A condition calledReye’s syndromecan occur in young people that take aspirin when
they have a viral infection. The syndrome causes swelling of the brain and may be fatal.
Fortunately, Reye’s syndrome is very rare. The best way to prevent it is by not taking
aspirin when you have a viral infection. Products like cold medicines often contain aspirin.
Therefore, it’s important to read labels carefully when taking any medicines (Figure20.34).
Figure 20.34: Since 1988, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has required that all
aspirin and aspirin-containing products carry this warning label. ( 38 )
Other Nervous System Diseases
Like other parts of the body, the nervous system may develop tumors. Atumoris a mass
of cells that grow out of control. A tumor in the brain may press on normal brain tissues.
This can cause headaches, difficulty speaking, or other problems, depending on where the
tumor is located. Pressure from a tumor can even cause permanent brain damage. In many
cases, brain tumors can be removed with surgery. In other cases, tumors can’t be removed
without damaging the brain even more. In those cases, other types of treatments may be
needed.
Cerebral palsyis a disease caused by injury to the developing brain. The injury occurs
before, during, or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy is more common in babies that have a
low weight at birth. However, the cause of the brain injury is not often known for certain.
The parts of the brain that control body movements are usually affected. Symptoms range
from weak muscles in mild cases, to trouble walking and talking in more severe cases. There
is no known cure for cerebral palsy.
Epilepsyis a disease in which seizures occur. Aseizureis a period of lost consciousness
that may include violent muscle contractions. It is caused by abnormal electrical activity
in the brain. The underlying cause of epilepsy may be an infection, brain injury, or tumor.
The seizures of epilepsy can often be controlled with medicine. There is no known cure for
the disease, but children with epilepsy may outgrow it by adulthood.
A headache is a very common nervous system problem. Headaches may be a symptom
of serious diseases such as brain tumors or encephalitis. More commonly, they are due to
muscle tension. Atension headacheoccurs when muscles in the shoulders, neck, and head
become too tense. This often happens when people are “stressed out.” Just trying to relax