Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

An area of abnormal tissue change. Lesions vary in severity from harmless to serious.

The two innermost layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord. The two layers are called the arachnoid mater and pia mater.

Having to do with the leptomeninges, the two innermost layers of tissues that cover the brain and spinal cord. Leptomeningeal metastasis refers to cancer that has spread from the original (primary) tumor to the leptomeninges.

An infectious disease of the skin, nervous system, and mucous membranes that is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae. Leprosy is transmitted via person-to-person contact. For thousands of years leprosy was one of the world’s most feared communicable diseases because the nerve and skin damage often led to terrible disfigurement and disability. Today leprosy can be cured, particularly if treatment is…

The transparent structure inside the eye that focuses light rays onto the retina.

A severe form of epilepsy that usually begins in early childhood. It is characterized by frequent seizures of multiple types, mental impairment, and a slow spike-and-wave pattern seen on an EEG. The seizures are notoriously hard to treat and may lead to falls and injuries. Treatment involves anti-epileptic medications.

A parasitic disease, also called leishmaniasis, spread by the bite of sand flies infected with a protozoa (Leishmania). There are several forms of leishmaniasis, the most common being cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. The cutaneous form of the disease causes skin sores while the visceral form strikes internal organs of the body such as the spleen, liver and bone marrow and can be fatal. Cutaneous leishmaniasis involves…

A benign tumor of smooth muscle, the type of muscle that is found in the heart and uterus. A leiomyoma of the uterus is commonly called a fibroid. Uterine fibroids are the single most common indication for hysterectomy. Fibroids can be present and be inapparent. However, they are clinically apparent in up to 25% of women and may cause significant morbidity, including…

The branch of medicine that deals with the application of medical knowledge to legal problems and legal proceedings. Legal medicine is also called forensic medicine. A physician may be engaged in legal (or forensic) medicine while a lawyer with identical interests is said to be in medical jurisprudence. It just depends upon the direction you are coming from.

An aching, crampy, tired, and sometimes burning pain in the legs that comes and goes — it typically occurs with walking and goes away with rest — due to poor circulation of blood in the arteries of the legs. Known medically as intermittent claudication. Intermittent claudication may occur in one or both legs and may worsen over time. However, some…