The Neuro-psychological System

Two aspects of the neuropsychological system considered in this chapter are disorders of the nervous system, in which the nervous system is affected, resulting in abnormalities, and mental disorders, in which an abnormal personality results from an individual's inability to adjust to a new situation. Common causes of nervous disorders are as follows:

• Congenital faults of development such as enlargement of the head due to the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid — the clear, colourless fluid that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord — within the brain.
• Inflammation of the brain or inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord.
• Toxins produced by germs such as tetanus or lockjaw, diphtheria or botulism, resulting in damage to the brain or other tissues.
• Accidents that cause haemorrhage in the brain or poor circulation of blood to the brain due to vascular diseases or tumours in the brain and spinal cord.
• Deficiencies in the diet and lack of vitamin B, affecting the nervous system.

The symptoms of nervous disorders are as follows: a decrease in the ability to use the muscles of the body, the inability of the muscles to respond to voluntary commands, stiffness, uncontrolled movement of certain muscles, poor coordination between muscles, disturbance in speech, difficulty in swallowing, abrupt jerky movements resulting in convulsions, slow loss of sensation of touch (pain and temperature), frequent abnormal sensations like pins and needles, headaches, dizziness, misleading vision, fainting spells and delusions.

The holistic approach to healing sees any disease of the body as a combination of emotional, mental, physical and environmental factors.