Head and nerves
Nose, eyes, ears and mouth - four of the five senses are centred in the head. They lie right next to the centre of the body's intelligence system, the brain. It makes decisions and plans, and triggers quick reactions of the body's muscles by communicating across a chain of nerves. The brain and nerves also regulate a lot of body activity of which we are unaware. Blood pressure, heartbeat and some hormones are also steered by instructions from nerves in the brain.
Feature: Age-related macular degeneration
The retina in the eye is an impressive organ. With more than 120 million light-sensitive cells it converts light into messages to the brain in fractions of a second. And it is the centre of the retina, called the macula, which allows us to see particularly fine details. But it is just this part of the retina that can get damaged with age, and this can threaten our sight. Although this condition, called age-related macular degeneration, is common, the medical options for it are limited. Read here about who can benefit from at least slowing down the progress of this condition.
Feature: Coping psychologically after a stroke
Grief and sadness are normal after a stroke. But some people will become clinically depressed. You can find out about the signs of depression in our fact sheet. And we also have information on treatment and support options for patients and caregivers.
Research summaries
Headaches: What are some non-drug options?
Many people would like to do something to get relief from headaches other than taking tablets. But researchers still have a lot to do in this area. Non-medical ways to try to relieve headaches have not been adequately tested.
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