The limbic system, often referred to as the "emotional brain", is found buried within the cerebrum.
Like the cerebellum, evolutionarily the structure is rather old. This system contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus.
Thalamus- This is a large mass of gray matter deeply situated in the forebrain at the topmost portion of the diencephalon. The structure has sensory and motor functions. Almost all sensory information enters this structure where neurons send that information to the overlying cortex.
Axons from every sensory system (except olfaction) synapse here as the last relay site before the information reaches the cerebral cortex.
Hypothalamus- part of the diencephalon, ventral to the thalamus. The structure is involved in functions including homeostasis, emotion, thirst, hunger, circadian rhythms, and control of the autonomic nervous system. In addition, it controls the pituitary.
Amygdala- part of the telencephalon, located in the temporal lobe; involved in memory, emotion, and fear. The amygdala is both large and just beneath the surface of the front, medial part of the temporal lobe where it causes the bulge on the surface called the uncus. This is a component of the limbic system.
Hippocampus- the portion of the cerebral hemisphers in basal medial part of the temporal lobe. This part of the brain is important for learning and memory . . . for converting short term memory to more permanent memory, and for recalling spatial relationships in the world about us.....
Unfortunately it (THE LIMBIC SYSTEM) ends up the last mentioned, and perhaps MOST IMPORTANT, is INSOMNIA and EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE part of the symptoms of RSD/CRPS.
CRPS affects the limbic system of the brain. Doctor Hooshang Hooshmand described it well; " The fact that the sympathetic sensory nerve fibers carrying the sympathetic pain and impulse up to the brain terminate in the part of the brain called "limbic system". This limbic (marginal) system which is positioned between the old brain (brainstem) and the new brain (cerebral hemispheres) is mainly located over the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain."
This causes many problems that might not initially be linked to a disease like CRPS. Chief among them are Depression, Insomnia and short-term memory problems. CRPS can cause Depression, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND!!!!!!!
CRPS causes insomnia by not allowing the body to drift into REM, or rapid eye movement, sleep. This is the sleep that allows the body to use its own healing abilities. Without it, the patients pain cycle continues and becomes more entrenched. As the body cannot heal itself, it becomes harder to achieve that sleep which makes the pain worse and so the cycle continues.
- Many patients can feel they are losing their mind as their ability to remember things,
- short-term, greatly decreases.
- Things like; what someone told you an hour ago,
- what you had for lunch yesterday,
- whether you took your pills this morning,
- what you were just talking about, etc.,
On a “high stress day,” (Or even just a "high stress situation") words are quickly forgotten....you spend what feels like forever searching for the word "pen" when you can see it in your mind, you know what you want to say, but the right word just won't come!!! You are NOT losing your mind.
Loss of short-term memory is part and parcel of CRPS.
Other signs of problems here would include the "inability to think of, um, well, ah, hmm, just the right word." Many people, physicians included, may incorrectly presume it's your medications, particularly the ones that relieve your pain (the anticonvulsants and opiate painkillers) and it is an incorrect presumption on their part: it is the effect of long-term and/or severe effects of Chronic, unrelieved, un/under-treated pain, and particular, the effect of CRPS/RSD has on the Limbic Systemm of the brain..
The patients ability to concentrate is also lessened while their level of irritability is increased. Another effect of RSD on the BRAIN--and when your pain level is so high 24/7, how well are you going to be able to concentrate on normal connversation.
These problems get even worse as the sleep cycle continues to worsen,
weeks and months on end building a sleep deficit you cannot seem to recover from.
- Do these symptoms sound familiar to you?
- Do you also sometimes have an increase in your pain when your stress level is higher?
- Or the noise level is higher?
- Do you want to crawl into a hole by yourself and pull it in after you?
- Does the simple rustling of a newspaper or the soft touch of your spouse send you through the ceiling in pain?
- Do you sometimes have trouble finding a certain word?
- Do you sometimes completely lose track of what you are saying?
If these symptoms sound familiar, know this; you are NOT crazy and you are NOT losing your mind. You are also not alone, not anymore.
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