Primary progressive aphasia involves many losses: Here’s what you need to know

When you think about progressive brain disorders that cause dementia, you usually think of memory problems. But sometimes language problems — also known as aphasia — are the first symptom. What’s aphasia? Aphasia is a disorder of language because of injury to the brain. Strokes (when a blood clot blocks off an artery and a […]

Eating disorders spike among children and teens: What parents should know

During the pandemic, we have seen many more children and teens go to the emergency room with mental health problems. And there has been a notable rise in eating disorders, particularly among adolescent girls. Eating disorders include a range of unhealthy relationships with food and concerns about weight. Unfortunately, eating disorders are common. In fact, […]

Recognizing and treating disorders of gut-brain interaction

Dr. Freeman: “Mr. Vargas, great news on the biopsy results: all negative. It means the workup we have done, including imaging, blood work, and endoscopies, is all normal. You’re all set.” Mr. Vargas: “How can that be? I feel miserable!” What are disorders of gut-brain interaction? The clinical scenario above (names altered for privacy) is […]

A common virus may be one contributing cause of multiple sclerosis

Discovering the cause of a disease is not easy. One reason is that the vast majority of diseases do not have a single cause. Instead, most diseases occur because multiple factors combine to cause the disease. One factor is genes. Some people are born with one or more genes that make them vulnerable to a […]