Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - Symptoms and causes Overview Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a-my-o-TROE-fik LAT-ur-ul skluh-ROE-sis) is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord Also known as ALS, the disease leads to muscle weakness and other symptoms that get worse over time ALS often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing, or slurred speech Eventually ALS affects
Parkinsons disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Parkinson's disease can affect people's memory, language and reasoning skills The disease also can lead to dementia or other conditions that affect thinking These complications usually happen later in Parkinson's disease, and medicines usually have only a modest benefit in managing these symptoms Emotional changes and depression
Autism spectrum disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Signs of autism spectrum disorder often appear early in development when there are obvious delays in language skills and social interactions If you're concerned about your child's development or think that your child may have autism spectrum disorder, talk with a healthcare professional about your concerns
Alzheimers disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Overview Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia Alzheimer's disease is the biological process that begins with the appearance of a buildup of proteins in the form of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain This causes brain cells to die over time and the brain to shrink
Depression (major depressive disorder) - Symptoms and causes Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living
Dementia - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic These areas are associated with personality, behavior and language Common symptoms affect behavior, personality, thinking, judgment, language and movement Mixed dementia Autopsy studies of the brains of people age 80 and older who had dementia indicate that in many, dementia had a combination of causes
Schizophrenia - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic People with schizophrenia need lifelong treatment This includes medicine, talk therapy and help in learning how to manage daily life activities Because many people with schizophrenia don't know they have a mental health condition and may not believe they need treatment, many research studies have examined the results of untreated psychosis People who have psychosis that is not treated often
Klinefelter syndrome - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic Klinefelter syndrome may affect testicular growth This results in smaller testicles, which can lead to making less of the hormone testosterone The syndrome also may cause smaller muscle mass, less body and facial hair, and extra breast tissue The effects of Klinefelter syndrome vary, and not everyone has the same symptoms Most people with Klinefelter syndrome produce little or no sperm