Chapter 10 Flashcards
neurotransmitters
chemical substances that make it possible for messages to cross from the synapse of a neuron to the target receptor
neurologist
a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of the nervous system
psychiastrist
a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating chemical dependencies, emotional problems, and mental illness
psychologist
has a doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) but is not a medical doctor. This specialist evaluates and treats emotional problems and mental illness
social worker
trained therapist, has a masters or doctoral degree but is not a medical doctor. This specialist evaluates and treats emotional problems and mental illness
cephalalgia
aka headache; pain in the head
migraine headache
a headache characterized by throbbing pain on one side of the head and sometimes preceded by a warning aura; sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound
cluster headaches
intensely painful headaches that affect one side of the head and may be associated with tearing of the eyes and nasal congestion; named for their repeated occurrence in groups or clusters
meningitis
aka infectious meningitis; inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord; can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection elsewhere in the body; intense headache and flu like symptoms
encephalitis
inflammation of the brain; can be caused by viral infection such as rabies
Reye’s syndrome
a potentially serious or deadly disorder in children characterized by vomiting and confusion, sometimes following a viral illness for which the child was treated with aspirin
tetanus
aka lockjaw; an acute and potentially fatal infection of the central nervous system caused by a toxin produced by the tetanus bacteria; can be prevented through immunization
Tourette syndrome (TS)
complex neurological disorder characterized by involuntary tics, grunts, and compulsive utterances that sometimes include obscenities
dementia
a slowly progressive decline in mental abilities including memory, thinking and judgment that is often accompanied by personality changes
vascular dementia
a form of dementia caused by a stroke or other restriction of the flow of blood to the brain
Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
a group of disorders involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language; leading form of dementia; progressive deterioration that affects both memory and reasoning capabilities
Huntington’s disease
a genetic disorder that is classified as a neurodegenerative disease
Parkinson’s disease (PD)
chronic, degenerative central nervous disorder characterized by fine muscle tremors, rigidity, and a slow or shuffling gait
tremor
a repetitive, involuntary muscle movement usually involving the hands, arms, head, or face
Lewy body dementia
occurs when abnormal proteins interfere with cell function in the brain; second most common type of dementia
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
aka Lou Gehrig’s disease; a rapidly progressive neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles
Concussion
a violent shaking up or jarring of the brain; may result in temporary loss of awareness and function
level of consciousness (LOC)
describe the measurement of response to arousal and stimulus
lethargy
a lowered level of consciousness marked by listlessness, drowsiness, and apathy
stupor
an unresponsive state from which a person can be aroused only briefly despite vigorous, repeated attempts
syncope
aka fainting; the brief loss of consciousness caused by the decreased flow of blood to the brain
coma
a deep state of unconsciousness marked by the absence of spontaneous eye movements, no response to painful stimuli, and no vocalization
delirium
an acute condition of confusion, disorientation, disordered thinking and memory, agitation, and hallucinations
stroke
properly known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA); brain damage that occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted because a blood vessel is either blocked or has ruptured
ischemic stroke
brain damage that occurs when the flow of blood to the brain is blocked by the narrowing or blockage of an artery; most common type of stroke in older people
transient ischemic attack (TIA)
mini stroke; the temporary interruption in the blood supply to the brain
aphasia
often caused by brain damage associated with a stroke, is the loss of the ability to speak, write, and/or comprehend the written or spoken word
hemorrhagic stroke
aka a bleed; damage to the brain that occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks; also occurs when an aneurysm within the brain ruptures
insomnia
the prolonged or abnormal inability to sleep
multiple sclerosis (MS)
a progressive autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation that causes demyelination of the myelin sheath; this scars the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves and disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses
Bell’s palsy
temporary paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve that causes paralysis only on the affected side of the face
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS)
an inflammation of the myelin sheath of peripheral nerves, characterized by rapidly worsening muscle weakness that can lead to temporary paralysis
sciatica
inflammation of the sciatic nerve caused by pressure on the nerve roots that results in pain, burning, and tingling along the course of the affected nerve
trigeminal neuralgia
a chronic pain condition characterized by severe, lightning-like pain due to an inflammation of the fifth cranial nerve; these sudden, intense, brief attacks of sharp pain affect the cheek, lips, and gums only on the side of the face innervated by the affected nerve
cerebral palsy (CP)
a group of disorders characterized by poor muscle control, spasticity, speech defects, and other neurologic deficiencies due to damage that affects the cerebrum