APPENDIX A Flashcards
Chordata (kor-da’tah)
Phylum in which man is classified
Vertebrata (ver´´tӗ-bra´tah)
Subphylum in which man is classified
Mammalia (mah-ma’le-ah)
Class in which man is classified
Primate (pri´māt)
Order in which man is classified
Homo sapiens
Proper way to write genus and species of man
Adenohypophysis (ad´´ӗ-no-hi-pof-ĭ-sis)
The anterior and intermediate part of the pituitary gland
Neurohypophysis (noor´´o-hi-pof´ə-sis)
The posterior pituitary or “pars nervosa”
Hypophysis Cerebri (hi-pof´ə-sis sə-re´bri)
pituitary gland (entire structure)
Epiphysis Cerebri (ə-pif´ə-sis sə-re´bri)
pineal gland (body)
Embryo (em´bre-o)
The name given to the developing human prior to the end of the second month of gestation
Fetus (fe´təs)
Name applied to the developing human after the second month through parturition (birth)
Neonate (ne´o-nāt)
The newborn infant (at this point we prefer calling them Fred, Sally, etc.)
Denate (den´tāt)
notch or toothlike
Arcuate (ar´ku-āt)
Arrange like an arch
Striae (striatal) (stri´e)
A groove or streak-like formation
Rectus (rek´təs)
Means straight
Reticular (rə-tik´u-Iər)
Net-like
Fissure (fish´ər)
A relatively deep groove (infolding)
Sulcus (sul´kəs)
A relatively shallow groove (infolding)
Gyrus (ji´rəs)
Tortuous convolution. Usually found between the sulci and/or fissures of the cerebrum
Folia (fo´le-ə)
small page-like gyri of the cerebellum
Nuclei (noo´kle-i)
As used in neurology, a cluster or group of neuron cell bodies located within the CNS
Ganglia (gang´gle-ə)
A cluster or group of neuron cell bodies within the PNS (a few exceptions do exist within the CNS)
Neuron (noor’ on)
A nerve cell
Perikaryon (per´´ ĭ -kar´e-on)
used synonymously with the cell body (soma) of the neuron
Axon (ak´son)
A process of a neuron which carries the impulse away from the cell body (perikaryon)
Dendrite (den´drīt)
A process (often several) of a neuron which carries a charge or impulse toward the cell body
Fiber (fi’ ber)
If a neuron has a dominately long process (dendrite or axon) that process can be called a “fiber.” It may be designated also as a “nerve fiber” or a “neuron fiber”
Nerve (nerv)
These are the whitish appearing PNS structures fill with neuron fibers which innervate body’s parts
Ramus (ra´məs)
Literall means a branch. In neurology, we call the major branches off the spinal nerve trunks the white ramus, gray ramus, ventral ramus etc
Axolemma (ak-so-lem´ah)
Name often applied to the outer plasma membrane (plasmalemma) of an axon
Neurilemma (noor´´ ĭ-lem´ə)
A covering around a neuron fiber created by a surrounding cell (It may or may not be myelinated)
Vertebral Canal (Neural Canal)
passageway created by the continuous nature of vertebral foramina
Central Canal
A tiny channel found within the spinal cord and inferior medulla oblongata
Aqueduct (ak´we-dukt´´)
passageway, e.g.– cerebral aqueduct (of Sylvius)
Leptomeninx (lep´´to-men´inks)
Thin membrane. Collective term for the arachnoid mater and pia mater
Pachymeninx (pak´´e-me´ninks)
Thick membrane. Used synonymously with the dura mater
Somesthetic (so´´mes-thet´ik)
To sense the body
Modality (mo-dal´ĭ-te)
A specific sensory entity, such as gustatory (taste), olfaction (smell), pain, etc.
Proprioception (pro´´pre-o-sep´shən)
The modality of subconscious awareness of body position and muscle movement
Kinesthesia (kin´´es-the´zhə)
The modality of conscious awareness of body position and muscle movement
Adrenergic (ad´´ren-er´jik)
The releasing of adrenalin-like (norepinephrine included) molecules at a target site
Cholinergic (ko´´lin-er´jik)
The releasing of choline-like (acetylcholine) molecules at a target site
Chiasma (ki-as´mah)
A crossing-usually relating to the crossing of optic fibers (e.g. optic {this})
Decussation (de´´kə-sa´ shən)
A crossing - used more liberally to indicate crossing of fibers and tracts in the CNS
Contralateral (kon´´trah-lat-ər-əl)
To the opposite side
Ipsilateral (ip´´sĭ-Iat´ər-əl)
On the same side
Anterograde (an´ter-o-grād´´)
Going forward. In neurology often refers to going away from the neuron cell body
Retrograde (ret´ro-grād)
Going backward. In neurology often refers to going back toward the cell body
Fugal (fu´gəl)
Traveling away from. Used often as a suffix (e.g. pallidal{this} - away from the pallidal nuclei)
Lesion (le´zhən)
Any type of injury, damage or “hurt canbe called a lesion
Both Sides
Myelopathy (mi´´ə-lop´ə-the)
Lesion of the spinal cord (rarely used for entire CNS)
Necrosis (nə-kro´sis)
Deadness. Death of cells or tissue
Neoplasm (tumor) (ne´o-plaz- əm)
Any new abnormal growth
Malignant (mə-lig´nənt)
Spreading life threatening neoplasm
Metastatic (met´´ə-stat´´ik)
transferring to other tissue
Idiopathic (id´´e-o-path´ik)
Generally used to mean something of unknown cause
Ischemia (is-ke´me-ə)
Means to suppress blood supply to an area. This results in abnormal function and may lead to necrosis
Hematoma (he´´mə-to´mə)
An accumulation of blood outside of the blood vessels (e.g. subdural hematoma, etc.)
Aneurysm (an´u-rizm)
An abnormal dilation of a blood vessel wall and its lumen (forms a blood containing sac)
Stroke (strōk)
Blood vascular loss in the CNS leading to permanent or prolonged brain damage (cerebrovascular accident)
Angiography (an´´je-og´rah-fe)
X-ray of blood vessels injected with radiopaque dyes
Myelography (mi´´ə-log´rə-fe)
X-ray of vertebral canal and spinal cord structures following injection of radiopaque dyes into the CSF.
Both Sides
Ataxia (ah-tak´se-əh)
General term for irregularity in skeletal muscle coordination
Paralysis (pə-ral´ĭ-sis)
Total or partial loss of normal motor function
Aphasia (ah-fa´ze-ah)
Inability to communicate by speech, writing or signs
Dysphasia (dis-fa´zhə)
A partial or unusual loss of communicative ability
Archi (ar-kē)
Prefix meaning beginning or original
Paleo (pa´le-o)
Prefix meaning “old” -similar to but not used interchangeably with “Archi” in the CNS
Neo (ne´o)
Prefix meaning “new”-usually in contrast to archi or paleo
Cauda Equina (kaw´dah ēkwī-nah)
Horses´ Tail
Cephalgia (sĕ-fal´je-ah)
Headache (also spelled cephalagia)
Cornu (kor´-nu)
cornua is plural
Horn-like projection
Crus (krus)
Leg or Leg-like
Cytoarchitecture (si´´to-ar´kĭ-tek´´tūr)
The pattern of cell arrangements
Falx (falks)
Falces is plural
Sickle-shaped
Fenestra (fə-nes´trə)
Window-like
Foramen (fo-ra´mən)
Opening (such as foramen Magnum)
Glial (gli´əl)
Literally means “glue like.” Several CNS cell types are included as glial cells
Micron (mi´kron)
A metric system unit of length. The word means “small” and is measured at 1 x 10^-6 meters. μ is its abbreviation. (micrometer is synonymous)
Operculum (o-per´ku-ləm)
Means lid or covering
Pallium (pal´e-əm)
To “cloak.” Used synonymously with “cortex” (e.g. Cerebral cortex is the same as cerebral pallium)
Pons (ponz)
Bridge. Located between the Medulla Oblongata (M.O.) and the midbrain (a subdivision of the brain stem)
BBB
Blood Brain Barrier
CSF
Cerebrospinal Fluid
CVA
Cerebrovascular Accident
TIA
Transient Ischemic Attack (often precedes the CVA) or RIND (reversible ischemic neurologic deficit)
DRG
Dorsal Root Ganglia
IVF
Intervertebral Foramen (opening through which the spinal nerve emerges from the vertebral canal)
EEG
Electroencephalogram (graph). Record and instrument used to pick up brain waves
CAT
Computerized Axial Tomography device (employs X-rays and is widely used)
MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (utilizes large magnets which rearrange hydrogen molecules)
PET
Positron Emission Tomography (Device using radioactively labeled compounds for functional analysis)
M.O.
Medulla Oblongata
M.S.
Multiple Sclerosis
ALS
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)
GABA
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid. An amino acid which is a common inhibitory CNS neurotransmitter
ACH
Acetylcholine (First neurotransmitter identified-widespread in CNS and PNS)
