sarnsrun/medquad huggingface dataset:
Topic: Traumatic Brain Injury
Question: What is (are) Traumatic Brain Injury ?
Answer: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a form ofacquired brain injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue.Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. A person with a moderate or severe TBI may show these same symptoms, but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Traumatic Brain Injury
Question: What are the treatments for Traumatic Brain Injury ?
Answer: Anyone with signs of moderate or severe TBI should receive medical attention as soon as possible. Because little can be done to reverse the initial brain damage caused by trauma, medical personnel try to stabilize an individual with TBI and focus on preventing further injury. Primary concerns include insuring proper oxygen supply to the brain and the rest of the body, maintaining adequate blood flow, and controlling blood pressure. Imaging tests help in determining the diagnosis and prognosis of a TBI patient. Patients with mild to moderate injuries may receive skull and neck X-rays to check for bone fractures or spinal instability. For moderate to severe cases, the imaging test is a computed tomography (CT) scan. Moderately to severely injured patients receive rehabilitation that involves individually tailored treatment programs in the areas of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, physiatry (physical medicine), psychology/psychiatry, and social support.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Traumatic Brain Injury
Question: What is the outlook for Traumatic Brain Injury ?
Answer: Approximately half of severely head-injured patients will need surgery to remove or repair hematomas (ruptured blood vessels) or contusions (bruised brain tissue). Disabilities resulting from a TBI depend upon the severity of the injury, the location of the injury, and the age and general health of the individual. Some common disabilities include problems with cognition (thinking, memory, and reasoning), sensory processing (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell), communication (expression and understanding), and behavior or mental health (depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness). More serious head injuries may result in stupor, an unresponsive state, but one in which an individual can be aroused briefly by a strong stimulus, such as sharp pain; coma, a state in which an individual is totally unconscious, unresponsive, unaware, and unarousable; vegetative state, in which an individual is unconscious and unaware of his or her surroundings, but continues to have a sleep-wake cycle and periods of alertness; and a persistent vegetative state (PVS), in which an individual stays in a vegetative state for more than a month.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Traumatic Brain Injury
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Traumatic Brain Injury ?
Answer: The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) supports TBI research through grants to major medical institutions across the country and conducts TBI research in its intramural laboratories and Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda,Maryland. The Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM) is a TBI research collaboration between intramural NIH and the Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences (USUHS). NINDS-funded research involves studies in the laboratory and in clinical settings to better understand TBI and the biological mechanisms underlying damage to the brain. This research will allow scientists to develop strategies and interventions to limit the primary and secondary brain damage that occurs within days of a head trauma, and to devise therapies to treat brain injury and improve long-term recovery of function.
                
More information about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research is available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/research/tbi/index.htm
                
More information about CNRM clinical studies is available at: http://cnrmstudies.org/
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cavernous Malformation
Question: What is (are) Cavernous Malformation ?
Answer: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are vascular lesions comprised of clusters of tightly packed, abnormally thin-walled small blood vessels (capillaries) that displace normal neurological tissue in the brain or spinal cord. The vessels are filled with slow-moving or stagnant blood that is usually clotted or in a state of decomposition. Cavernous malformations can occur in the brain, spinal cord, and some other body regions. In the brain and spinal cord these cavernous lesions are quite fragile and are prone to bleeding, causing hemorrhagic strokes (bleeding into the brain), seizures, and neurological deficits. CCMs can range in size from a few fractions of an inch to several inches in diameter, depending on the number of blood vessels involved. Some people develop multiple lesions while others never experience related medical problems. Hereditary forms of CCM are caused by mutations in one of three CCM disease genes: CCM1, CCM2, and CCM3. A large population with hereditary CCM disease is found in New Mexico and the Southwestern United States, in which the disease is caused by mutations in the gene CCM1 (or KRIT1).
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cavernous Malformation
Question: What are the treatments for Cavernous Malformation ?
Answer: The primary treatment option for a CCM is surgical removal. Radiation therapy has not been shown to be effective. The decision to operate is made based upon the risk of approaching the lesion. For example, symptomatic lesions close to the brain surface in non eloquent brain (areas for example, those areas not involved with motor function, speech, vision, hearing, memory, and learning) are very likely to be candidates for removal. On the other hand, lesions located in deep brain areas are associated with higher surgical risk and are often not candidates for surgery until the lesion has bled multiple times. Medications can often lessen general symptoms such as headache, back pain, and seizures.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cavernous Malformation
Question: What is the outlook for Cavernous Malformation ?
Answer: Rebleeding from a cavernous angioma is common, it is not predictable, and individuals frequently have multiple CCMs found via magnetic resonance imaging. Individuals with CCM are faced with a diagnosis that imparts risk of multiple future hemorrhages that occur seemingly at random and without any preventative therapy except surgical removal.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Cavernous Malformation
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Cavernous Malformation ?
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. Studies of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) show that alterations in the function of structural proteins may also give rise to vascular malformations. Currently there is no therapy to prevent the development or progression of CCMs. NINDS-funded scientists have developed an animal model that studies two of the familial genes related to the development of CCMs. Research shows that the protein signaling pathway Rhoa/ROCK, which allows cells to communicate regarding the formation of cell structure, is involved in blood vessel activity/ and the flow of molecules and cells into and out of blood vessels. These scientists hypothesize that blocking ROCK activity will inhibit CCM development and hemorrhage, and possibly create a therapy for these malformations.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Farber's Disease
Question: What is (are) Farber's Disease ?
Answer: Farbers disease, also known as Farber's lipogranulomatosis, describes a group of inherited metabolic disorders called lipid storage diseases, in which excess amounts of lipids (oils, fatty acids, and related compounds) build up to harmful levels in the joints, tissues, and central nervous system. The liver, heart, and kidneys may also be affected. Disease onset is typically seen in early infancy but may occur later in life. Symptoms of the classic form may have moderately impaired mental ability and difficulty with swallowing. Other symptoms may include chronic shortening of muscles or tendons around joints. arthritis, swollen lymph nodes and joints, hoarseness, nodules under the skin (and sometimes in the lungs and other parts of the body), and vomiting. Affected persons may require the insertion of a breathing tube. In severe cases, the liver and spleen are enlarged. Farber's disease is caused by a deficiency of the enzyme ceramidase. The disease occurs when both parents carry and pass on the defective gene that regulates the protein sphingomyelin. Children born to these parents have a 25 percent chance of inheriting the disorder and a 50 percent chance of carrying the faulty gene. The disorder affects both males and females.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Farber's Disease
Question: What are the treatments for Farber's Disease ?
Answer: Currently there is no specific treatment for Farbers disease. Corticosteroids may help relieve pain. Bone marrow transplants may improve granulomas (small masses of inflamed tissue) on individuals with little or no lung or nervous system complications. Older persons may have granulomas surgically reduced or removed.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Farber's Disease
Question: What is the outlook for Farber's Disease ?
Answer: Most children with the classic form of Farbers disease die by age 2, usually from lung disease. Children born with the most severe form of the disease usually die within 6 months, while individuals having a milder form of the disease may live into their teenage years or young adulthood.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Farber's Disease
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Farber's Disease ?
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. Research funded by the NINDS focuses on better understanding of how neurological deficits arise in lipid storage diseases and on the development of new treatments targeting disease mechanisms, including gene therapies, cell-based therapies and pharmacological approaches. The NINDS, along with other Institutes and Centers at the National Institutes of Health, supports the Lysosomal Disease network of centers that addresses some of the major challenges in the diagnosis, management, and therapy of rare diseases, including the lipid storage diseases.Research on lipid storage diseases within the Network includes longitudinal studies of the natural history and/or treatment of these disorders. Additional studies will emphasize the quantitative analysis of the central nervous system structure and function, and develop biomarkers (signs that can indicate the diagnosis or progression of a disease) for these disorders.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Question: What is (are) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ?
Answer: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the palm of the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a narrow, rigid passageway of ligament and bones at the base of the hand that houses the median nerve and the tendons that bend the fingers. The median nerve provides feeling to the palm side of the thumb and to most of the fingers. Symptoms usually start gradually, with numbness, tingling, weakness, and sometimes pain in the hand and wrist. People might have difficulty with tasks such as driving or reading a book. Decreased hand strength may make it difficult to grasp small objects or perform other manual tasks. In some cases no direct cause of the syndrome can be identified. Contributing factors include trauma or injury to the wrist that causes swelling, thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and fluid retention during pregnancy. Women are three times more likely than men to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. The disorder usually occurs only in adults.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Question: What are the treatments for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ?
Answer: Initial treatment generally involves immobilizing the wrist in a splint, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to temporarily reduce swelling, and injections of corticosteroid drugs (such as prednisone). For more severe cases, surgery may be recommended.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Question: What is the outlook for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ?
Answer: In general, carpal tunnel syndrome responds well to treatment, but less than half of individuals report their hand(s) feeling completely normal following surgery. Some residual numbness or weakness is common. At work, people can perform stretching exercises, take frequent rest breaks, wear splints to keep wrists straight, and use correct posture and wrist position to help prevent or worsen symptoms. Wearing fingerless gloves can help keep hands warm and flexible.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ?
Answer: The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is to conduct fundamental research on the brain and nervous system, and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS-funded scientists are studying the factors that lead to long-lasting nerve pain disorders, and how the affected nerves are related to symptoms of numbness, loss of function, and pain. Researchers also are examining biomechanical stresses that contribute to the nerve damage responsible for symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome in order to better understand, treat, and prevent it.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Whiplash
Question: What is (are) Whiplash ?
Answer: Whiplash-a soft tissue injury to the neck-is also called neck sprain or neck strain. It is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion. The disorder commonly occurs as the result of an automobile accident and may include injury to intervertebral joints, discs, and ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots. Symptoms such as neck pain may be present directly after the injury or may be delayed for several days. In addition to neck pain, other symptoms may include neck stiffness, injuries to the muscles and ligaments (myofascial injuries), headache, dizziness, abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling (paresthesias), or shoulder or back pain. In addition, some people experience cognitive, somatic, or psychological conditions such as memory loss, concentration impairment, nervousness/irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue, or depression.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Whiplash
Question: What are the treatments for Whiplash ?
Answer: Treatment for individuals with whiplash may include pain medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, and a cervical collar (usually worn for 2 to 3 weeks). Range of motion exercises, physical therapy, and cervical traction may also be prescribed. Supplemental heat application may relieve muscle tension.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Whiplash
Question: What is the outlook for Whiplash ?
Answer: Generally, prognosis for individuals with whiplash is good. The neck and head pain clears within a few days or weeks. Most patients recover within 3 months after the injury, however, some may continue to have residual neck pain and headaches.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Whiplash
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Whiplash ?
Answer: The NINDS conducts and supports research on trauma-related disorders such as whiplash. Much of this research focuses on increasing scientific understanding of these disorders and finding ways to prevent and treat them.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Meralgia Paresthetica
Question: What is (are) Meralgia Paresthetica ?
Answer: Meralgia paresthetica is a disorder characterized by tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the outer side of the thigh. The disorder is caused by compression of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, a sensory nerve to the skin, as it exits the pelvis. People with the disorder often notice a patch of skin that is sensitive to touch and sometimes painful. Meralgia paresthetica should not be associated with weakness or radiating pain from the back.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Meralgia Paresthetica
Question: What are the treatments for Meralgia Paresthetica ?
Answer: Treatment for meralgia paresthetica is symptomatic and supportive. The majority of cases improve with conservative treatment by wearing looser clothing and losing weight. Medications used to treat neurogenic pain, such as anti-seizure or anti-depressant medications, may alleviate symptoms of pain. In a few cases, in which pain is persistent or severe, surgical intervention may be indicated.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Meralgia Paresthetica
Question: What is the outlook for Meralgia Paresthetica ?
Answer: Meralgia paresthetica usually has a good prognosis. In most cases, meralgia paresthetica will improve with conservative treatment or may even spontaneously resolve. Surgical intervention is not always fully successful.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Meralgia Paresthetica
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Meralgia Paresthetica ?
Answer: Within the NINDS research programs, meralgia paresthetica is addressed primarily through studies associated with pain research. NINDS vigorously pursues a research program seeking new treatments for pain and nerve damage with the ultimate goal of reversing these debilitating conditions.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sturge-Weber Syndrome
Question: What is (are) Sturge-Weber Syndrome ?
Answer: Sturge-Weber syndrome is a neurological disorder indicated at birth by a port-wine stain birthmark on the forehead and upper eyelid of one side of the face. The birthmark can vary in color from light pink to deep purple and is caused by an overabundance of capillaries around the trigeminal nerve just beneath the surface of the face. Sturge-Weber syndrome is also accompanied by abnormal blood vessels on the brain surface and the loss of nerve cells and calcification of underlying tissue in the cerebral cortex of the brain on the same side of the brain as the birthmark. Neurological symptoms include seizures that begin in infancy and may worsen with age. Convulsions usually happen on the side of the body opposite the birthmark and vary in severity. There may be intermittent or permanent muscle weakness on the same side. Some children will have developmental delays and cognitive impairment; most will have glaucoma (increased pressure within the eye) at birth or developing later. The increased pressure within the eye can cause the eyeball to enlarge and bulge out of its socket (buphthalmos). There is an increased risk for migraine headaches. Sturge-Weber syndrome rarely affects other body organs.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sturge-Weber Syndrome
Question: What are the treatments for Sturge-Weber Syndrome ?
Answer: Treatment for Sturge-Weber syndrome is symptomatic. Laser treatment may be used to lighten or remove the birthmark.  Anticonvulsant medications may be used to control seizures. Persons with drug-resistant seizures may be treated by surgical removal of epileptic brain tissue. Surgery may be performed on more serious cases of glaucoma. Physical therapy should be considered for infants and children with muscle weakness. Educational therapy is often prescribed for those with impaired cognition or developmental delays. Doctors recommend yearly monitoring for glaucoma.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sturge-Weber Syndrome
Question: What is the outlook for Sturge-Weber Syndrome ?
Answer: Although it is possible for the birthmark and atrophy in the cerebral cortex to be present without symptoms, most infants will develop convulsive seizures during their first year of life. There is a greater likelihood of intellectual impairment when seizures start before the age of 2 and are resistant to treatment. Prognosis is worst in the minority of children who have both sides of the brain affected by the blood vessel abnormalities.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Sturge-Weber Syndrome
Question: what research (or clinical trials) is being done for Sturge-Weber Syndrome ?
Answer: The NINDS supports a broad program of research to better understand congenital seizure disorders. This research is aimed at developing techniques to diagnose, treat, prevent, and ultimately cure disorders such as Sturge-Weber syndrome.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease
Question: What is (are) Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease ?
Answer: Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD) is a rare, progressive, degenerative central nervous system disorder in which coordination, motor abilities, and intellectual function deteriorate. The disease is one of a group of gene-linked disorders known as the leukodystrophies, which affect growth of the myelin sheath -- the fatty covering that wraps around and protects nerve fibers in the brain. The disease is caused by a mutation in the gene that controls the production of a myelin protein called proteolipid protein-1 (PLP1). PMD is inherited as an X-linked recessive trait; the affected individuals are male and the mothers are carriers of the PLP1 mutation. Severity and onset of the disease ranges widely, depending on the type of PLP1 mutation. PMD is one of a spectrum of diseases associated with PLP1, which also includes Spastic Paraplegia Type 2 (SPG2). The PLP1-related disorders span a continuum of neurologic symptoms that range from severe central nervous system involvement (PMD) to progressive weakness and stiffness of the legs (SPG2). There are four general classifications within this spectrum of diseases. In order of severity, they are:
                
- Connatal PMD, which is the most severe type and involves delayed mental and physical development and severe neurological symptoms; - Classic PMD, in which the early symptoms include muscle weakness, involuntary movements of the eyes (nystagmus), and delays in motor development within the first year of life; - Complicated SPG2, which features motor development issues and brain involvement, and, - Pure SPG2, which includes cases of PMD that do not have neurologic complications.
                
Noticeable changes in the extent of myelination can be detected by MRI analyses of the brain. Additional symptoms of PMD may include slow growth, tremor, failure to develop normal control of head movement, and deteriorating speech and cognitive function.
Source: NINDS
Topic: Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease
Question: What are the treatments for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease ?
Answer: There is no cure for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, nor is there a standard course of treatment. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive and may include medication for movement disorders.
Source: NINDS