Neuroscience at its best

Men ought to know that from nothing else but the brain come joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations. ... And by the same organ we become mad and delirious, and fears and terrors assail us, some by night, and some by day, and dreams and untimely wanderings, and cares that are not suitable, and ignorance of present circumstances, desuetude, and unskilfulness. All these things we endure from the brain, when it is not healthy…

Man is gifted with this wonderful organ ''the Brain" which has put him on the superior rankings among any bilogical creatures . The complexities and the rapidity with which it works is beyond the imagination . In recent decades so much has been studied on both anatomical and physiological arrays of its phenomenon . Lots of questions been answered along with lots of questions still at a bay.

Concepts of Mind and Brain has been explored a lot; dualism , materialism and idealism are the theories explained. Computational neuroscience is another field of interest . Learning and memory are the key function of brain and so much research and studies has been done yet lots been still to be explored. In contrary the famous idiom "learning by heart" still exists.

Brain is like the universe expanding in itself with evolution and the more we go indepth the more secrets are revealed . Stem cell research and the fact that there exists the adult stem cell in paraventricular area of brain has compelled us to rethink that nerve cell do not regenerate at all. Similarly concept of Mirror neuron has opened a new door step .

Thousands of research may be going on at this particular moment of time with no wonder thousands of them in vain . The pace of current scientific research and the breakthroughs is just remarkable . Miracles do happen and its happening . Its just a matter of time.

Chiari malformation

Scan of Chiari malformation I cerebellar tonsil herniation associated with syringohydromyelia

Chiari Malformations:

Type I

-Caudal decent of cerebellar descent inferior to plane of foramen magnum >3-5mm

- rarely below C2

- not assciated with myelomeningocele

-hydrocephalus in <10%

Type II

- Caudal descent of cerebellar vermis and lower brainstem

-commonly seen below C2

-multiple posterior fossa and cerebellar abnormalities associated with hindbrain hernias including beaking of the dorsal midbrain , enlargement of massa intermedia , medullary kinking , hypoplasia of tentorium

-hydrocephalus >90%

-in conjuction with meningomyelocele very common

Type III

-rare

-protrusion of sac from craniocervical junction that contains portion of cerebellum and brainstem

-associated with hydrocephalus

Type IV

severe hypoplasia or aplasia of cerebellum associated with a diminutive posterior fossa

Many theories have been developed to explain the Chiari malformations and currently the most appealing theory emphasizes in difficulty in rapidly equilibrating the CSF pressure wave between the posterior fossa and cervical subarachnoid space seen during the valsalva maneuver.

Orbital tumor

Huge orbital tumor destroying the left maxillary and ethmoidal sinus .

Its a case of recurrent orbital meningioma

CPA tumor