Neuroscience

Overview A tremor is considered involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movements of a body part. A tremor is considered the involuntary shaking of a body part. This is classically associated with the hand but can affect other parts of the body. This shaking may be defined as rhythmic, oscillatory movements (i.e. move back and forth) that occur due to alternating or synchronous contractions of opposing muscle groups. Two key terms when describing tremor are frequency and amplitude: Frequency: this is essentially how quick the tremor is, or in other words, the oscillations (back and forth movement) per second. It is measured in cycles per

Overview Syncope is a broad term for transient loss of consciousness. Syncope refers to a transient loss of consciousness. The loss of consciousness is usually due to a brief reduction in cerebral perfusion due to an abrupt fall in blood pressure. The loss of consciousness inevitably leads to a collapse with subsequent recovery as perfusion is restored (~8-10 seconds). There are many different causes of syncope of which the most common is vasovagal syncope. Vasovagal syncope is also known as a ‘common faint’ and typically occurs in the setting of a stressful event (e.g. phlebotomy). It is characterised by prodromal symptoms

Overview Headache is a very common clinical presentation. Headache refers to pain felt in any region of the head, which also includes behind the eyes and ear or in the upper neck. It is an extremely common presentation and can be broadly divided into primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches: a headache not caused by or attributed to another disorder. In other words, the headache itself is the primary disorder. Examples include tension-type headache, migraine, and cluster headache Secondary headaches: a headache caused by another underlying disorder. In other words, the headache is a symptom of another pathological process. Examples