sarnsrun/medquad huggingface dataset:
Topic: Dysautonomia
Question: What is (are) Dysautonomia ?
Answer: Dysautonomia refers to a disorder of autonomic nervous system (ANS) function that generally involves failure of the sympathetic or parasympathetic components of the ANS, but dysautonomia involving excessive or overactive ANS actions also can occur. Dysautonomia can be local, as in reflex sympathetic dystrophy, or generalized, as in pure autonomic failure. It can be acute and reversible, as in Guillain-Barre syndrome, or chronic and progressive. Several common conditions such as diabetes and alcoholism can include dysautonomia. Dysautonomia also can occur as a primary condition or in association with degenerative neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Other diseases with generalized, primary dysautonomia include multiple system atrophy and familial dysautonomia. Hallmarks of generalized dysautonomia due to sympathetic failure are impotence (in men) and a fall in blood pressure during standing (orthostatic hypotension). Excessive sympathetic activity can present as hypertension or a rapid pulse rate.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dysautonomia
Question: What are the treatments for Dysautonomia ?
Answer: There is usually no cure for dysautonomia. Secondary forms may improve with treatment of the underlying disease. In many cases treatment of primary dysautonomia is symptomatic and supportive. Measures to combat orthostatic hypotension include elevation of the head of the bed, water bolus (rapid infusion of water given intravenously), a high-salt diet, and drugs such as fludrocortisone and midodrine.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dysautonomia
Question: What is the outlook for Dysautonomia ?
Answer: The outlook for individuals with dysautonomia depends on the particular diagnostic category. People with chronic, progressive, generalized dysautonomia in the setting of central nervous system degeneration have a generally poor long-term prognosis. Death can occur from pneumonia, acute respiratory failure, or sudden cardiopulmonary arrest.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dysautonomia
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Dysautonomia ?
Answer: The NINDS supports and conducts research on dysautonomia. This research aims to discover ways to diagnose, treat, and, ultimately, prevent these disorders.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica
Question: What is (are) Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica ?
Answer: Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica refers to a collection of rare, degenerative, neurological disorders characterized by epilepsy, cognitive impairment, myoclonus, and progressive ataxia. Symptoms include seizures, tremor, and reduced muscle coordination. Onset of the disorder generally occurs in early adulthood. Tremor may begin in one extremity and later spread to involve the entire voluntary muscular system. Arms are usually more affected than legs. Some of the cases are due to mitochondrial abnormalities.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica
Question: What are the treatments for Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica ?
Answer: Treatment of Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica is symptomatic. Myoclonus and seizures may be treated with drugs like valproate.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica
Question: What is the outlook for Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica ?
Answer: The progression of the disorder is usually 10 years or longer.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica ?
Answer: The NINDS supports a broad range of research on neurodegenerative disorders such as Dyssynergia Cerebellaris Myoclonica. The goals of this research are to find ways to prevent, treat, and cure these kinds of disorders.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
Question: What are the treatments for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies ?
Answer: TSEs tend to progress rapidly and usually culminate in death over the course of a few months to a few years.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
Question: What is the outlook for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies ?
Answer: There is currently no treatment that can halt progression of any of the TSEs. Treatment is aimed at alleviating symptoms and making the patient as comfortable as possible. A clinical trial of a potential therapy for CJD is expected to begin soon at the University of California at San Francisco.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies ?
Answer: The NINDS conducts and supports research on TSEs. This research is aimed at determining how abnormal prion proteins lead to disease, at finding better tests for diagnosing CJD and other disorders, and ultimately at finding ways to treat TSEs.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Orthostatic Hypotension
Question: What is (are) Orthostatic Hypotension ?
Answer: Orthostatic hypotension is a sudden fall in blood pressure that occurs when a person assumes a standing position. It is due to a lesion of the baroreflex loop, which senses a change in blood pressure and adjusts heart rate and activates sympathetic nerve system fibers to cause the blood vessels to narrow and correct blood pressure. It may also be caused by hypovolemia (a decreased amount of blood in the body), resulting from the excessive use of diuretics, vasodilators, or other types of drugs, dehydration, or prolonged bed rest. The disorder may be associated with Addison's disease, diabetes, and certain neurological disorders including Multiple System Atrophy with Orthostatic Hypotension (formerly known as Shy-Drager syndrome), autonomic system neuropathies, and other dysautonomias. Symptoms, which generally occur after sudden standing, include dizziness, lightheadedness, blurred vision, and syncope (temporary loss of consciousness).
Source: NINDS
Topic: Orthostatic Hypotension
Question: What are the treatments for Orthostatic Hypotension ?
Answer: When orthostatic hypotension is caused by hypovolemia due to medications, the disorder may be reversed by adjusting the dosage or by discontinuing the medication. When the condition is caused by prolonged bed rest, improvement may occur by sitting up with increasing frequency each day. In some cases, physical counterpressure such as elastic hose or whole-body inflatable suits may be required. Dehydration is treated with salt and fluids. More severe cases can be treated with drugs, such as midodrine, to raise blood pressure.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Orthostatic Hypotension
Question: What is the outlook for Orthostatic Hypotension ?
Answer: The prognosis for individuals with orthostatic hypotension depends on the underlying cause of the condition.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Orthostatic Hypotension
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Orthostatic Hypotension ?
Answer: The NINDS supports research on conditions such as neurogenic orthostatic hypotension aimed at increasing scientific understanding of the condition and finding ways to treat and prevent it.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sotos Syndrome
Question: What is (are) Sotos Syndrome ?
Answer: Sotos syndrome (cerebral gigantism) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutation in the NSD1 gene on chromosome 5. It is characterized by excessive physical growth during the first few years of life. Children with Sotos syndrome tend to be large at birth and are often taller, heavier, and have larger heads (macrocrania) than is normal for their age. Symptoms of the disorder, which vary among individuals, include a disproportionately large and long head with a slightly protrusive forehead and pointed chin, large hands and feet, hypertelorism (an abnormally increased distance between the eyes), and down-slanting eyes. The disorder is often accompanied by mild cognitive impairment; delayed motor, cognitive, and social development; hypotonia (low muscle tone), and speech impairments. Clumsiness, an awkward gait, and unusual aggressiveness or irritability may also occur. Although most cases of Sotos syndrome occur sporadically (meaning they are not known to be inherited), familial cases have also been reported.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sotos Syndrome
Question: What are the treatments for Sotos Syndrome ?
Answer: There is no standard course of treatment for Sotos syndrome. Treatment is symptomatic.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sotos Syndrome
Question: What is the outlook for Sotos Syndrome ?
Answer: Sotos syndrome is not a life-threatening disorder and patients may have a normal life expectancy. The initial abnormalities of Sotos syndrome usually resolve as the growth rate becomes normal after the first few years of life. Developmental delays may improve in the school-age years, and adults with Sotos syndrome are likely to be within the normal range for intellect and height. However, coordination problems may persist into adulthood.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sotos Syndrome
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Sotos Syndrome ?
Answer: The NINDS supports and conducts a wide range of studies which focus on identifying and learning more about the genes involved in normal brain development. The knowledge gained from these fundamental studies provides the foundation for understanding how this process can go awry and, thus, may eventually give clues to understanding disorders such as Sotos syndrome.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Spinal Cord Infarction
Question: What is (are) Spinal Cord Infarction ?
Answer: Spinal cord infarction is a stroke either within the spinal cord or the arteries that supply it. It is caused by arteriosclerosis or a thickening or closing of the major arteries to the spinal cord. Frequently spinal cord infarction is caused by a specific form of arteriosclerosis called atheromatosis, in which a deposit or accumulation of lipid-containing matter forms within the arteries. Symptoms, which generally appear within minutes or a few hours of the infarction, may include intermittent sharp or burning back pain, aching pain down through the legs, weakness in the legs, paralysis, loss of deep tendon reflexes, loss of pain and temperature sensation, and incontinence.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Spinal Cord Infarction
Question: What are the treatments for Spinal Cord Infarction ?
Answer: Treatment is symptomatic. Physical and occupational therapy may help individuals recover from weakness or paralysis. A catheter may be necessary for patients with urinary incontinence.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Spinal Cord Infarction
Question: What is the outlook for Spinal Cord Infarction ?
Answer: Recovery depends upon how quickly treatment is received and how severely the body is compromised. Paralysis may persist for many weeks or be permanent. Most individuals have a good chance of recovery.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Spinal Cord Infarction
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Spinal Cord Infarction ?
Answer: NINDS conducts and supports research on disorders of the spinal cord such as spinal cord infarction, aimed at learning more about these disorders and finding ways to prevent and treat them.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Acid Lipase Disease
Question: What is (are) Acid Lipase Disease ?
Answer: Acid lipase disease or deficiency occurs when the enzyme needed to break down certain fats that are normally digested by the body is lacking or missing, resulting in the toxic buildup of these fats in the bodys cells and tissues. These fatty substances, called lipids, include fatty acids, oils, and cholesterol. Two rare lipid storage diseases are caused by the deficiency of the enzyme lysosomal acid lipase:
                
Wolmans disease (also known as acid lipase deficiency) is an autosomal recessive disorder marked by the buildup of cholesteryl esters (normally a tranport form of cholesterol that brings nutrients into the cells and carries out waste) and triglycerides (a chemical form in which fats exist in the body). Infants with the disorder appear normal at birth but quickly develop progressive mental deterioration, low muscle tone,enlarged liver and grossly enlarged spleen, gastrointestinal problems including an excessive amount of fats in the stools, jaundice, anemia, vomiting, and calcium deposits in the adrenal glands, which causes them to harden. Both male and female infants are affected by the disorder.
                
Cholesteryl ester storage disease (CESD) is an extremely rare disorder that results from storage of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides in cells in the blood and lymph and lymphoid tissue. Children develop an enlarged liver, leading to cirrhosis and chronic liver failure before adulthood. Children may also develop calcium deposits in the adrenal glands and jaundice. Onset varies, and the disorder may not be diagnosed until adulthood.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Acid Lipase Disease
Question: What are the treatments for Acid Lipase Disease ?
Answer: Enzyme replacement therapy for both Wolman's and cholesteryl ester storage disease is currently under investigation. Certain drugs may be given to help with adrenal gland production, and children may need to be fed intravenously. Individuals with CESD may benefit from a low cholesterol diet.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Acid Lipase Disease
Question: What is the outlook for Acid Lipase Disease ?
Answer: Wolmans disease is usually fatal by age 1. The onset and course of cholesteryl ester storage disease varies, and individuals may live into adulthood.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Acid Lipase Disease
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Acid Lipase Disease ?
Answer: The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is to seek fundamental knowledge abut the brain and nervous system, and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological diseaset. The NINDS conducts and supports research to understand lipid storage diseases such as acid lipase deficiency. Additional research studies hope to identify biomarkers (signs that may indicate risk of a disease and improve diagnosis) for thee lipid storage diseases that will speed the development of novel therapeutics for these disorders. Other investigators hope to establish an international disease registry designed to collect longitudinal data that would be used to improve the care and treatment of individuals with lysosomal acid lipase deficiency.
                
The National Library of Medicine (NLM), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offers free searches of biomedical literature through an Internet service called PubMed. To search, go to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed . The NLM also offers extensive health information from NIH and other trusted sources. To research your condition, go to: http://www.medlineplus.gov .
Source: NINDS
Topic: Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies
Question: What is (are) Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies ?
Answer: The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Brachial plexus injuries are caused by damage to those nerves. Erb-Duchenne (Erb's) palsy refers to paralysis of the upper brachial plexus. Dejerine-Klumpke (Klumpke's) palsy refers to paralysis of the lower brachial plexus. Although injuries can occur at any time, many brachial plexus injuries happen when a baby's shoulders become impacted during delivery and the brachial plexus nerves stretch or tear. There are four types of brachial plexus injuries: avulsion, the most severe type, in which the nerve is torn from the spine; rupture, in which the nerve is torn but not at the spinal attachment; neuroma, in which the nerve has torn and healed but scar tissue puts pressure on the injured nerve and prevents it from conducting signals to the muscles; and neuropraxia or stretch, in which the nerve has been damaged but not torn. Neuropraxia is the most common type of brachial plexus injury. Symptoms of brachial plexus injury may include a limp or paralyzed arm; lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist; and lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies
Question: What are the treatments for Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies ?
Answer: Some brachial plexus injuries may heal without treatment. Many children who are injured during birth improve or recover by 3 to 4 months of age. Treatment for brachial plexus injuries includes physical therapy and, in some cases, surgery.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies
Question: What is the outlook for Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies ?
Answer: The site and type of brachial plexus injury determines the prognosis. For avulsion and rupture injuries, there is no potential for recovery unless surgical reconnection is made in a timely manner. The potential for recovery varies for neuroma and neuropraxia injuries. Most individuals with neuropraxia injuries recover spontaneously with a 90-100 percent return of function.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies ?
Answer: The NINDS conducts and supports research on injuries to the nervous system such as brachial plexus injuries. Much of this research is aimed at finding ways to prevent and treat these disorders.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cerebral Palsy
Question: What is (are) Cerebral Palsy ?
Answer: The term cerebral palsy refers to a group of neurological disorders that appear in infancy or early childhood and permanently affect body movement, muscle coordination, and balance.CP affects the part of the brain that controls muscle movements. The majority of children with cerebral palsy are born with it, although it may not be detected until months or years later.The early signs of cerebral palsy usually appear before a child reaches 3 years of age.The most common are a lack of muscle coordination when performing voluntary movements (ataxia); stiff or tight muscles and exaggerated reflexes (spasticity); walking with one foot or leg dragging; walking on the toes, a crouched gait, or a scissored gait; and muscle tone that is either too stiff or too floppy.Other neurological symptoms that commonly occur in individuals with CP include seizures, hearing loss and impaired vision, bladder and bowel control issues, and pain and abnormal sensations. A small number of children have CP as the result of brain damage in the first few months or years of life, brain infections such as bacterial meningitis or viral encephalitis, or head injury from a motor vehicle accident, a fall, or child abuse. The disorder isn't progressive, meaning that the brain damage typically doesn't get worse over time. Risk factors associated with CP do not cause the disorder but can increase a child's chance of being born with the disorder.CP is not hereditary.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cerebral Palsy
Question: What are the treatments for Cerebral Palsy ?
Answer: Cerebral palsy cant be cured, but treatment will often improve a child's capabilities. In general, the earlier treatment begins the better chance children have of overcoming developmental disabilities or learning new ways to accomplish the tasks that challenge them.Early intervention, supportive treatments, medications, and surgery can help many individuals improve their muscle control. Treatment may include physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, drugs to control seizures, relax muscle spasms, and alleviate pain; surgery to correct anatomical abnormalities or release tight muscles; braces and other orthotic devices; wheelchairs and rolling walkers; and communication aids such as computers with attached voice synthesizers.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cerebral Palsy
Question: What is the outlook for Cerebral Palsy ?
Answer: Cerebral palsy doesnt always cause profound disabilities and for most people with CP the disorder does not affect life expectancy. Many children with CP have average to above average intelligence and attend the same schools as other children their age. Supportive treatments, medications, and surgery can help many individuals improve their motor skills and ability to communicate with the world..While one child with CP might not require special assistance, a child with severe CP might be unable to walk and need extensive, lifelong care.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cerebral Palsy
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Cerebral Palsy ?
Answer: The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is to seek fundamental knowledge of 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. Researchers supported by the NINDS are investigating the roles of mishaps early in brain development, including genetic defects, which are sometimes responsible for the brain malformations and abnormalities that result in cerebral palsy.Scientists are also looking at traumatic events in newborn babies brains, such as bleeding, epileptic seizures, and breathing and circulation problems, which can cause the abnormal release of chemicals that trigger the kind of damage that causes cerebral palsy. NINDS-supported researchers also hope to find ways to prevent white matter disease, the most common cause of cerebral palsy. To make sure children are getting the right kinds of therapies, studies are also being done that evaluate both experimental treatments and treatments already in use so that physicians and parents have valid information to help them choose the best therapy.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Canavan Disease
Question: What is (are) Canavan Disease ?
Answer: Canavan disease is a gene-linked neurological disorder in which the brain degenerates into spongy tissue riddled with microscopic fluid-filled spaces. Canavan disease has been classified as one of a group of genetic disorders known as the leukodystrophies. Recent research has indicated that the cells in the brain responsible for making myelin sheaths, known as oligodendrocytes, cannot properly complete this critical developmental task. Myelin sheaths are the fatty covering that act as insulators around nerve fibers in the brain, as well as providing nutritional support for nerve cells. In Canavan disease, many oligodendrocytes do not mature and instead die, leaving nerve cell projections known as axons vulnerable and unable to properly function. Canavan disease is caused by mutation in the gene for an enzyme called aspartoacylase, which acts to break down the concentrated brain chemical known as N-acetyl-aspartate.
                
Symptoms of Canavan disease usually appear in the first 3 to 6 months of life and progress rapidly. Symptoms include lack of motor development, feeding difficulties, abnormal muscle tone (weakness or stiffness), and an abnormally large, poorly controlled head. Paralysis, blindness, or hearing loss may also occur. Children are characteristically quiet and apathetic. Although Canavan disease may occur in any ethnic group, it is more frequent among Ashkenazi Jews from eastern Poland, Lithuania, and western Russia, and among Saudi Arabians. Canavan disease can be identified by a simple prenatal blood test that screens for the missing enzyme or for mutations in the gene that controls aspartoacylase. Both parents must be carriers of the defective gene in order to have an affected child. When both parents are found to carry the Canavan gene mutation, there is a one in four (25 percent) chance with each pregnancy that the child will be affected with Canavan disease.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Canavan Disease
Question: What are the treatments for Canavan Disease ?
Answer: Canavan disease causes progressive brain atrophy. There is no cure, nor is there a standard course of treatment. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Canavan Disease
Question: What is the outlook for Canavan Disease ?
Answer: The prognosis for Canavan disease is poor. Death usually occurs before age 10, although some children may survive into their teens and twenties.
Source: NINDS