Tutor and Freelance Writer. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Article last reviewed: 2020 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2022 | Creative Commons 4.0

Huntington’s Disease: Causes, Symptoms, Testing

Huntington’s disease, or Huntngton’s chorea, is a genetic disease that causes selective neural cell death, which results in chorea, or irregular, jerking movements of the limbs caused by involuntary muscle contractions, and dementia.  It can cause a lack of concentration and depression.  It also may cause atrophy of the caudate nucleus, a part of the…

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Causes & Treatment

“Compulsive” and “obsessive” have become everyday words. “I’m compulsive” is how some people describe their need for neatness, punctuality, and shoes lined up in the closets. “He’s so compulsive is shorthand for calling someone uptight, controlling, and not much fun. “She’s obsessed with him” is a way of saying your friend is hopelessly lovesick. That…

Osteoporosis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Osteoporosis is a significant health problem that affects more than 25 million women in the United States and potentially 200 million worldwide. This disease is characterized by diminishing the structure of the skeleton (particular the “spongy” bone). This results in an increased risk of fracture. Osteoporosis develops silently over a period of years, eventually progressing…

Narcissism: Psychological Disorder, Theories, Treatment

Understanding the Narcissistic Phenomenon The so called ‘narcissistic personality disorder’ is a complex and often misunderstood disorder. The cardinal feature of the narcissistic personality is the grandiose sense of self importance, but paradoxically underneath this grandiosity, the narcissist suffers from a chronically fragile low self-esteem. The grandiosity of the narcissist, however, is often so pervasive…

Premature Infancy & Infants: Causes & Treatment

Premature babies, otherwise known as preterm babies, or preemies, are babies that are born earlier than the full-term of thirty-eight to forty-two weeks of pregnancy. These babies are generally born between the twentieth and thirty-eighth week. Almost 250,000 babies, nearly seven percent of newborns, are premature(Golant 4). Prematurity, even with all the advances in technology,…

Reye Syndrome: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Reye Syndrome is an extremely rare, non-contagious disease thought to be triggered by aspirin use.  The actual origin of the disease is unknown.  Reye’s Syndrome, occasionally called Reye-Jacobsen’s Syndrome, is known to follow any viral infection.  Two of the most common viral infections it precedes is influenza, “the flu”, and chicken pox.  A now-familiar warning…

Articles of Confederation: History & Significance

It would have been very difficult to run an effective government under the Articles of Confederation.  Many of the great minds politically active after the American Revolution realized this; thus arrived the birth of one of the greatest political documents of all time: The Constitution.  With the implement of the Constitution, the United States government…