Chapter 12- Nervous System and Mental Health Flashcards
Central nervous system (CNS)
Brain and spinal cord
Brain
Part of the central nervous system contained within the cranium
Brainstem
Connects the brain to the spinal cord; assists in breathing, heart rhythm, vision, + consciousness
Pons
Part of the brainstem that connects different regions of the brain
Medulla oblongata
Part of the brainstem that connects the brain and the spinal cord; controls respiration and heartbeat
Midbrain, syn. mesencephalon
Part of the brainstem that connects the brainstem to the cerebellum; controls sensory processes
Cerebellum, syn. hindbrain
Posterior portion of the brain that coordinates voluntary muscles and maintains balance and muscle tone
Cerebrum
Largest and uppermost portion of the brain; divided into right and left halves (called cerebral hemispheres) and subdivided into lobes
Cerebral cortex
Outer layer of the cerebrum; controls higher mental functions
Frontal lobe
Front portion of the cerebrum that controls voluntary muscle movement and is involved in emotions
Gyrus
Raised convolution of the surface of the cerebrum
Occipital lobe
Back portion of the cerebrum that controls vision
Parietal lobe
Middle-top portion of the cerebrum involved in perception of touch, temperature, + pain
Sulcus
Groove or fissure on the surface of the brain
Temporal lobe
Portion of the cerebrum below the frontal lobe; controls senses of hearing and smell as well as memory, emotion, speech, + behavior
Diencephalon, syn. hypophysis
Area deep within the brain that contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, + pituitary gland; responsible for directing sensory information to the cortex
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Colorless fluid that circulates in and around the brain and spinal cord; acts as a protector and transports nutrients
Meninges
Membranous covering of the brain and spinal cord
Arachnoid
Delicate fibrous membrane forming the middle layer of the meninges
Dura mater
Strong fibrous outermost layer of the meninges
Pia mater
Thin inner layer o the meninges that attaches directly to the brain and spinal cord
Spinal cord
Portion of the central nervous system contained in the spinal or vertebral canal; responsible for nerve conduction to and from the brain and body
Ventricle
One of 4 interconnected cavities within the brain that secrete cerebrospinal fluid
Peripheral nervous system
Part of the nervous system external to the brain and spinal cord that consists of all other nerves throughout the body
Nerve
Whitish cordlike structure that transmits stimuli from the CNS to another area of the body or from the body to the CNS
Ganglion
Group of nerve cell bodies located on the pathway of a nerve
Neuroglia, syn. glia
Cells that support and protect nervous tissue
Neuron
Nerve cells; cells that make up the basic structure of the nervous system and conduct impulses
Cranial nerves
12 pairs of nerves that emerge from the cranium
Spinal nerves
31 pairs of nerves that emerge from the spine
Cerebell/o
Cerebellum (little brain)
Cerebr/o
Brain, cerebrum
Cortic/o
Cortex (as in cerebral cortex)
Crani/o
Cranium, skull
Dur/o
Hard, dura matter
Encephal/o
Entire brain
Esthesi/o
Sensation, perception
Gangli/o, ganglion/o
Ganglion
Gli/o
Glue, neuroglia
Mening/o, meningi/o
Meninges
Myel/o
Bone marrow, spinal cord
Narc/o
Stupor, numbness, sleep
Neru/o
Nerve
Phas/o
Speech
Poli/o
Grey
Radicul/o
Nerve root
Somn/o, somn/i
Sleep
Spin/o
Spine
Spondyl/o, vertebr/o
Vertebra
Thalam/o
Thalamus
Ventricul/o
Ventricle
Anix/o
Fear, worry
Hallucin/o
To wander in one’s mind
Hypn/o
Sleep, hypnosis
Ment/o, psych/o, phren/o
Mind, mental
Schiz/o
Split
Soci/o
Social, society
Thym/i, thym/o
Mind, emotion, soul
Epi-
On, following
Hemi-
1/2
Hyper-
Above, excessive
Hypo-
Below, deficient
Para-
Beside
Poly-
Many, much
Quadri-
Four
Bi-
2, 2x
De-
Away from, cessation, w/o
Eu-
Good, normal
-Ar, -Al
Pertaining to
-Gram
Record, recording
-Ia
Condition of
-Lepsy, -ictal
Seizure
-Logist
One who specializes in
-Paresis
Partial or incomplete paralysis
-Phrenia
Mind
-Plegia
Paralysis
-Tomy
Incision
-Iatrist
One who specializes in
-Mania
Excited state, obsession
-Philia, -phile
Attraction for
-Phobia
Abnormal fear, aversion to, sensitivity to
Bipolar
Having two ends or extremes
Cerebral
Pertaining to the cerebrum
Cerebellar
Pertaining to the cerebellum
Crainial
Pertaining to the cranium/skull
Dural
Pertaining to the dura mater
Epidural
Pertaining to on or outside the dura mater
Glial
Pertaining to the glia
Ictal
Pertaining to or caused by a stroke or seizure
Ischemic
Pertaining to a lack of blood flow
Meningeal
Pertaining to the meninges
Mental
Pertaining to the mind
Neural
Pertaining to the nerves or any structure consisting of nerves
Postical
Pertaining to following a seizure
Radicular
Pertaining to a root (nerve)
Subdural
Pertaining to below the dura mater
Alzheimer disease
Degenerative progressive brain disease that results in impairment of language function, inability to calculate, + deterioration of judgement
Amnesia
Loss of long-term memory
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), syn. Lou Gehrig disease
Condition marked by a progressive deteriation of motor nerve cells; leads to muscle weakness and eventual paralysis and death
Aphasia
Impaired comprehension or formulation of speech, reading, or writing caused by damage to the brain
Ataxia
Lack of muscle coordination; may involve the limbs, head, or trunk
Bell palsy
Paralysis of facial muscles, often on side of the face, caused by a dysfunction of a cranial nerve
Cerebral aneurysm
Widening of a blood vessel in the brain, usually due to a weakness in the wall of an artery
Cerebral embolism
Obstruction or occlusion of a vessel in the brain by an embolus
Cerebral palsy
Defect of motor power and coordination related to damage to the brain occurring prenatally, perinatally, or in the first 3 years of life
Cerebral thrombosis
Clot within a blood vessel of the brain
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), syn. stroke
Damage to the brain caused by an interruption of blood supply to a region of the brain
Coma
State of profound unconsciousness
Concussion
Injury to the brain resulting from a blow or violent shaking
Disorientation
Loss of sense of familiarity with one’s surroundings (time, place, + self)
Encephalitis
Inflammation of the entire brain
Epilepsy
Disorder to the central nervous system (CNS) that is usually characterized by seizure activity and some alteration of consciousness
Herpes zoster, syn. shingles
Painful viral infection affecting the peripheral nerves and causing an eruption of blisters that follows the course of the affected nerves; closely related to varicella (syn. chicken pox)
Incoherence
Confusion; denoting unconnected speech or thoughts
Lethargy
Feeling of sluggishness or stupor
Hemiparesis
Partial or incomplete paralysis affecting one side of the body
Hydrocephalus
Condition involving increased cerebrospinal fluid; leads to enlargement of the cerebral ventricles and an increase in intracranial pressure; may cause cranial enlargement
Meningitis
Inflammation of the meninges
Meningomylocele
Protrusion of the meninges and spinal cord through a defect in the vertebra
Migraine
Recurrent syndrome characterized by unilateral head pain, vertigo, nausea, + sensitivity to light
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Common disorder of the CNS that causes sclerotic patches (plaques) in the brain and spinal cord; symptoms: visual loss, weakness, paresthesias, bladder abnormalities, + mood alterations
Narcolepsy, syn. excessive sleep disorder
Neurologic condition consisting of recurring episodes of sleep during the day and often disrupted nocturnal sleep
Neuralgia
Pain in a nerve
Neuritis
Inflammation of a nerve
Neuropathy
Disease of the nerves
Paraplegia
Paralysis of the legs and lower part of the body
Paresthesia
Abnormal sensation, such as numbness, tingling, or “pins and needles”
Parkinsonism, syn. Parkinson disease
Degenerative disorder of the CNS that often impairs the sufferer’s motor skills and speech’ most notably characterized by tremors of the limbs
Poliomyelitis
Inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord
Polyneuritis
Inflammation of a number of peripheral nerves
Radiculitis
Inflammation of the nerve roots
Radiculopathy
Disease of the nerve roots
Seizure
Violent spasm or series of jerky movements of the face, trunk, or limbs
Sleep apnea
Disorder marked by interruptions of breathing during sleep
Stupor
State of impaired consciousness in which the person shows a marked reduction in reactivity to environmental stimuli
Subdural hematoma
Collection of blood below the dura mater resulting from a broken blood vessel, usually due to trauma
Syncope, syn. syncopal episode
Fainting, or an episode of fainting, usually due to lack of blood supply to the cerebrum
Tourette syndrome
Tic disorder characterized by intermittent motor and vocal manifestations beginning in childhood
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
Sudden, brief, + temporary cerebral dysfunction usually caused by interruption of blood flow to the brain
Anxiety
Feeling of fear, worry, uneasiness, or dread
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Condition that begins in childhood and is characterized by short attention span, rapid boredom, impulsive behavior, + hyperactivity
Agoraphobia
Type of mental disorder with an irrational fear of leaving home and going out into the open; usually associated with panic attacks
Autism
Disorder of unknown cause consisting of self-absorption, withdrawal of social contacts, repetitive movements, + other mannerisms; severity varies from mild (functional) to severe (catatonic)
Bipolar disorder
Disorder characterized by the occurrence of alternating periods of euphoria (mania) and depression
Catatonia
Phase of schizophrenia in which the patient is unresponsive, sometimes remaining in a fixed position without moving or talking
Claustrophobia
Fear of being shut in or enclosed
Compulsion
Uncontrollable impulses to perform an act, often repetitively, to relieve anxiety; if the compulsive act is prevented, the anxiety becomes fully manifested
Delirium
An altered state with confusion, distractibility hallucinations, + overactivity caused by medication or a metabolic disorder
Delusion
False belief or decision that is strongly held and remains unchanged regardless of any outside factors
Dementia
Usually progressive loss of cognitive and intellectual functions, without impairment of perception or consciousness; most commonly associated with structural disease
Depression
Mental state characterized by profound feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, + lack of interest or pleasure in activities
Euphoria
Exaggerated feeling of well-being
Hallucination
False perception unrelated to reality or external stimuli; can be visual, auditory, or related to other senses
Mania
Emotional disorder characterized by euphoria or irritability as well as rapid speech, decreased need for sleep, distractibility, + poor judgement; usually occurs in bipolar disorder
Neurosis
Psychological or behavioral disorder characterized by excessive anxiety
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Condition associated with recurrence and intrusive thoughts, images, + repetitive behaviors performed to relieve anxiety
Panic disorder
Form of anxiety disorder marked by episodes of intense fear of social or personal situations
Paranoia
Mental state characterized by jealousy, delusions of persecution, or perceptions of threat or harm
Phobia
Extreme persistent fear of a specific object or situation
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Persistent emotional disturbances that follow exposure to life-threating catastrophic events such as trauma, abuse, natural disasters, + war
Psychosis
Mental disorder extreme enough to cause gross misperception of reality with delusions and hallucinations
Schizophrenia
Common type of psychosis, characterized by abnormalities in perception, content of thought, hallucinations and delusions, + withdrawn or bizarre behavior
Babinski sign
Toe movement elicited by manipulation in neurologic test performed on the sole of the foot to indicate injury to the brain or spinal nervles
Cerebral angiography
Radiography of blood vessels in the brain after injection of radiopaque contrast material
Deep tendon reflex (DTR)
Evaluation of the response of a muscle to stimuli to provide information on the integrity of the central and peripheral nervous system; generally, decreased reflexes indicate a problem with the peripheral nervous system, and lively or exaggerated reflexes indicate a problem with the central nerovus system
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electrical recording of activity of the brain
Evoked potential studies
Diagnostic tests that use an EEG to record changes in brain waves during various stimuli
Glasgow coma scale
Neurologic scale used to assess level of consciousness
Lumbar puncture (LP)
Process of inserting a needle into the subarachnoid space of the lumbar spine to obtain cerebrospinal fluid for analysis
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Imaging technique that uses magnetic fields and radio-frequency waves to visualize anatomic structures; often used for diagnosing soft tissue
Myelogram
Radiographic contrast study of the spinal subarachnoid space and its contents
Polysomnography
Monitoring and recording of normal and abnormal activity during sleep to diagnose sleep disorders
Positron emission tomography (PET)
Nuclear medicine procedure that shows blood flow in the brain that can correspond to various brain activity
Craniectomy
Excision of part of the cranium to access the brain
Craniotomy
Incision into the skull to access the brain
Ganglionectomy
Excision of a ganglion
Laminectomy
Excision of the thin plate of vertebra to relieve pressure on the spinal cord
Neurolysis
Separation of a nerve from inflammatory adhesions
Neuroplasty
Surgical repair of the nerves
Psychotherapy
General term for an interaction in which a trained mental health professional tries to help a patient resolve emotional and mental distress
Radicotomy, syn. rhizotomy
Incision into the spinal nerve roots to relieve pain or spastic paralysis
Analgesic
Drug that relieves pain
Anaesthetic
Compound that provides temporary loss of sensation
Antianxiety agent, syn. anxiolytic
Category of drugs used to treat anxiety without causing excessive sedation
Anticonvulsant
Drug that prevents or arrests seizures
Antidepressant
Drug used to treat depression
Antiinflammatory
Drug that reduces inflammation
Epidural injection
Subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of an analgesic into the epidural space
Hypnotic
Drug that promotes sleep
Neuroleptic
Class of psychotropic drugs used to treat psychosis, particularly schizophrenia
Psychotropic
Drug used to treat mental illness
Sedative
Drug that quiets nervous excitement
Electroencephalography (EEG) technician
A person who is trained to set up and perform electroencephalograms (EEGs) (tests that evaluate the electrical functions of the brain)
Neurology
Medical specialty concerned with the study and treatment of conditions involving the nervous system
Neurologist
Physician who specializes in neurology
Psychiatry
Medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment fo mental disorders as practiced by a licensed medical doctor who may prescribe medications
Psychiatrist
Physician who specializes in psychology
Psychology
Medical specialty concerned with the study and treatment of mental processes, behaviors, + abnormal/irregular mood disorders as practiced by a trained professional who is not a medical doctor and is not authorized to prescribe psychotropic medications
Psychologist
One who specializes in psychology
ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
CNS
Central nervous system
CP
Cerebral palsy
SCF
Cerebrospinal fluid
CVA
Cerebrovascular accidnet
DTR
Deep tendon reflex
EEG
Electroencephalogram
LP
Lumbar puncture
MRI
Magetic resonance imaging
MS
Multiple sclerosis
OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
PET
Positron emission tomography
PTSD
Posttraumantci stress disorder
TIA
Transient ischemic attack
