for individuals whose symptoms cannot be adequately controlled with medications. However, only individuals who improve to some degree after taking medication for Parkinsons benefit from DBS. A variety of conditions may mimic PD but do not respond to medications or DBS. DBS uses a surgically implanted, battery-operated medical device called an implantable pulse generator (IPG) - similar to a heart pacemaker and approximately the size of a stopwatch to - deliver electrical stimulation to specific areas in the brain that control movement, thus blocking the abnormal nerve signals that cause PD symptoms.
                
Before the procedure, a neurosurgeon uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scanning to identify and locate the exact target within the brain for surgical intervention. Some surgeons may use microelectrode recording - which involves a small wire that monitors the activity of nerve cells in the target area - to more specifically identify the precise brain area that will be stimulated. Generally, these areas are the thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, and globus pallidus. There is a low chance that placement of the stimulator may cause bleeding or infection in the brain.
                
The DBS system consists of three components: the lead, the extension, and the IPG. The lead (also called an electrode)a thin, insulated wireis inserted through a small opening in the skull and implanted in the brain. The tip of the electrode is positioned within the specific brain area. 
                
The extension is an insulated wire that is passed under the skin of the head, neck, and shoulder, connecting the lead to the implantable pulse generator. The IPG (the "battery pack") is the third component and is usually implanted under the skin near the collarbone. In some cases it may be implanted lower in the chest or under the skin over the abdomen.
                
Once the system is in place, electrical impulses are sent from the IPG up along the extension wire and the lead and into the brain. These impulses block abnormal electrical signals and alleviate PD motor symptoms.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease
Question: What are the treatments for Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease ?
Answer: Unlike previous surgeries for PD, DBS involves minimal permanent surgical changes to the brain. Instead, the procedure uses electrical stimulation to regulate electrical signals in neural circuits to and from identified areas in the brain to improve PD symptoms. Thus, if DBS causes unwanted side effects or newer, more promising treatments develop in the future, the implantable pulse generator can be removed, and the DBS procedure can be halted. Also, stimulation from the IPG is easily adjustablewithout further surgeryif the persons condition changes. Some people describe the pulse generator adjustments as "programming."
Source: NINDS
Topic: Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease
Question: What is the outlook for Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease ?
Answer: Although most individuals still need to take medication after undergoing DBS, many people with Parkinsons disease experience considerable reduction of their motor symptoms and are able to reduce their medications. The amount of reduction varies but can be considerably reduced in most individuals, and can lead to a significant improvement in side effects such as dyskinesias (involuntary movements caused by long-term use of levodopa). In some cases, the stimulation itself can suppress dyskinesias without a reduction in medication. DBS does not improve cognitive symptoms in PD and indeed may worsen them, so it is not generally used if there are signs of dementia. DBS changes the brain firing pattern but does not slow the progression of the neurodegeneration.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease ?
Answer: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National institutes of Health (NIH), supports research on DBS to determine its safety, reliability, and effectiveness as a treatment for PD. NINDS supported research on brain circuitry was critical to the development of DBS.
                
Researchers are continuing to study DBS and to develop ways of improving it. A two-part study funded by the NINDS and the Department of Veterans Affairs first compared bilateral DBS to best medical therapy, including medication adjustment and physical therapy. Bilateral DBS showed overall superiority to best medical therapy at improving motor symptoms and quality of life. The second part of the study, involving nearly 300 patients, compared subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS to globus pallidus interna (GPI) DBS. The two groups reported similar improvements in motor control and quality of life in scores on the Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale. On a variety of neuropsychological tests, there were no significant differences between the two groups. However, the STN DBS group experienced a greater decline on a test of visuomotor processing speed, which measures how quickly someone thinks and acts on information. Also, the STN DBS group had slight worsening on a standard assessment of depression, while the GPI DBS group had slight improvement on the same test. The importance of these two differences is not clear, and will be scrutinized in follow-up research.
                
In addition, NINDS-supported researchers are developing and testing improved implantable pulse generators, and conducting studies to better understand the therapeutic effect of neurostimulation on neural circuitry and brain regions affected in PD. For more information about current studies on brain stimulation and Parkinsons disease, see www.clinicaltrials.gov and search for deep brain stimulation AND Parkinson AND NINDS. For information about NINDS-and NIH-supported research studies in this area, see the NIH RePORTER (Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools) at http://projectreporter.nih.gov and search for deep brain stimulation AND Parkinson.
                
The Brain Initiative for Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) initiative, announced in 2013, offers unprecedented opportunities to unlock the mysteries of the brain and accelerate the development of research and technologies to treat disorders such as Parkinsons disease. For more information about the BRAIN initiative, see www.nih.gov/science/brain.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Tarlov Cysts
Question: What is (are) Tarlov Cysts ?
Answer: Tarlov cysts are sacs filled with cerebrospinal fluid that most often affect nerve roots in the sacrum, the group of bones at the base of the spine. These cysts (also known as meningeal or perineural cysts) can compress nerve roots, causing lower back pain, sciatica (shock-like or burning pain in the lower back, buttocks, and down one leg to below the knee), urinary incontinence, headaches (due to changes in cerebrospinal fluid pressure), constipation, sexual dysfunction, and some loss of feeling or control of movement in the leg and/or foot. Pressure on the nerves next to the cysts can also cause pain and deterioration of surrounding bone. Tarlov cysts can be diagnosed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, it is estimated that the majority of the cysts observed by MRI cause no symptoms. Tarlov cysts may become symptomatic following shock, trauma, or exertion that causes the buildup of cerebrospinal fluid. Women are at much higher risk of developing these cysts than are men.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Tarlov Cysts
Question: What are the treatments for Tarlov Cysts ?
Answer: Tarlov cysts may be drained and shunted to relieve pressure and pain, but relief is often only temporary and fluid build-up in the cysts will recur. Corticosteroid injections may also temporarily relieve pain. Other drugs may be prescribed to treat chronic pain and depression. Injecting the cysts with fibrin glue (a combination of naturally occurring substances based on the clotting factor in blood) may provide temporary relief of pain. Some scientists believe the herpes simplex virus, which thrives in an alkaline environment, can cause Tarlov cysts to become symptomatic. Making the body less alkaline, through diet or supplements, may lessen symptoms. Microsurgical removal of the cyst may be an option in select individuals who do not respond to conservative treatments and who continue to experience pain or progressive neurological damage.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Tarlov Cysts
Question: What is the outlook for Tarlov Cysts ?
Answer: In some instances Tarlov cysts can cause nerve pain and other pain, weakness, or nerve root compression. Acute and chronic pain may require changes in lifestyle. If left untreated, nerve root compression can cause permanent neurological damage.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Tarlov Cysts
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Tarlov Cysts ?
Answer: The NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, vigorously pursues a research program seeking new treatments to reduce and prevent pain and nerve damage.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Transverse Myelitis
Question: What is (are) Transverse Myelitis ?
Answer: Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across both sides of one level, or segment, of the spinal cord. The segment of the spinal cord at which the damage occurs determines which parts of the body are affected. Damage at one segment will affect function at that segment and segments below it. In people with transverse myelitis, inflammation usually occurs at the thoracic (upper back) level, causing problems with leg movement and bowel and bladder control, which require signals from the lower segments of the spinal cord. What usually begins as a sudden onset of lower back pain, muscle weakness, or abnormal sensations in the toes and feet can rapidly progress to more severe symptoms, including paralysis, urinary retention, and loss of bowel control.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Transverse Myelitis
Question: What are the treatments for Transverse Myelitis ?
Answer: No effective cure currently exists for people with transverse myelitis. Physicians often prescribe corticosteroid therapy during the first few weeks of illness to decrease inflammation. Following initial therapy, the most critical part of the treatment for this disorder consists of keeping the patients body functioning while hoping for either complete or partial spontaneous recovery of the nervous system. If an individual begins to recover limb control, physical therapy begins to help improve muscle strength, coordination, and range of motion.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Transverse Myelitis
Question: What is the outlook for Transverse Myelitis ?
Answer: Most individuals will have only one episode of transverse myelitis. Recovery usually begins within 2 to 12 weeks of the onset of symptoms and may continue for up to 2 years and in some cases longer--requiring aggressive physical therapy and rehabilitation. However, if there is no improvement within the first 3 to 6 months, complete recovery is unlikely (although some recovery can occur). Historic data, shows that about one-third of people affected with transverse myelitis experience good or full recovery from their symptoms. Another one-third show only fair recovery and are left with significant deficits. The remaining one-third show no recovery at all, with marked dependence on others for basic functions of daily living. New, more aggressive treatment protocols may result in greater recovery statistics.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Transverse Myelitis
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Transverse Myelitis ?
Answer: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts research related to transverse myelitis in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and also supports additional transverse myelitis research through grants to major medical institutions across the country. Some studies focus on strategies to repair the spinal cord, including approaches using cell transplantation. The NINDS also funds researchers who are using animal models of spinal cord injury to study strategies for replacement or regeneration of spinal cord nerve cells. The knowledge gained from such research should lead to a greater knowledge of the mechanisms responsible for transverse myelitis and may ultimately provide a means to prevent and treat this disorder.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Encephalitis Lethargica
Question: What is (are) Encephalitis Lethargica ?
Answer: Encephalitis lethargica is a disease characterized by high fever, headache, double vision, delayed physical and mental response, and lethargy. In acute cases, patients may enter coma. Patients may also experience abnormal eye movements, upper body weakness, muscular pains, tremors, neck rigidity, and behavioral changes including psychosis. The cause of encephalitis lethargica is unknown. Between 1917 to 1928, an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica spread throughout the world, but no recurrence of the epidemic has since been reported. Postencephalitic Parkinson's disease may develop after a bout of encephalitis-sometimes as long as a year after the illness.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Encephalitis Lethargica
Question: What are the treatments for Encephalitis Lethargica ?
Answer: Treatment for encephalitis lethargica is symptomatic. Levodopa and other antiparkinson drugs often produce dramatic responses.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Encephalitis Lethargica
Question: What is the outlook for Encephalitis Lethargica ?
Answer: The course of encephalitis lethargica varies depending upon complications or accompanying disorders.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Encephalitis Lethargica
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Encephalitis Lethargica ?
Answer: The NINDS supports research on disorders that affect the brain, such as encephalitis lethargica, with the goal of finding ways to prevent and treat them. (The disease was the subject of the book and film, "Awakenings.")
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dystonias
Question: What is (are) Dystonias ?
Answer: The dystonias are movement disorders in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The movements, which are involuntary and sometimes painful, may affect a single muscle; a group of muscles such as those in the arms, legs, or neck; or the entire body. Early symptoms may include deterioration in handwriting, foot cramps, or a dragging foot after running or walking some distance. Other possible symptoms are tremor and voice or speech difficulties. About half the cases of dystonia have no connection to disease or injury and are called primary or idiopathic dystonia. Of the primary dystonias, many cases appear to be inherited. Dystonias can also be symptoms of other diseases, some of which may be hereditary. Dystonia can occur at any age, but is often described as either early, or childhood, onset versus adult onset.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dystonias
Question: What are the treatments for Dystonias ?
Answer: No one treatment has been found to be universally effective. Instead, doctors use a variety of therapies (medications, surgery, and other treatments such as physical therapy, splinting, stress management, and biofeedback) aimed at reducing or eliminating muscle spasms and pain. Since response to drugs varies among individuals and even in the same person over time, the most effective therapy is often individualized.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dystonias
Question: What is the outlook for Dystonias ?
Answer: The initial symptoms can be very mild and may be noticeable only after prolonged exertion, stress, or fatigue. Dystonias often progress through various stages. Initially, dystonic movements are intermittent and appear only during voluntary movements or stress. Later, individuals may show dystonic postures and movements while walking and ultimately even while they are relaxed. Dystonic motions may lead to permanent physical deformities by causing tendons to shorten.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dystonias
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Dystonias ?
Answer: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts research related to dystonia in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and also supports additional dystonia research through grants to major research institutions across the country. Scientists at other NIH Institutes (National institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders, National Eye Institute, and Eunice Kennnedy Shriver National Institute on Child Health and Human Development) also support research that may benefit individuals with dystonia. Investigators believe that the dystonias result from an abnormality in an area of the brain called the basal ganglia, where some of the messages that initiate muscle contractions are processed. Scientists at the NINDS laboratories have conducted detailed investigations of the pattern of muscle activity in persons with dystonias. Studies using EEG analysis and neuroimaging are probing brain activity. The search for the gene or genes responsible for some forms of dominantly inherited dystonias continues.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dandy-Walker Syndrome
Question: What is (are) Dandy-Walker Syndrome ?
Answer: Dandy-Walker Syndrome is a congenital brain malformation involving the cerebellum (an area of the back of the brain that coordinates movement) and the fluid-filled spaces around it. The key features of this syndrome are an enlargement of the fourth ventricle (a small channel that allows fluid to flow freely between the upper and lower areas of the brain and spinal cord), a partial or complete absence of the area of the brain between the two cerebellar hemispheres (cerebellar vermis), and cyst formation near the lowest part of the skull. An increase in the size and pressure of the fluid spaces surrounding the brain (hydrocephalus) may also be present. The syndrome can appear dramatically or develop unnoticed. Symptoms, which often occur in early infancy, include slow motor development and progressive enlargement of the skull. In older children, symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (pressure within the skull) such as irritability and vomiting, and signs of cerebellar dysfunction such as unsteadiness, lack of muscle coordination, or jerky movements of the eyes may occur. Other symptoms include increased head circumference, bulging at the back of the skull, abnormal breathing problems, and problems with the nerves that control the eyes, face and neck. Dandy-Walker Syndrome is sometimes associated with disorders of other areas of the central nervous system, including absence of the area made up of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres (corpus callosum) and malformations of the heart, face, limbs, fingers and toes.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dandy-Walker Syndrome
Question: What are the treatments for Dandy-Walker Syndrome ?
Answer: Treatment for individuals with Dandy-Walker Syndrome generally consists of treating the associated problems, if needed. A surgical procedure called a shunt may be required to drain off excess fluid within the brain, which will reduce pressure inside the skull and improve symptoms. Treatment may also include various forms of therapy (physicial, occupational) and specialized education.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dandy-Walker Syndrome
Question: What is the outlook for Dandy-Walker Syndrome ?
Answer: The effect of Dandy-Walker Syndrome on intellectual development is variable, with some children having normal cognition and others never achieving normal intellectual development even when the excess fluid buildup is treated early and correctly. Longevity depends on the severity of the syndrome and associated malformations. The presence of multiple congenital defects may shorten life span.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dandy-Walker Syndrome
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Dandy-Walker Syndrome ?
Answer: The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system, and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. The NINDS conducts and supports a wide range of studies that explore the complex mechanisms of normal brain development. Researchers are studying DNA samples from individuals with Dandy-Walker syndrome to identify genes involved with the syndrome, as well as to better understand its causes and improve diagnosis and treatment options. Other research indicates that mothers with diabetes and those with rubella (German measles) during pregnancy are more likely to have a child with Dandy-Walker syndrome.
Source: NINDS