Central Nervous System

The nervous system has two components: the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). The CNS consists of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves; all the other nerves in the body makeup the PNS. Nerves allow a person to sense and respond to the stimuli of the external environment. They also control movement. The brain is at the center of this system, receiving and sending the signals that together make up the experience of living.

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition that affects areas of the brain involved in memory, intelligence, judgment, language and behavior. It is the most common form of dementia in older adults. Alzheimer's disease is more severe than the mild memory loss that many people experience as they grow older. Alzheimer's disease also affects behavior, personality, the ability to think clearly and the ability to carry out daily activities. Close family members usually notice symptoms first, although the person affected also may realize that something is wrong. Scientists think that as many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from AD.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive, invariably fatal neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary muscles. In ALS, the affected nerves are known as motor neurons, which transfer signals from the brain to the muscles of the body and directing movement. The first symptoms to appear are a general weakness in the arms, legs and in the speaking and breathing muscles. Eventually, these muscles will become weaker and atrophy (wither and become smaller). As many as 20,000 Americans have ALS, and an estimated 5,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with the disease each year.