Nerves are what? Nerves as part of the human nervous system. Nerve damage

Nerves are the most important formations. They are bundles of nerve fibers that are enclosed in a connective tissue box called epineurium. The number of nerves in the human body is very high. In this case, there are both large enough trunks and very small twigs.

About what nerves are

Nerves are a sort of highways, through which a huge amount of information is transmitted every second. It is generated in a large number of receptors, which are scattered throughout the body, including on its surface. At the same time, the receptors collect information that later flows into the brain, where the generation of ideas about the surrounding world and the internal state of the organism occurs. After this, a response is formed in the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres . As a nerve impulse, she moves along the fibers to those nerves that force certain structures of the body to act according to the established scheme.

What science is studying the nerves?

In this case we are talking about neurology. This science is a whole complex of knowledge about nerve tissue, as well as the mechanisms of impulse transmission through specialized fibers. In addition, neurology studies all disorders of the body, associated with the pathology of nervous tissue. Also, specialists in this field are engaged in the development of effective methods for diagnosis and treatment of nerve diseases.

About damages of nervous tissue

Nerves are very complex structures. At the same time in the body there are both very small twigs of this tissue, and whole nerve trunks. Especially dangerous for the body are the damage of large structures. The fact is that it is thanks to them that the interrelation between the main organs, muscle groups and analyzers on the one hand and the brain on the other is realized.

The most common problem associated with nerves is the inflammatory process that develops in their tissues. Most often this leads to quite unpleasant sensations in those areas that are innervated by damaged structures. This is often not painful. Often the process leads to a violation of the function of certain structures of the body.

The fact that nerves are very important structures, there is no doubt. This is also evidenced by the fact that when they are completely intersected, the activities of the organs and tissues innervated by them are disrupted. In the event that, for example, the auditory nerve is damaged on both sides, a person may completely lose the opportunity to analyze sound fluctuations. In this case, this tissue regenerates extremely slowly, and most often its integrity is completely cross-linked structure, consisting of it, does not restore. As a result, the auditory nerve will not be able to recover after a serious injury. At the same time, the ability to analyze sound vibrations on the affected side will not return.

So nerve damage is a dangerous enough pathology, which can lead to serious violations of the entire body.

About the facial nerve

One of the most important and often mentioned is precisely this nerve. The fact is that he alone is responsible for a fairly large and very significant area. It is from him that all the nerves of the face take their origin. He is among the 12 nerve trunks, which are called craniocerebral. It is thanks to him that every person has the opportunity to express their attitude to this or that event with the help of facial muscles. Very dangerous is the condition when these nerves are damaged. Photos of people with a complete intersection of these nerves display a completely unemotional face. In addition, with this pathology there is a violation of the functions of chewing, swallowing and phonation.

Movement disorders

Nerves are original highways, through which information flows not only to the brain, but also in the opposite direction. If there is damage to one or the other nerve, it is possible paresis or even paralysis of a certain group of muscles.

To coordinate the movements in the upper limbs, the elbow nerve is sufficiently large. From the functional point of view, it is mixed. This means that the ulnar nerve is able to carry out impulses to the muscle groups and from the surface receptors to the brain. In the first case, the motor function is realized, and in the second case it is sensitive. With the complete intersection of this nerve in a person, sensitivity in the little finger and ring finger is lost. The middle finger of the hand also partially suffers. In addition, the possibility of bending, information and breeding in this area is lost. Also, a person becomes unable to bring a thumb, which very seriously reduces the quality of life.

About injuries of the spine

What are the nerves and how much more important they are, can be understood by the example of the spinal cord. The fact is that it is the second largest congestion of the nervous tissue after the brain. It is on this information from the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres and subcortical structures passes to all organs and tissues. According to the spinal cord, the data obtained by the receptors come for further analysis in the brain.

Hardly the most dangerous are the damage to the spinal column. The fact is that they can lead to complete paralysis of the human body. Similar is observed at the intersection of the spinal cord in the cervical region. In the event that the integrity of the nerve trunk at the level of the thoracic vertebrae is broken, a person loses the ability to control his legs and pelvic organs.

Damage to nerve tissue in diabetes mellitus

One of the most common complications of diabetes is distal polyneuropathy. It is a damage to the nerve fibers under the influence of constantly elevated glucose levels in the body. The fact is that such an imbalance in the metabolism leads to serious trophic disturbances. In the future this contributes to the atrophy of the nervous tissue. Particularly sensitive to this pathological process are the small nerves that are located in the distal parts of the upper and lower extremities.

If the nervous tissue is damaged in this area, the sensitivity of proprioceptive receptors is impaired in humans. In addition, it can begin to feel a burning or tingling sensation that will spread first only to the fingertips, and then gradually rise higher. If this complication develops, getting rid of it is extremely difficult. That's why patients with diabetes are very important to constantly monitor the level of glucose in their blood.

Strokes and their effects on the brain

One of the most dangerous conditions in neurology is a cerebral hemorrhage. It is called a stroke. This condition is dangerous because it can lead to significant violations of the human body due to damage to entire sections of the nervous tissue of the brain, and in some cases - to death.

The occurrence of stroke is more often due to a significant increase in blood pressure followed by rupture of the vessel and hemorrhage. As a result, this or that part of the brain is damaged.

The most common disorders that occur in strokes are paralysis and paresis in the lower and upper extremities, speech and facial disorders. Many patients after a hemorrhage in the brain remain paralyzed for life. In order to restore the previously lost function, it is necessary to carry out serious and long-lasting rehabilitation measures. But they are not always successful.

On the prospects of research in neurology

Nerves are very complex and not fully understood structures. Currently, neurologists from all over the world are trying to develop new methods of restoring nervous tissue. If a method is opened that significantly accelerates the regeneration of the nervous tissue, this will solve a huge number of medical problems. Patients who have suffered serious injuries of the spine can again move independently, returning to normal social life.

Another promising direction is the creation of a synthetic implant, which can replace the damaged parts of the nervous tissue. Some developments in this area already exist, but the massive use of these in medical practice is hindered by the too high cost of such implants. At present, most often the integrity of the damaged area of the nervous tissue is restored with the help of its prosthesis with its own diaphragmatic nerve.