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Your brain contains a complex network of nerve cells, called neurons, that send signals to the rest of your body. These signals allow you to sense the world around you, control your body’s movements, and experience emotions. But sometimes things can go wrong. Groups of neurons may send abnormal bursts of signals all at once. This surge of brain activity is called a seizure. Any seizure is a cause…, Unraveling Symptoms, Anything that disturbs the pattern of normal brain activity can lead to seizures. Seizures may develop from illness, infections, damage or tumors in the brain, genetic factors, or problems during brain development. There are two main types of seizures: generalized and focal. Generalized seizures start in both sides of the brain. Focal seizures start on one side but may spread to both sides. Some…, Diagnosing Epilepsy, Epilepsy can develop at any age. But infants, children, and older adults are at the highest risk. Diagnosing epilepsy involves a review of your medical history. You may have [qtip:neurological|Related to the body’s nervous system, which is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves throughout the body.] testing and blood tests done. Blood tests can check for infections or genetic conditions.…, Dr. Carrie McDonald, a scientist who specializes in imaging at the University of California, San Diego, is testing artificial intelligence (AI) to identify these brain patterns on MRI scans. Her group found that AI could correctly identify over 80% of individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy. “Using AI to identify brain areas with specific patterns of damage will not only help radiologists but…, Getting Treatment, Doctors usually prescribe antiseizure drugs first to control seizures. But some people don’t respond to these drugs. They may need to see a nervous system specialist, called a neurologist, who focuses on epilepsy. Dr. Sara Inati, an epilepsy specialist at NIH, is researching better ways to evaluate and treat people with drug-resistant epilepsy. They may have repeated seizures that can damage…

Everything in your body has its proper place. Muscles and other internal structures help keep your organs where they should be. But sometimes they’re not strong enough to do that. In that case, a piece of tissue or organ can slip through a gap in the weakened structures around it. The result is a condition called a hernia. Most hernias occur in the abdomen. But they can happen in other places,…

Find in-depth stories covering NIH’s cutting-edge biomedical research. Learn about the current state of research for many fields and where they may be heading., NIH Research in Context, comes out quarterly. Read the latest story on early-life nutrition.

Find in-depth stories about NIH’s cutting-edge biomedical research. Learn about the current state of research for many fields and where they may be heading. Research in Context stories appear quarterly in, NIH Research Matters, . Read the latest story on treating addiction

Researchers found that bacteria likely plays a key role in most kidney stones. Previous studies only linked bacteria with kidney stones that formed after an infection. Kidney stones are hard, pebble-like pieces that form in your kidneys. They are made of minerals that build up in urine. Most are made of calcium oxalate. Others form after urinary tract infections (UTIs). This type is made of…

A stroke can change your life in an instant. Symptoms come on suddenly. Facial drooping, arm weakness, or slurred speech can all signal that a stroke is happening. A stroke can take away the ability to walk, talk, or do other daily activities. But survivors can often relearn skills affected by the stroke and overcome losses in ability. Strokes happen when the brain doesn’t get enough blood flow.…, Benefits of Rehab, Rehab can help survivors build back skills they have lost after a stroke. It uses exercises and other therapies to help restore physical function. It also provides strategies to handle remaining problems. For example, a stroke survivor may no longer be able to grasp things with one hand. Rehab can help them learn to use their other hand. Rehab usually starts at the hospital within 48 hours of a…, Restoring Muscle Use, After a stroke, survivors can have trouble moving certain muscles. Muscles can become weak, uncontrollable, or paralyzed. Rehab programs can help address these issues. But some survivors have difficulty finding a provider in their area or getting to a clinic. Dr. Steven Cramer, a stroke neurologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, wants to make rehab easier to access. He’s designed…, Restoring Language, Strokes can also damage the part of the brain that controls language. At least one out of every four stroke survivors have a condition called “aphasia.” It affects speaking, reading, writing, and/or understanding language. Not all stroke survivors recover from aphasia, even with speech-language therapy. They often have chronic (long-lasting) problems with language. Dr. Julius Fridriksson, a…

Burns can affect anyone. The consequences can range from mild skin damage to permanent scarring or even death. That’s why it’s important for everyone to know how to prevent burns. Most burn injuries occur at home. Kitchen fires or other household accidents are common causes. For children, scalds are the leading cause of burn injury. These are caused by steam or boiling water. Treatment depends on…

Many kids start talking later than expected. Most eventually catch up with other kids their age. But some kids have language difficulties that persist. This can be a sign of a condition called developmental language disorder, or DLD. DLD is a communication disorder that persists into adulthood. It can interfere with learning, understanding, and using language. “DLD is incredibly prevalent, but…, Noticing Signs, Late talking can be one of the earliest signs of DLD. Young kids with DLD may struggle learning words. They might have difficulty talking. “If you have a young child who isn’t using a language to communicate, but is more using body language and gestures, that’s a sign that they’re having difficulty with learning language,” says Dr. Jim Montgomery, a professor of communication sciences at Ohio…, Screening for Differences, DLD can be difficult to recognize, as the signs aren’t the same for every child. “A very mild case of DLD might be something that may not affect a child that much in their everyday conversation or in everyday functioning,” Alt explains. But it may become apparent as reading and writing get more complex in school. “More severe DLD could mean having difficulty getting your basic needs met because…, Personalizing Progress, Certain specialists can help kids with DLD improve their language skills. Speech-language pathologists are experts in communication. They can test for DLD and provide treatment. Interventions are tailored to support a child’s individual challenges. “The nature of the treatment is going to change as kids get older because their language changes and their deficits change,” Montgomery says.…

In food allergies, the body’s defense system, called the immune system, reacts to harmless food as if it were a threat. To understand why this happens, scientists first need to know how the body develops a tolerance to a food. A new study showed that certain parts of dietary proteins normally act as signals that foods are safe. Researchers found seven different sensors in specialized immune cells…

Most of us have some decline in our memory and learning abilities as we age. But certain older adults can remember past events better than most people 25 to 30 years younger. Researchers recently found that exceptional recall and memory is linked to the ability to create new brain cells. An NIH-funded research team analyzed more than 350,000 individual brain cells from younger and older adults,…