NEUROLOGISTS MEET 2022

  The gasping during the night that characterizes obstructive sleep apnea can damage the brain in ways that lead to high blood pressure, depression, memory loss, and anxiety. These breathing pauses can prevent your body from supplying enough oxygen to the brain. In severe cases, this lack of oxygen can lead to brain damage. Signs of this damage include memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and moodiness. sleep apnea can result in a number of health problems including hypertension, stroke, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy (enlargement of the muscle tissue of the heart), heart failure, diabetes, obesity, and heart attacks. sleep apnea was significantly associated with both insomnia and high levels of stress. sleep apnea can be reversed by continuous positive airway pressure therapy. Sleep apnea is a chronic condition. Mild cases can be improved with lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, an increase in physical activity, or quitting smoking and drinking. 

Stress takes a variety of forms. Some stress happens as the result of a single, short-term event — having an argument with a loved one, for example. Other stress happens due to recurring conditions, such as managing a long-term illness or a demanding job. When recurring conditions cause stress that is both intense and sustained over a long period of time, it can be referred to as “chronic” or “toxic” stress. While all stress triggers physiological reactions, chronic stress is specifically problematic because of the significant harm it can do to the functioning of the body and the brain. Even among otherwise healthy people, stress can lead to shrinkage in areas of the brain associated with the regulation of emotions, metabolism, and memory. Chronic stress has a shrinking effect on the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning. While stress can shrink the prefrontal cortex, it can increase the size of the amygdala, which can make the brain more rece...

  It is extremely common for babies to be born early. When babies are born too early, their normal brain development is interrupted, and they are more likely to have problems later on in their lives. Disrupting brain development results in various types of brain injury depending on how early the baby is born. Preterm babies can suffer lifelong effects such as cerebral palsy, mental retardation, visual and hearing impairments, and poor health and growth. Even babies who are born a little bit early can have a brain injury. It is important to understand the differences in brain development between babies who are born at full term compared with those who are born early. Knowledge of these differences allows scientists and doctors to discover new treatments for babies who are born early. It is very important to minimize brain injury so that these babies get off to a good start. When a baby is born early, the baby leaves the mother’s body and enters the world before they are ready....