Ch.10 Med. Term Notes – Flashcards
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anencephaly
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a rare congenital condition in which some or all of the cranium & cerebrum are missing in a new born
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aphasia
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the loss of the ability to communicate verbally or in writing
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phas/o-
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speech
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dysphasia
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impairment that involves some difficulty speaking or understanding words
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cephalalgia
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pain in the head; headache
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cephal/o-
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head
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cerebral palsy
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condition causeed by a lack of oxygen to parts of the babies brain during birth
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cerebrovascular accident
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condition in which there is disruption or blockage of blood flow to the brain which causes tissue death and area necrosis
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transient ischemic attack = TIA
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a temporary lack of oxygenated blood to area of the brain
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hemiparesis
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muscle weakness on one side of the body
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- paresis
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weakness
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hemiplegia
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paralysis on one side
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- pleg/o-
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paralysis
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TIA
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transient ischemic attack
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TENS
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transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
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SCI
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spinal cord injury
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HNP
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herniated nucleus pulposus
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EEG
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electroencephalography
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CVA
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cerebrovascular accident
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GCS
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Glascow Coma Scale (or Score)
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CTS
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carpal tunnel syndrome
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CNS
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central nervous system
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ALS
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amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
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Laminectomy
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surgical excision of the lamina (the flat area on the vertebra) to relieve pain from a herniated nucleus pulposus.
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Diskectomy
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surgical excision of part or all of the herniated nucleus pulposus from an intervertebral disk to relieve pain.
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Craniotomy
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a surgical incision into the skull to expose the brain tissue. It is the first phase of any type of brain surgery.
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Carotid endarterectomy
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a procedure to remove plaque from the carotid artery.
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Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit
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a procedure that uses an electrical device to control chronic pain.
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Lumbar puncture (LP)
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procedure to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for testing in which a needle is inserted between the lumbar vertebra and into the subarachnoid space and fluid is withdrawn.
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Glasgow Coma Scale
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numerical scale that measures the depth of a coma.
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Babinski's sign
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a neurologic test where the lateral aspect (outside of the foot) from the heel to the toes is stroked.
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Polysomnography
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a multifaceted test to diagnose the many underlying conditions that can cause insomnia, sleep disruption, sleep apnea, or narcolepsy.
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somn/o-
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sleep
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electr/o-
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electricity
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-graphy
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process of recording
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Electroencephalography (EEG)
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a procedure to record the electrical activity of the brain.
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Cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) examination
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a laboratory test that examines the CSF macroscopically for clarity and color, microscopically for cells, and chemically for proteins and other substances.
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Paresthesia
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a condition in which abnormal sensations like tingling, burning, or pinpricks are felt on the skin.
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Neuropathy
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a general category for any type of disease or injury to a nerve.
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Neuroma
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a benign tumor of a nerve or any of the specialized cells of the nervous system.
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Neurofibromatosis
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a hereditary disease with multiple benign tumors that arise from the peripheral nerves.
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Polyneuritis
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is a generalized inflammation of many nerves.
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Neuritis
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inflammation or infection of a nerve.
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Neuralgia
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- pain along the path of a nerve and its nerve branches caused by an injury to the nerve.
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neur/o-
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nerve
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Multiple sclerosis (MS)
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a chronic, progressive, degenerative autoimmune disease in which the body makes antibodies against myelin.
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Hyperesthesia
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a condition in which there is an abnormally heightened awareness and sensitivity to touch and increased response to painful stimuli.
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Guillain-Barre's syndrome
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an autoimmune disorder in which the body makes antibodies against myelin.
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Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)
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a chronic condition characterized by tingling and pain in the hand due to inflammation and swelling of the tendons that go through the carpal tunnel of the wrist bones.
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Bell's palsy
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weakness, drooping, or actual paralysis of one side of the face because of inflammation of the facial nerve.
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Anesthesia
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- condition in which sensation of any type, including touch, pressure, proprioception, or pain, has been completely lost.
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esthes/o-
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sensation or feeling
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
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a chronic, progressive disease of the motor nerves of the spinal cord.
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Quadriplegia
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paralysis of the arms and legs
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Paraplegia
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paralysis of the legs
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Spinal cord injury
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trauma to the spinal cord with a partial or complete transection of the cord.
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quadr/i-
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four
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herniated nucleus pulposus
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occurs when the contents of an intervertebral disc presses through a weak spot in the disc wall.
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sciatica
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when the symptoms occur along the sciatic nerve from compression in the lower lumbar area of the spine.
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radicul/o-
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spinal nerve root
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Radiculopathy
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acute or chronic condition that occurs when a herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP) presses on adjacent spinal nerve roots.
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Meningomyelocele/ myelomeningocele
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a type of congenital neural tube defect in which there is protrusion of the meninges and spinal cord through an abnormal opening in the vertebral column.
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myel/o-
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spinal cord
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-cele
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hernia
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Syncope
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a temporary loss of consciousness.
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Parkinson's disease
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a chronic, degenerative disease due to an imbalance in the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and acetylcholine in the brain.
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Narcolepsy
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brief, involuntary episodes of falling asleep during the daytime while engaged in activity.
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Migraine headache
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a specific type of recurring headache that has a sudden onset with severe, throbbing pain, often on just one side of the head.
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photophobia
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sensitivity to light
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phot/o-
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light
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Meningitis
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inflammation of the meninges of the brain or spinal cord by a bacterial or viral infection.
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mening/o-
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meninges
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Hydrocephalus
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a condition in which an excessive amount of cerebrospinal fluid is produced or the flow of cerebrospinal fluid is blocked.
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hydr/o-
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water or fluid
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Huntington's chorea
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a progressive, inherited degenerative disease of the brain that is characterized by dementia with irregular spasms of the extremities and face, alternating with slow writhing movements of the hands and feet.
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Hematoma
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a localized collection of blood that forms in the tissue because of the rupture of an artery or vein.
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subdural hematoma
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forms below the dura mater ("subdural") and above the arachnoid.
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absence or petit mal seizure
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is one in which there is impaired consciousness with slight or no muscle activity.
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A tonic-clonic or grand mal seizure
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is one in which there is unconsciousness and excessive motor activity.
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Status epilepticus
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is a state of prolonged continuous seizure activity or frequently repeated individual seizures that occur without the patient regaining consciousness.
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aura
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a visual, olfactory, sensory or auditory sign that warns them of an impending seizure.
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Epilepsy
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a recurring condition in which a group of neurons in the brain spontaneously sends out electrical impulses in an abnormal, uncontrolled way.
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seizures or convulsions
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causes altered consciousness and abnormal muscle movements
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Encephalitis
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inflammation of the brain caused by a virus.
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encephal/o-
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brain
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Dyslexia
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difficulty reading and writing words even though visual acuity and intelligence are normal.
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lex/o-
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word
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Down syndrome
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a congenital genetic defect in which there are 3 of chromosome 21, instead of the normal pair of 2.
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Alzheimer's disease
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a hereditary dementia that is known to run in families with inherited mutations on chomosomes 1, 14, and 21.
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ment/o-
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mind
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Dementia
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a disease of the brain in which many neurons in the cerebrum die, the cerebral cortex shrinks in size, and there is progressive deterioration in mental function.
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Coma
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deep state of unconsciousness and unresponsiveness caused by trauma or disease in the brain, metabolic imbalance, or deficiency of sugar in the blood (diabetes).
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Concussion
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traumatic injury to the brain that results in the immediate loss of consciousness for a brief or prolonged period of time.
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contusion
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is a traumatic injury to the brain in which there is bruising and some bleeding in the tissues.
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transient ischemic attack (TIA)
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is a temporary lack of oxygenated blood to the an area of the brain. It is like a CVA but the symptoms are short-lived and transient.
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Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
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a condition in which there is disruption or blockage of blood flow to the brain which causes tissue death and an area of necrosis known as an infarct.
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Cerebral palsy (CP)
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a condition caused by a lack of oxygen to parts of the baby's brain during birth.
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Amnesia
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a condition in which there is partial or total loss of memory of recent or remote past experience. It is often a consequence of injury or stroke that damages the area of the brain where long term memory is stored.
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afferent nerves
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nerve roots that carry nerve impulses towards the spinal cord and brain
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efferent nerves
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nerve roots that carry nerve impulses away from the brain and spinal cord
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spinal cavity
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is a hollow cavity inside the vertebral column that contains the spinal cord and the origins of the spinal nerves. It is also known as the spinal canal.
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cranial nerves
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consist of twelve pair of nerves that originate in the brain and carry sensory nerve impulses from the eyes, ears, nose and mouth to the brain and motor nerve impulses from the brain to the face, head, neck and glands.
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subarachnoid space.
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The space beneath the arachnoid layer (and above the pia mater) is known as the
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subdural space.
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The space beneath the dura mater (and above the arachnoid layer)
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dura mater
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is the tough, outermost layer. It lies just beneath the bones of the cranium and within the foramen of each vertebra.
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arachnoid
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is the thin, middle layer of the meninges
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pia mater
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is the thin, innermost layer of the meninges. It covers the surface of the brain and contains many small blood vessels.
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meninges
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brain and spinal cord are surrounded by three separate membrane layers that envelope and protect them.
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ventricles
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are four hollow chambers in the brain which contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
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Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
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is a clear, colorless fluid that cushions and protects the brain
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cranium
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is the hollow dome of bone at the top of the skull.
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cerebrum
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is the largest and most visible part of the brain.
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brain
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is the largest organ in the nervous system.
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somatic nervous system
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carries impulses to the skeletal muscles (voluntary).
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autonomic nervous system
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carries nerve impulses to the heart, involuntary smooth muscles, and glands (involuntary).
