What are brain disorders?

Your brain is your body’s control center. It’s part of the nervous system, which also includes the spinal cord and a large network of nerves and neurons. Together, the nervous system controls everything from your senses to the muscles throughout your body.

When your brain is damaged, it can affect many different things, including your memory, your sensation, and even your personality. Brain disorders include any conditions or disabilities that affect your brain. This includes conditions that are caused by:

illness

genetics

traumatic injury

This is a broad category of disorders, which vary greatly in symptoms and severity. Keep reading to learn about some of the largest categories of brain disorders.

What are the different types of brain disorders?

Brain injuries

Brain injuries are often caused by blunt trauma. Trauma can damage brain tissue, neurons, and nerves. This damage affects your brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of your body. Examples of brain injuries include:

hematomas

blood clots

contusions, or bruising of brain tissue

cerebral edema, or swelling inside the skull

concussions

strokes

Examples of the symptoms of a brain injury include:

vomiting

nausea

speech difficulty

bleeding from the ear

numbness

paralysis

memory loss

problems with concentration

Later, you may develop:

high blood pressure

a low heart rate

pupil dilation

irregular breathing

Depending on the type of injury you have, treatment may include medication, rehabilitation, or brain surgery.

About halfTrusted Source of people with severe brain injuries need surgery to remove or repair damaged tissue or to relieve pressure. People with minor brain injuries may not need any treatment beyond pain medication.

Many people with brain injuries need rehabilitation. This can include:

physical therapy

speech and language therapy

psychiatry

Brain tumors

Sometimes, tumors form in the brain and can be very dangerous. These are called primary brain tumors. In other cases, cancer somewhere else in your body spreads to your brain. These are called secondary or metastatic brain tumors.

Brain tumors can be either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous). Doctors classify brain tumors as grades 1, 2, 3, or 4. Higher numbers indicate more aggressive tumors.

The cause of brain tumors is largely unknown. They can occur in people of any age. Symptoms of brain tumors depend on the size and location of the tumor. The most common symptoms of brain tumors are:

headaches

seizures

numbness or tingling in your arms or legs

nausea

vomiting

changes in personality

difficulty with movement or balance

changes in your hearing, speech, or vision

The type of treatment you’ll receive depends on many different factors, such as the size of the tumor, your age, and your overall health. The main types of treatment for brain tumors are:

surgery

chemotherapy

radiation therapy

Neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases cause your brain and nerves to deteriorate over time. They can change your personality and cause confusion. They can also destroy your brain’s tissue and nerves.

Some brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, may develop as you age. They can slowly impair your memory and thought processes. Other diseases, such as Tay-Sachs disease, are genetic and begin at an early age. Other common neurodegenerative diseases include:

Huntington’s disease

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), or Lou Gehrig’s disease

Parkinson’s disease

all forms of dementia

Some of the more common symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases include:

memory loss

forgetfulness

apathy

anxiety

agitation

a loss of inhibition

mood changes

Neurodegenerative diseases cause permanent damage, so symptoms tend to get worse as the disease progresses. New symptoms are also likely to develop over time.

There’s no cure for neurodegenerative diseases, but treatment can still help. Treatment for these diseases tries to reduce symptoms and maintain quality of life. Treatment often involves the use of medications to control symptoms.

Mental disorders

Mental disorders, or mental illnesses, are a large and diverse group of conditions that affect your behavior patterns. Some of the most frequently diagnosed mental disorders are:

depression

anxiety

bipolar disorder

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

schizophrenia

The symptoms of mental disorders vary based on the condition. Different people can experience the same mental disorders very differently. You should talk to your doctor if you notice a change in your behavior, thought patterns, or moods.

The two major types of treatment for mental disorders are medication and psychotherapy. Different methods work better for different conditions. Many people find that a combination of the two is the most effective.

If you think you might have a mental disorder, it’s important to talk to your doctor to come up with a treatment plan that works for you. There are many resources available — don’t try to self-medicate.