Chapter 11: Nervous System Flashcards
cognition
process of thought, including reasoning, judgement, and perception
nerve impulse
electrical signal transmitted along the nerve fiber in response to a stimulus
neurotransmitters
chemicals in the brain that transmit messages between nerve cells (neurons)
peripheral
pertaining to the outside, surface, or surrounding area of an organ or structure or occurring away from it’s center
tramatic
caused by or pertaining to an injury
vascular
pertaining to or composed of blood vessels
cerebr/o
cerebrum
encephal/o
brain
gli/o
glue, neuroglial tissue
mening/o, meningi/o
meninges (membranes covering brain and spinal cord)
myel/o
bone marrow, spinal cord
neru/o
nerve
-lepsy
seizure
-phasia
speech
dys-
bad, painful, difficult
hemi-
one half
para-
near, beside, beyond
quadri-
four
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
degenerative disorder that manifests in adulthood with symptoms of difficulty swallowing and taking, dyspnea, muscle weakness, and paralysis
dementia
progressive, irreversible deterioration of mental function marked by memory impairment and, commonly, deficits in reasoning, judgement, abstract thought, comprehension, learning, task execution, and use of language
alzheimer disease
chronic, organic brain syndrome characterized by death of neurons in the cerebral cortex and their replacement by microscopic “plagues”, resulting in dementia that progresses to complete loss of mental, emotional, and physical functioning and personality changes
epilepsy
disorder that results from the generation of electrical signals inside the brain, causing recurring seizures in which some people simply stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure, whereas others have severe convulsions
Huntington disease
inherited, degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) with symptoms developing in middle age as nerve cells in the brain waste away, resulting in uncontrolled bizarre movements, emotional disturbances, and mental deterioration
hydrocephalus
excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the ventricles of the brain that is most common in neonates, but can also occur in adults as a result of injury or disease, if left untreated, causes an enlarged head and cognitive decline
multiple sclerosis (MS)
progressive degenerative disease of the CNS, which is characterized by inflammation, hardening, and loos of myelin throughout the spinal cord and brain and produces weakness and other muscular symptoms
nueroblastoma
malingant tumor composed mainly of cells resembling neuroblast that occurs most commonly in infants and children
neurosis
nonpsychotic mental illness that triggers feelings of distress and anxiety and impairs normal behavior
palsy
partial or complete loss of motor function, also called paralysis
bell palsy
facial paralysis on one side of the face as a result of inflammation of a facial nerve
cerebral palsy
bilateral, symmetrical, nonprogressive motor dysfunction and partial paralysis, which is usually caused by damage to the cerebrum during gestation or birth trauma but can also be hereditary
paralysis
loss of muscle function, loss of sensation, or both as a result of spinal cord injury
parkinson disease
progressive neurological disorder caused by neurotransmitter deficiency of dopamine that results in motor disturbances and other characteristics
poliomyelitis
inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord caused by a virus, commonly resulting in spinal and muscle deformity and paralysis
psychosis
mental disorder marked by loss of contact with reality, often delusions and hallucinations
sciatica
severe pain in the leg along the course of the sciatic nerve, which travels from the hip to see the foot
shingles
chronic viral disease in which painful blisters appear on the skin along the course of a peripheral nerve and is caused by inflammation secondary to herpes zoster virus, the same virus that caused chickenpox
spina bifida
congenital neural tube defect characterized by incomplete closure of the spinal canal through which the spinal cord and meninges may or may not protrude
spina bifida occulta
most common and least severe form of spina bifida without protrusion of the spinal cord or meninges
spina bifida cystica
more severe type of spina bifida involves protrusion of the meninges, spinal cord, or both
stroke
inadequate supply of blood and oxygen and the brain caused by a clot or ruptured blood vessel, allowing the brain tissue to die, it is a medical emergency
transient ischemic attack (TIA)
interruption in blood supply to the brain that does not cause permanent brain damage but may be an indication of a higher risk or more serious and debilitating condition (stroke), or ministroke
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
laboratory test that examines a sample of CSF obtained through a lumbar puncture, and is analyzed for the presence of blood, bacteria, and malignant cells as well as the presence of protein and glucose
electroencephalography (EEG)
electrodes are placed on the scalp to record electrical activity within the brain, used to evaluate seizure and sleep disorders, monitor brain surgeries, and determine whether a person is in a coma or brain dead
lumbar puncture (LP)
insertion of a needle into the subarachnoid space of the spinal column to withdraw a sample of CSF used for biochemical, microbiological, and cytological laboratoryA analysis
craniotomy
surgical procedure that creates an opening in the skull to gain access to the brain during neurosurgical procedures
thalamotomy
partial destruction of the thalamus to treat psychosis or intractable pain
trephination
excision of a circular disk of bone by using a specialized saw, called a trephine, to reveal brain tissue during neurosurgery or to relieve intracranial pressure (ICP)
anesthetics
procedure partial or complete loss of sensation with or without loss of consciousness
general anesthetics
produce complete loss of feeling with loss of consciousness
local anesthetics
produce loss of feeling and affect a local are only
anticonvulsants
prevent or control seizures
antiparkinsonian agents
reduce signs and symptoms associated with Parkinson disease
antipsychotics
alter neurotransmitters in the brain to alleviate symptoms of delusions and hallucinations
thrombolytics
dissolve blood clots in a process known as thrombolysis
