what are spasms in the brain?
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A vasospasm is the narrowing of the arteries caused by a persistent contraction of the blood vessels, which is known as vasoconstriction. This narrowing can reduce blood flow. Vasospasms can affect any area of the body including the brain (cerebral vasospasm) and the coronary artery (coronary artery vasospasm).
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Motor tics are involuntary movements caused by spasm-like contractions of muscles, most commonly involving the face, mouth, eyes, head, neck or shoulders. Vocal tics are sounds uttered unintentionally.
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A coronary artery spasm is a sudden tightening of the muscles within the arteries of your heart. When this occurs, your arteries narrow and prevent blood from flowing to your heart. Coronary artery spasms are brief and temporary. However, they can potentially lead to further heart complications, such as a heart attack.
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A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. It can cause changes in your behavior, movements or feelings, and in levels of consciousness. If you have two or more seizures or a tendency to have recurrent seizures, you have epilepsy. There are many types of seizures, which range in severity.
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Introduction. A vast network of nerve tracts in the central nervous system (CNS) which spans the cerebral cortex, brainstem, cerebellum, and spinal cord control the initiation and modulation of movements. The nerves in the CNS which carry the impulses for movement are known as upper motor neurons (UMN).
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Spasmodic dysphonia is a voice disorder. It causes involuntary spasms in the muscles of the voice box or larynx. This causes the voice to break and have a tight, strained or strangled sound. Spasmodic dysphonia can cause problems ranging from trouble saying a word or two to being not able to talk at all.
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Thalamus: The thalamus is the relay center of the brain. It receives afferent impulses from sensory receptors located throughout the body and processes the information for distribution to the appropriate cortical area. It is also responsible for regulating consciousness and sleep.
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Nervous System and Psychiatric: Seizures, ataxia; vertigo; dysarthria; tremors; hypertonia; convulsions; muscle twitching; disorientation; insomnia; depressed mood; abnormal sensations; anxiety; agitation; psychosis, abnormal thinking and dreaming; hallucinations; excitement; paresthesia; diplopia.
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They can be normal -- a hiccup or a "sleep start" when you're falling asleep, for example -- or they may be a sign of a serious health condition such as multiple sclerosis, dementia, or Parkinson's disease. Myoclonus might include sudden jerking, quivering, or twitching. You can have one episode or many in a row.
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A back spasm is the involuntary contraction or tensing of the muscles in the lower back. The condition ranges from infrequent spasms with mild discomfort to chronic spasms with severe pain that makes it difficult to move. Back spasms can typically be treated effectively without surgery.
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The term "ganglion" refers to the peripheral nervous system. However, in the brain (part of the central nervous system), the "basal ganglia" is a group of nuclei interconnected with the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and brainstem, associated with a variety of functions: motor control, cognition, emotions, and learning.
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Tonic Seizure Tonic seizures are characterized by the sudden contraction and stiffening of the muscles. Often a person's eyes may roll back into their head, and as the chest muscles tighten and contract, it may become more difficult to breathe.
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Brain zaps are electrical shock sensations in the brain. They can happen in a person who is decreasing or stopping their use of certain medications, particularly antidepressants. Brain zaps are not harmful and will not damage the brain. However, they can be bothersome, disorienting, and disruptive to sleep.
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Infantile Spasms (IS) are a medical emergency. Infantile spasms are a rare, but very serious type of seizure. Infantile spasms are caused by a condition in a baby's brain and include repetitive, but often subtle movements—such as jerking of the mid-section, dropping of the head, raising of the arms or wide-eyed blinks.
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A myoneme (or spasmoneme) is a contractile structure found in some eukaryotic single-celled organisms, particularly Vorticella. It consists of a series of protein filaments that shorten rapidly upon exposure to calcium. ... The myonemes of Acantharea also display slow contraction and undulation movements.
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Vascular spasms can be caused by tobacco or drug use (especially cocaine), trauma, irritation to the blood vessels, exposure to cold weather, extreme emotional stress, or inflammation disorders affecting the blood vessels.
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Neck spasms are involuntary contractions of the muscles in your neck. The muscles get tight, hard, and painful. Neck spasms may happen from an injury, overuse, poor posture, or stress.