4 - nervous words Flashcards
akinesia
loss of or lack of voluntary motion
amnesia
condition in which there is a loss or lack of memory
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
muscular weakness and atrophy, with spasticity due to degeneration of the motor neurons of the spinal cord
AKA Lou Gehrig’s disease
analgesia
a lack of the sensation of pain
anesthesia
a temporary condition, induced by medications, with a lack of feeling, pain, and responsiveness
anesthesiologist
a physician that specializes in the study of anesthesia
aphagia
lack of the ability to swallow
apraxia
lack of the ability to use objects properly or to recognize common objects
aphasia
lack of the ability to speak due to a brain lesion or injury
asthenia
lack of strength
bradykinesia
abnormal slowness of movement
cerebellar
pertaining to the cerebellum
cerebral palsy
medical disorder where damage to the motor control centers of the brain causes motor dysfunction
concussion
head injury with a temporary loss of brain function
chorea
abnormal involuntary movement causing rapid jerking movements of the face or extremities
coma
unconscious state from which the patient cannot be aroused
craniectomy
surgical excision of a portion of the skull
discectomy
surgical excision of an intervertebral disk
craniotomy
surgical incision into the skull
dyslexia
difficulty reading and writing words
encephalitis
inflammation of the brain
dysphasia
lack of the ability to speak due to a brain lesion or injury
encephalopathy
pathological dysfunction of the brain
epidural
injection of medication into the space above the dura mater as a means of pain control
guillain-barre syndrome
self-limiting conditions where the myelin sheaths covering the peripheral nerves are destroyed, resulting in muscle weakness
starts in periphery and moves proximally
hemiparesis
weakness on one side of the body
hemiplegia
paralysis on one half of the body
herniated disc syndrome
compression of the spinal nerve by herniation of the central portion of an intervertebral disk
hydrocephalus
water in the head; condition where there is an increased amount of cerebrospinal fluid
hyperalgesia
extreme sensitivity to painful stimuli
hyperkinesis
increased muscle movement
intracranial
pertaining to within the skull
lobotomy
surgical incision into the frontal lobe of the cerebrum
laminectomy
surgical excision of the posterior arch of the vertebra
meningocele
congenital hernia or sac-like protrusion of the meninges through a defect in the spine or skull
meningitis
inflammation of the meninges of the spinal cord or brain
myelitis
inflammation of the spinal cord
narcolepsy
sleep disorder where recurrent episodes of uncontrollable drowsiness or sleep occur during the day
neuralgia
pain of the nerves or in a nerve
neuritis
inflammation of a nerve
neuropathy
any disorder affecting the nervous system
neurotransmitter
chemical substance that carries nerve impulses between nerve cells
palsy or paralysis
loss of power of voluntary movements and/or sensation in a muscle due injury or disease of the nerve supply
papilledema
swelling of the optic disc in the eye, caused by increased pressure within the cranium
paraplegia
paralysis of the lower extremities
paresis
slight, partial, or incomplete paralysis
paresthesia
abnormal sensation, numbness, or tingling
polyneuritis
inflammation of many nerves
quadriplegia
paralysis of all four extremities due to injury to the spinal cord
sciatica
severe pain along the course of the sciatic nerve
spondylosyndesis
surgical procedure to fuse vertebrae after removal of the intervertebral disk
subdural
pertaining to below the dura mater, one of the meninges that cover the brain
syncope
temporary loss of consciousness, AKA fainting
tactile
pertaining to the sense of touch
