Which Body Part is Affected by These Diseases? Quiz

Answer: Skin

Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare group of disorders that affect the skin. PC is a genetic disease that typically presents itself before the age of ten. Most individuals with PC have thickened toenails, horn-like skin conditions on their feet, and pain in the feet that means some sufferers have to use mobility aids such as canes, walkers, and wheelchairs.

Some people with PC also have thickened fingernails, horn-like growths on their hands, inflammation in the corners of their mouths, natal or prenatal teeth, excessive sweating of the hands and feet, thickened skin, and other symptoms affecting the skin and nails. Treatment of the disorder focuses on relieving the pain and discomfort caused by the symptoms of the disease.

Answer: Skin

Ichthyosis refers to a family of over twenty genetic disorders that affect the skin. Ichthyosis causes the skin to become very dry and scaly. The name "ichthyosis" comes from the Greek "ichthys", meaning "fish". Ichthyosis is usually diagnosed by physicians upon visual inspection, but can also be identified if a biopsy is taken.

The disease is not preventable, but can be treated with topical creams that help to hydrate the skin.

Answer: Skin

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is also known as acne inversa or Verneuil's disease. It is thought that the disorder occurs when hair follicles become obstructed and cause fluid-filled bumps to form. These bumps cause pain in the areas where they form. The cause of this disorder remains unclear in the first quarter of the 21st century, but is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

It has been shown that this disease is not caused by poor hygiene, deodorant, or a pre-existing infection. Women are more likely to develop the disorder, and it usually presents in younger people. It is a rare diagnosis in those over fifty years of age. Some lifestyle choices have been linked to the disorder. These include cigarette smoking, tight clothing, some prescription medications, and obesity.

Answer: Lungs

Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease that is caused by long-term exposure to asbestos. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fibre that is resistant to heat so, in the past, it was heavily mined for use in building insulation, pipe insulation, wire insulation, and other industrial uses. The use of asbestos is heavily regulated by most western governments in the 21st century, but this was not the case in the past. Due to the fact that asbestosis develops after long-term exposure to asbestos, many individuals have developed this disorder long after they were first exposed.

Asbestosis occurs when small asbestos fibres in dust are inhaled and become lodged in the tiny sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged. This causes the lungs to stiffen, making it difficult to breathe. There is no cure for this disease, but once it is diagnosed, individuals are often provided with exercises and education to help with their symptoms.

Answer: Lungs

Pulmonary edema is a disorder that results in fluid build up in the lungs. Pulmonary edema has many causes ranging from the heart's inability to effectively pump blood in and out of the lungs, to injury to the chest and lungs caused by things such as inhalation of toxic substances, extreme bruising (e.g. from motor vehicle accidents), and swimming accidents.

Pulmonary edema can also be caused by neurological conditions such as head trauma and seizures, multiple blood transfusions in a very short period of time, or viruses that affect the lungs and cause fluid to build up. Symptoms of this disorder include extreme shortness of breath, coughing up blood, gurgling sounds with deep breaths, sweating and paleness of the skin. Treatment of this disorder varies due to the large number of possible causes.

Answer: Lungs

Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease that is caused by injury to the airways. The injury can be due to inflammation or infection that cause the tubes in the lungs to widen and harden. This makes it difficult to clear mucus that gathers in the lungs. The main symptom of bronchiectasis is excessive coughing with a lot of pus or mucus. Bronchiectasis is described by some as a cyclical disease. There is no cure, so when the first injury to the lungs occurs that causes inflammation and infection it makes it more likely that bouts of the disease will occur in the future. With each bout more damage will probably occur, which increases the probability of future episodes.

The causes of this disease are many, but the most common are cystic fibrosis in the western world, and tuberculosis in the third world. Bronchiectasis cannot be cured, but medical intervention can help to lessen the degree of discomfort caused by the disease. Life expectancy for those with this disease is typically similar to those without the disease if symptoms are managed by medical professionals. If individuals with this disease have a history of smoking or low lung function, their life expectancy will be shortened.

Answer: Brain

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, particularly in the USA. Gehrig was the first high-profile individual to talk openly about this fatal disease that causes progressive loss of function in the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Approximately 90% of those who get this disease have no known genetic cause or family history of the disease. There is a familial type that affects the remaining 10% where the disease appears to run in families. This has led some researchers to investigate a possible genetic cause of ALS.

Symptoms start off relatively minor and progress to where individuals can no longer move, and struggle with their breathing. Early symptoms include muscular twitching, trouble using arms and legs, tripping and falling, fatigue, and slurred speech. As the disease progresses, symptoms begin to include paralysis and difficulty breathing. ALS typically affects people who are between 40 and 70 years of age, and can affect all ethnic groups.

There is no cure for ALS, and treatment typically involves managing the symptoms to help individuals feel more comfortable. The prognosis for individuals who are diagnosed with this disease is very poor. Death usually occurs within 3-5 years after a diagnosis. The main cause of death is paralysis of the respiratory muscles, or infections that result because of the disease.

Answer: Brain

Dystonia is a disorder that occurs when structures within the brain fail to act together to coordinate muscle movement. This results in uncontrollable muscle contractions or spasms. Anyone can develop dystonia at any time of their lives.

Researchers suggest that the basal ganglia in the brain is involved in dystonia. The basal ganglia is an area of the brain that is actually a group of brain structures that help to coordinate how various areas of the brain work together. The malfunctioning brain areas cause tremors, painful spasms that feel like electric shocks, and abnormal twisting or stretching of muscles. Dystonia can exclusively affect specific parts of the body, or be more generalized to multiple parts of the body.

Neurologists typically diagnose dystonia by running a variety of tests and medical imaging. Dystonia cannot be cured so, once diagnosed, treatment to help control the symptoms is typically offered. Deep brain stimulation is often provided to patients with dystonia. Here, electrodes are implanted deep in the brain to provide an ongoing low-level electric stimulation to the area that may be malfunctioning. Medications are also used to treat this disorder. Botox is used to prevent brain signals from getting to the affected muscles. Physical and occupational therapy is also sometimes successful in managing the symptoms of dystonia.

Answer: Brain

Encephalitis is a type of inflammation that attacks the brain's tissues. This causes the brain to swell, resulting in a variety of symptoms. Physical symptoms include headache, stiff neck, seizures, fever, sensitivity to light and sound, impaired movement, and coma. Cognitive symptoms can include impaired memory, confusion, psychosis, irritability, sleepiness, and hallucinations. Encephalitis can affect people of all races and ages, but more frequently occurs in younger people.

Encephalitis can be caused by infections or an autoimmune response where the body attacks its own tissues. Infectious encephalitis is caused by viruses that enter the body and attack the brain. In the past, measles, mumps, rubella, and chicken pox viruses were a common cause of encephalitis. However, with vaccines available for each of these, the rate of encephalitis caused by these diseases has decreased. In the 21st century , the most common causes of infectious encephalitis are the herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2, varicella zoster virus and gastrointestinal viruses. Mosquitoes and ticks also carry viruses that can cause encephalitis in people who are bitten by these insects.

Autoimmune encephalitis is less common than infectious encephalitis. This type occurs when the body's immune system attacks its own cells. This type of encephalitis is not well-understood, but can occur when the body is fighting against a benign or malignant brain tumour, or even against infectious encephalitis.

In order to diagnose encephalitis, physicians carry out a number of tests that may include a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), electroencephalogram (to measure brain waves), blood tests, and neuroimaging tests (CAT scan, MRI). Once diagnosed, encephalitis is treated with a variety of medications to fight the infections and control seizures.

Encephalitis is a serious illness. In mild cases that are diagnosed quickly, recovery is likely. Many more severe cases result in long-term issues such as fatigue, irritability, impaired concentration, seizures, hearing loss, memory loss and blindness. Encephalitis results in death about 10% of the time.

Answer: Brain

Huntington's disease (HD) is a genetic disorder that affects the brain. It causes the brain cells (neurons) to gradually break down and die. Neurons that control voluntary movement are affected, as well as others that control non-motor functions. People with Huntington's disease often develop uncontrollable dance-like movements that are known as chorea. They also typically develop problems with their behaviour, emotion, thinking, as well as noticeable personality changes.

Huntington's disease usually appears in middle-aged adults. It can appear in juveniles, but this is very rare. Early symptoms of the disease include falling, clumsiness and balance issues, unusual eye movements, as well as personality and behavioural changes. As the disease progresses, individuals can develop chorea, or unmoving and stiff postures. Individuals can also develop problems chewing and swallowing, insomnia, seizures, loss of judgement, memory issues, and impaired problem-solving. Symptoms worsen over time, resulting in an individual's inability to walk, drive, work, or live without a care-giver.

Researchers have discovered that the faulty gene that causes HD lies in a mutation on chromosome 4. If a parent has HD, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the genetic mutation that causes the disease. If a child does not inherit the genetic mutation, they cannot develop the disease or pass it along to future generations. If children inherit the HD mutation, they are likely to also develop the disease and can pass it along to future generations.

Huntington's disease is diagnosed when physicians take a detailed family history, and use that along with neuroimaging and genetic tests. There has been a lot of research into the genetics of HD. Now that the defective gene has been identified, a simple blood test can be used to check for that mutation. Individuals can also have prenatal testing for HD if they are concerned about passing the disease along to unborn children.

There are no cures for Huntington's disease. Once symptoms of HD appear, the disease will only get worse and result in death. Some drugs can be given to treat symptoms to help individuals with the disease be more comfortable. These include drugs to help the chorea if it is present, anti-psychotic medication for those with hallucinations, violent outbursts, and delusions, as well as medication for depression and anxiety that individuals may experience. Once individuals start experiencing symptoms of HD, they typically live for a further 5-25 years (median 15-18 years) with the disorder.