Glossary
What is a Fasciculation?
The term fasciculation means a small, involuntary muscle twitch. This can happen to any muscle in the body, including the tongue. Most of the causes of fasciculations are not serious, and are merely annoying. Less commonly, fasciculations can be caused by something more serious, like motor neuron diseases, toxins, or even rabies.
What is the Anterior Horn of the Spinal Cord?
The nerve cells that are responsible for relaying messages between the brain and the peripheral nervous system are called motor neurons. The nerves that send messages between the cerebral cortex and the spine are called upper motor neurons, and those that relay messages from the spine to the muscles are called lower motor neurons. These neurons communicate by synapses in the anterior horn of the spinal cord.
Klüver-Bucy Syndrome
The classical combination of hyperphagia, hyperorality, hypersexuality, and docility result from lesions of bilateral temporal lobes, including the amygdala, and was first described in the 1930s. While not common, Kluver-Bucy syndrome taught us a lot about how the brain works.
The Cranial Nerves
The cranial nerves relay important information to and from the brain without going through the spine. Diseases of the cranial nerve cause very distinctive symptoms.