Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Choroideremia is also known as choroidal sclerosis, progressive choroidal atrophy, progressive tapetochoroidal dystrophy, or TCD (National Organization for Rare Disorders [NORD], 2000). It is a rare inherited disorder that causes progressive loss of vision due to degeneration of the choroid and retina (PDR Medical Dictionary, 2000). A hereditary primary choroidal degeneration transmitted as an X-linked…

Chlamydia trachomatis infections are among the most common sexually transmitted bacterial diseases. These infections, often marked by a red and swollen area and discharge, can affect the eyes, the lungs, and the genital area. Infections can be transmitted to children either by a sexual partner or from birth by their mother. Nearly two thirds of…

Childhood psychosis is a psychiatric disorder that involves disturbed thinking and poor reality testing. Psychosis in children is manifest by delusional thinking and hallucinations (i.e., auditory, visual, and tactile). It is considered rare in children younger than 6 years of age. Psychotic disorders are often associated with schizophrenia; however, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of…

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a genetically heterogeneous group of neuromuscular disorders characterized by slow progressive atrophy; wasting and weakness of the distal limb muscles; sensory loss in the feet, lower legs, and hands; skeletal deformities and reduced tendon reflexes. The disease was named after three physicians who simultaneously commented on the characteristics in 1886, Howard…

Cerebro-hepato-renal syndrome, sometimes called Zellweger syndrome, is a rare genetically determined disorder identified as one of the leukodystrophies in which the area affected is the growth of the myelin sheath, which is the fatty covering that acts and as insulation on nerve fibers in the brain. It is characterized by the absence or reduction of…

Chronic cerebral lesions are the result of changes in the structure or physiological function of the brain. Cerebral lesions may occur as the result of either traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) or neurological diseases. Both TBIs and neurological diseases are associated with tissue and axonal damage. The extent and severity of damage are related to a…

Cerebral infarct refers to the sudden insufficiency of blood flow to the brain causing decreased oxygen and subsequent tissue death. A partial or complete occlusion causes the disruption of venous or arterial blood flow. Infarcts from arterial blood occlusions, however, are more common in full-term infants (than premature infants). Most infarcts to single arteries are…

The cerebellum, meaning “little brain,” lies beneath the cerebral cortex and is attached to the brain stem. The cerebellum consists of three lobes, the middle (or vermis) and the outer (right and left) lobes. The cerebellum regulates muscle coordination and balance; therefore, damage to the area often leads to jerky and uncoordinated movements, as well…

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a neurological disorder typically found in infants and children. It is characterized by normal respiration during waking hours but abnormal respiration during sleep. A diagnosis of CCHS should be considered when other brain¬ stem, lung, cardiac, or primary neuromuscular diseases have been ruled out. About 160—180 cases are identified…