Disease of the head. Causes, diagnosis, treatment

Disease Farah was first described in the 30-ies of the twentieth century. This is a hereditary disease (calcification of cerebral vessels). Most often, the so-called group of pathologies, in which the affected areas of the brain and its vessels. Calcium salts are deposited in the walls of small arteries, capillaries. Fara syndrome is observed at the age of about 40-50 years, but cases of its earlier manifestation are also known.

Group of neurodegenerative diseases

This group of diseases is characterized by the defeat of the central nervous system. A certain number of neurons perishes, and this leads to neurological pathologies. Neurodegenerative diseases can have different causes and different clinical manifestations. It is characteristic that all diseases of this category are incurable. All the therapy that is applied is symptomatic. That is, it facilitates the manifestation of the disease, but does not contribute to the regeneration of damaged areas. Transplantation of nerve tissue would be most effective, but the method has both technical and moral impediments. Such diseases include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Farah's. As a rule, the diagnosis of such diseases in the early stages is difficult. Most often, when making a diagnosis, experts rely on patients' complaints and the results of observations of their behavior. But the main tool is tomography (computer, magnetic resonance).

Symptomatic of the disease

Since this disease is a rare phenomenon, it is difficult for specialists to provide a correct clinical picture of the syndrome. Symptoms can occur if the patient's age exceeds 40 years. In younger people, Farah's disease symptoms can be blurred and fuzzy. In patients, coordination of movement, parkinsonism is disturbed. Also, such signs as tremor, dystonia, rapid and erratic limb movements (chorea), involuntary contractions of hands, feet can testify to the development of the disease. Since the disease affects parts of the brain, the performance, mental capabilities decrease. The human memory also suffers. Often violated and speech. Other neurological signs include pain sensations, mental disorders. Distinguish the juvenile form of the disease, which manifests itself in children and adolescents. The main symptoms are: dystonia, chorea, epileptic seizures. The senile form is typical for middle-aged and older people. In this case, there is parkinsonism, speech disorders, other problems in the work of the nervous system. There may also be incontinence.

Possible causes of the syndrome Farah

The reasons for which the development of the disease is possible are not exactly established. However, it is known that the tremendous impact on its occurrence is disturbed by the work of the thyroid, parathyroid glands. In this case, failures occur in the metabolic processes of calcium and phosphorus. Similar neurodegenerative diseases can occur and in violation of acid-base balance in the body. Alkalosis leads to a significant loss of acids. But the alkaline compounds are present in excess. There is also an opinion that the syndrome of Farah manifests itself in genetic disorders. That is, mutates the gene, which is responsible for the exchange of an element such as calcium. However, this version has many contradictions. There are isolated cases when the symptoms of the disease were manifested after irradiation of the head area, poisoning with poisons, lead, in children with Down syndrome. Also, calcification was diagnosed in people who had rubella (rarely). Another possible cause of calcification of the basal ganglia is birth trauma.

Research methods for diagnosis

Before the onset of computed tomography, patients underwent X-ray studies of the brain. Thanks to the appearance of modern research methods, specialists received more informative pictures from the affected area. However, it is worth noting that computer sensitivity, not magnetic resonance imaging, is more sensitive in this clinical picture. When analyzing most of the images, the affected areas are confined to the pale sphere. They are small in size. Most often, the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cerebellum change. The level of calcification is approximately the same as in young people, which is in older people. Also, no differences were found between groups in which the disease of the headache is asymptomatic, and those where the syndrome is accompanied by pronounced symptoms.

Histological examination

When carrying out pathoanatomical research in the brain, the following picture is observed: the vessels have a whitish appearance (some branched areas). When you touch the knife, they make a sound like a crunch. For histological analysis, the material is sampled: sections of the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum. It is in the area of the latter that calcification occurs most often. On the samples calcium salts are present. Also, most often they are detected on the arteries (small, medium), capillaries. Less often (isolated cases), Far's disease affects the veins. Conglomerates of calcium of small sizes are found throughout the length of the vessels, as well as in the adjacent tissues. Also in the tissues, the presence of traces of arsenic, aluminum, cobalt, mucopolysaccharides is isolated.

Establishing diagnosis

Depending on whether Phara's disease has symptoms, the diagnosis may be somewhat difficult. Often, she is diagnosed accidentally, conducting a tomography to confirm a completely different disease. First of all, the expert excludes the violation of calcium metabolism, other malformations. Then a computed tomography (or X-ray study) is assigned. Doctors say that one of the problems in setting the right diagnosis is hypoparathyroidism. This disease, which occurs with a deficit of parathyroid hormone. As a result, the level of calcium in the blood decreases, and the level of phosphorus increases. If computed tomography scans the striospallo-toothed structures, then additional tests are needed to distinguish hypoparathyroidism from a condition such as Phara's disease. First of all, it is important to determine the level of parathyroid hormone and calcium. Also, when diagnosing a parasitic lesion of the nervous system is used. There are specific reactions in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid. Infrequently Far's disease differentiates with a condition such as Burneville's sclerosis.

Treatment

Removal of accumulations of calcium, which formed in the brain and its vessels, is impossible. As a rule, the treatment of such a disease is symptomatic. First of all, it is aimed at improving the exchange of calcium and phosphorus in the body. If symptoms of Parkinson's disease are observed , the specialist prescribes special drugs (levodopa). Also, Phara's disease, the treatment of its manifestations, involves the intake of antioxidants, agents for improving metabolism. Therapy with calcium channel blockers is ineffective. It is worth considering the fact that the disease is quite rare and poorly studied. In most cases, therapy weakens the symptoms of the manifestation of the disease, but does not affect the degree of calcification.

Projections for the disease

Since this condition disrupts the metabolism in the brain, as well as calcium salts have an irritating effect on its tissues, the Farah's disease predictions are highly ambiguous. The disease progresses slowly, with age, calcium deposits increase. Of course, all this does not happen in one year. As a rule, neurodegenerative diseases progress for several decades. The main problem is the lack of information on this condition, as well as the lack of specific treatment. Therefore, the therapy is aimed at improving the quality of life of the patient. Another negative point - the disease is poorly diagnosed in the early stages.