Central Nervous System

A Cipla initiative to bring hope in the form of a song, featuring 80 South African talents.

Resources

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder that, although most frequently diagnosed during the school years, affects individuals across their lifespan⁶.

It is characterized by symptoms of inattention, overactivity, and/or impulsiveness that are age inappropriate, persistent, and pervasive1. In the long term, ADHD is associated with a significant risk of educational failure, interpersonal problems, and mental illness⁷.

Anxiety

Experiencing anxiety occasionally is part and parcel of life, such as before a test, or when making an important decision. But anxiety disorders go beyond temporary worry or fear – it is excessive. Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder/agoraphobia, social anxiety disorder, and others) are the most prevalent psychiatric disorders⁸. The symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships⁹.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depressive disorder, is characterised by fluctuating moods and energy levels¹⁰. It is a highly debilitating psychiatric illness that may affect as many as 1 in every 25 persons¹¹. People with the disorder have highly disruptive episodes, frequent recurrences, and severe psychosocial impairments – even when not symptomatic². Although bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition, the mood swings and other symptoms can be managed by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder is treated with medication and psychological counselling (psychotherapy).

Epilepsy

Epilepsy – also known as a seizure disorder – is the most common serious neurological disorder and is one of the world’s most prevalent noncommunicable diseases¹². Epilepsy is characterized by an enduring (i.e., persisting) predisposition to generate seizures, unprovoked by any immediate central nervous system insult, and by the neurobiologic, cognitive, psychological, and social consequences of seizure recurrences¹³.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune, inflammatory neurological disease of the central nervous system (CNS)¹⁴. The cause is unknown, but it appears to involve a combination of genetic susceptibility and a nongenetic trigger, such as a virus, metabolism, or environmental factors, that together result in a self-sustaining autoimmune disorder that leads to recurrent immune attacks on the CNS¹.

The course of MS is highly varied and unpredictable. In most patients, the disease is characterized initially by episodes of reversible neurological deficits, which is often followed by progressive neurological deterioration over time¹.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterised by a large number of motor and non-motor features that can impact on function to a variable degree¹⁵. It affects the human central, peripheral, and enteric nervous systems. The underlying pathological process progresses slowly but relentlessly and involves multiple neuronal systems¹⁶.

Rest tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and loss of postural reflexes are generally considered the cardinal signs of Parkinson’s¹. Although Parkinson’s disease can’t be cured, medication might significantly improve the symptoms.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia today is a chronic, frequently disabling mental disorder that affects about one per cent of the world’s population¹⁷. The cause of the disorder remains unknown. In its most common form, schizophrenia presents with paranoid delusions and auditory hallucinations late in adolescence or in early adulthood¹.