Chapter 15 Flashcards
afferent
carry or move inward or toward a central structure
blood-brain barrier
protective mechanism that blocks specific substances found in the bloodstream from entering delicate brain tissue
efferent
carry or move away from a central structure
limbic system
complex neural system located beneath the cerebrum that controls basic emotions and drives and plays an important role in memory
neurilemma
additional external myelin sheath that is formed by Schwann cells and found only on axons in the peripheral nervous system; allows for neuron regeneration after injury
ventricle
organ chamber or cavity that receives or holds fluid
neurons
transmit impulses
cell body (neurons)
the enlarged structure of the neuron that contains the nucleus and various organelles
dendrites (neurons)
cytoplasmic projections that carry impulses to the cell body
axons (neurons)
cytoplasmic projections that carry impulses away from the cell body
myelin sheath
white, lipoid covering that acts as an electrical insulator that reduces the possibility of an impulse stimulating adjacent nerves and accelerates impulse transmission along the axon
Schwann cell (neurons)
neuroglial cell that forms the myelin sheath on nerves of the peripheral nervous system
nodes of Ranvier (neurons)
unmyelinated spaces between adjacent segments of the myelin sheath that help speed the transmission of impulses down the axon
synapse (neurons)
functional connection gap or space between two neurons or between a neuron and its effector organ (muscle or gland)
axon terminal (neurons)
send impulses to the dendrites of the next neuron
neurotransmitter (neurons)
chemical substance released off the end of an axon when impulse is within the transmitting axon
neuroglia
cells that support neurons and bind them to they neurons and tissues in the body
astrocytes (neuroglia)
star-shaped neuroglia that make up the blood-brain barrier, form three-dimensional support for neurons, and form tight sheaths around the capillaries of the brain
oligodendrocytes (neuroglia)
responsible for developing myelin on the axis of neurons in the central nervous system
microalgia (neuroglia)
smallest of the neuroglia, possess phagocytic properties and become very active during times of infection
ependyma (neuroglia)
ciliated cells that line fluid-filled cavities of the central nervous system; assist in the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid
brain (function)
center for thought and emotion, interpretation of sensory stimuli, and coordination of body functions
spinal cord (function)
main pathway for transmission of information between the brain and body
cranial nerves (function)
12 pairs of nerves that emerge from the base if the skull and may act in a motor capacity, sensory capacity, or both
spinal nerves (function)
31 pairs of nerves that emerge from the spine and act in motor and sensory capacities
central nervous system (CNS)
consists of the brain and spinal cord
white matter
made up of bundles of axons and their white lipoid myelin sheaths
gray matter
made up of unmyelinated fibers, dendrites, and nerve cell bodies
cerebrum (brain)
the largest, uppermost portion of the brain responsible for sensory reception and interpretation, language, voluntary movement, and memory
corpus callosum (cerebrum)
joins hemispheres of the the cerebrum permitting communication between the right and left sides of the brain
hemisphere lobes (cerebrum)
1) frontal
2) parietal
3) temporal
4) occipital
5) insula
gyri
folds, or convolutions, of the cerebral surface
sulci
furrows, or fissures, that separate the gyri
cerebral cortex
thin layer that covers the entire cerebrum, is composed of gray matter, and processes most information in the cerebrum
cerebellum (brain)
second largest structure of the brain that is responsible for movement, posture, or balance
diencephalon/interbrain (brain)
composed of the thalamus and hypothalamus
thalamus (interbrain)
receives all sensory stimuli except olfactory stimuli and processes and transmits them to the appropriate center in the cerebral cortex
hypothalamus (interbrain)
regulated involuntary activities as well as many endocrine functions
brainstem (brain)
acts as the pathway for impulse conduction between the brain and spinal cord; made up of the midbrain, medulla, and the pons
mesencephalon/midbrain (brainstem)
separates the cerebrum from the brainstem
medulla (brainstem)
attaches to the spinal cord
pons (brainstem)
connecting the midbrain to the medulla
spinal cord
transmits sensory impulses form the body to the brain and motor impulses from the brain for the muscles and organs of the body
meninges
provide limited protection for the brain and spinal cord; 3 types of
dura matter/pachymeninges (meninges)
the outermost covering of the brain and spinal cord; tough, fibrous, dense, and composed primarily of connective tissue
subdural space (dura matter)
cavity beneath the dura matter which is filled with serous fluid
arachnoid (meninges)
the middle covering which has a spider-web appearance
subarachnoid space (arachnoid)
cavity underneath the arachnoid layer which contains cerebrospinal fluid
cerebrospinal fluid (arachnoid)
fluid that circulates around the spinal cord and brain that provides nutritive substances and acts as a shock absorber
pia matter (meninges)
innermost layer which directly adheres to the brain and spinal cord which contains numerous blood vessels and lymphatics that nourish underlying tissues
leptomeninges
made up of the arachnoid and pia matter
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
composed of all nervous tissue located outside the skiable column and skull
somatic nervous system (PNS)
made up of motor nerves that influence voluntary muscles; is made up of cranial nerves and spinal nerves
automatic nervous system (PNS)
made up of motor nerves that influence involuntary muscles, glands, and heart muscle
cranial nerves (somatic nervous system)
made up of 12 pairs of cranial nerves (sensory, motor, or a mixture of both types of neurons)
sensory (afferent) nerves
receive impulses from the sense organs, to e environment, and the visceral organs and transmit them to the CNS
motor (efferent) nerves
conduct impulse from the CNS to muscles and glands
mixed nerves
composed of sensory and motor neurons
spinal nerves (somatic nervous system)
made up of 31 pairs of mixed nerve; have an anterior root (motor fibers) and posterior root (sensory fibers)
automatic nervous system (PNS)
consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions to regulate the automatic functions of the body
cerebr/o
cerebrum
crani/o
cranium (skull)
encephal/o
brain
gangli/o
ganglion (knot or knotlike mass)
gli/o
glue; neuroglial tissue
kinesi/o
movement
lept/o
thin, slender
lex/o
word, phrase
mening/o
meninges (membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)
meningi/o
meninges (membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)
myel/o
bone marrow; spinal cord
narc/o
stupor; numbness; sleep
neur/o
nerve
radicul/o
nerve root
sthen/o
strength
thalam/o
thalamus
thec/o
sheath (usually referring to the meninges)
ton/o
tension
ventricul/o
ventricle (of the heart or brain)
-algesia
pain
-algia
pain
-asthenia
weakness, debility
-esthesia
feeling
-kinesia
movement
-lepsy
seizure
-paresis
partial paralysis
-phasia
speech
-plegia
paralysis
-taxia
order, coordination
pachy-
thick
para-
near, beside; beyond
syn-
union, together, joined
neurology
the branch of medicine concerned with neurological diseases
neurologist
the physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders
psychiatry
the branch of medicine concerned with mental illnesses
psychiatrist
the physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses
cerebrovascular disease
a group of disorders affecting the vessels that supply blood to the brain
- stroke
- cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
- “brain attack”
medical emergency in which brain tissue begins to die when denied oxygen
ischemic stroke
similar to a heart attack and includes emboli, thrombi, and atherosclerosis that limited blood flow to brain tissue
intracerebral hemorrhage
sudden rupture of an artery within the brain; released blood compresses brain structures and destroys them
subarachnoid hemorrhage
blood is released into the space between the brain and the tissue that surround the brain; typically caused by a ruptured aneurysm and is usually fatal
transient ischemic attack (TIA)
a type of stroke in which symptoms resolve within 24 hours and do not cause permanent damage; they are oferten a precursor to a full-blown stroke
seizure disorders
any medical condition characterized by sudden changes in behavior or consciousness caused by uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain
epileptic seizures
have no know cause, are chronic, and occur repeatedly
nonepileptic seizures
triggered by disorders or conditions that irritate the brain
partial seizures
only a portion of the brain is involved
generalized seizure
the entire brain is involved in
tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures
the body alternates between excessive muscle tone and rigidity (tonic) and jerking muscle contractions (clonic) in the extremities
postictal event
symptoms after a seizure
aura
a warning signal of an imminent seizure
multiple sclerosis (MS)
an autoimmune disease that targets the myelin sheath in the nerves of the central nervous system causing inflammation, sclerosing, and demyelination
mental illness
an array of psychological disorders, syndromes, and behavioral patterns that cause alterations in mood, behavior, and thinking
clinical psychologist
an individual trained in evaluating human behavior, intelligence, and personality
affective disorder
psychological disorder in which the major characteristic is an abnormal mood, usually mania or depression
anorexia nervosa
eating disorder characterized by a refusal to maintain adequate weight for age and height and an all-consuming defuse to remain thin
anxiety
psychological “worry” dispenser characterized by excessive pondering or thinking “what if…”
attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
disorder affecting children and adults and characterized by impulsiveness, overactivity, and the inability to remain focused on a task
autism
developmental disorder characterized by extreme withdrawal and absorption in fantasy, usually accompanied by an inability to communicate even on a basic level
bipolar disorder
mental disorder that causes unusual shifts in mood, emotion, and the ability to function; also called manic-depressive illness
bulimia nervosa
eating disorder characterized by binging (overeating) and purging (vomiting or use of laxatives)
depression
mood disorder associated with sadness, despair, discouragement and, commonly, feelings of low self-esteem, guilt, and withdrawal
mania
mood disorder characterized by mental and physical hyperactivity, disorganized behavior, and excessively elevated mood
neurosis
nonpsychotic mental illness that triggers feelings of distress and anxiety and impairs normal behavior
panic attack
sudden, intense feeling of fear that comes without warning and is not attributable to any immediate danger
psychosis
major emotional disorder in which contact with reality is lost to the point that the individual is incapable of meeting the challenges of daily life
primary intracranial tumors
intracranial tumors that originate directly in brain tissue
papilledema
swelling of the optic disc in the back of the eyeball
agnosia
inability to comprehend auditory, visual, spatial, olfactory, or other sensations, even though the sensory sphere is intact
Alzheimer disease (AD)
types of age-associated dementia caused by small lesions called plaques that develop in the cerebral cortex and interrupt the passage of electrochemical signals between cells; also called cerebral degeneration
anencephaly
congenital deformity in which some or all of the fetal brain is missing
closed head trauma
injury to the head in which the dura matter remains intact and brain tissue is not exposed
coma
abnormally deep unconsciousness with an absence of voluntary response to stimuli
concussion
traumatic injury to the brain that causes unconsciousness and is commonly of a temporary nature
convulsion
any sudden or violent contraction of one or more voluntary muscles that is commonly associated with such brain disorders as epilepsy
dementia
broad term that refers to cognitive deficit, including memory impairment
dyslexia
inability to learn and process written language, despite adequate intelligence, sensory ability, and exposure to
Guillain-Barré syndrome
autoimmune condition and causes acute inflammation of the peripheral nerves damaging their myelin sheaths, resulting in decreased nerve impulses, loss of reflex response, and sudden muscle weakness; also called infective or idiopathic polyneuritis
herpes zoster
acute inflammatory eruption of highly painful vesicles on the trunk of the body or, occasionally, the face that is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox; also called shingles
Huntington chorea
CNS disorder characterized by quick, low involuntary movements, speech disturbances, and mental deterioration; also called neurodegenerative genetic disorder
hydrocephalus
accumulation of fluid in the ventricles of the brain, causing increased intracranial pressure (ICP), thinning of brain tissue, and separation of cranial bones
lethargy
abnormal inactivity or lack of response to normal stimuli
myasthenia gravis (MG)
chronic, progressive disorder in which a loss of neurotransmitter receptors produces increasingly severe muscle weakness
spina bifida
congenital deformity of the neural tube (embryonic structure that becomes the fetal brain and spinal cord), which fails to close during fetal development; also called neural tube defect
meningocele
form of spina bifida in which the spinal cord develops properly but the meninges protrude through the spine
myelomeningocele
most severe form of spina bifida in which the spinal cord and meninges protrude through the spine
occulta
form of spina bifida in which one or more vertebrae are malformed, and the spinal cord is covered with a layer of skin
palsy
paralysis, usually partial, and commonly characterized by weakness and shaking or uncontrolled tremor
Bell palsy
facial paralysis caused by a functional disorder of the seventh cranial nerve; also called facial nerve palsy
cerebral palsy (CP)
type off paralysis that affects movement and muscle coordination and may affect gross and fine motor skills
paralysis
loss of voluntary motion in one of more muscle groups with or without loss of sensation
paresthesia
sensation of numbness, prickling, tingling, or heightened sensitivity
Parkinson disease
degenerative disorder in which the progressive loss of brain vela leads to impairment in motor function, including tremors, muscular rigidity, and a slowing of movement; also called paralysis agitans or shaking palsy
poliomyelitis
inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord caused by a virus, commonly resulting in spinal and muscle deformity and paralysis
radiculopathy
disorder affecting one of more nerves at the location where the nerve root exits the spine and commonly the result of a herniated or compressed disk, degenerative changes, arthritis, or bone source; also called radiculitis
Reye syndrome
potentially fatal syndrome that commonly causes brain swelling and liver damage and is characterized by confusion, hyperventilation, violent behavior, seizures, and possibly coma; also called acute noninflammatory encephalopathy and fatty degenerative liver failure
syncope
braid lots of conspiracies and postures caused by a temporary decrease of blood flow to the brain; also called fainting
electroencephalogram (EEG)
recording of electrical activity in the brain, whose cells emit distinct patterns of rhythmic electrical impulses
electromyography (EMG)
recording of electrical signals (action potentials) that occur in a muscle when it is at rest and during contraction to assess muscular disease or nerve damage
lumbar puncture (LP)
needle puncture of the spinal cavity to extract spinal fluid for diagnostic purposes, introduce anesthetic agents into the spinal canal, or remove fluid to allow other fluids (such as radiopaque substances) to be injected; also canned spinal puncture and spinal tap
nerve conduction velocity (NCV)
test that measures the speed at which impulses travel through a nerve
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
laboratory test to examine a sample of fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord that helps diagnose disorders of the central nervous system, including viral and bacterial infection, tumors, and hemorrhage
computed tomography angiography (CTA, CT angiography)
radiographic image of the interior of a vessel in combination with a CT scan to produce high-resolution, three-dimensional images of blood vessels
discography
CT scan of the lumbar region after injection of a contrast medium to detect problems with the spine and spinal nerve roots
echoencephalography
ultrasound technique used to study intracranial structures of the brain and diagnose conditions that cause a shift in the midline structures of the brain
magnetic source imaging (MSI)
noninvasive neuroimaging technique to pinpoint the specific location where seizure activity originated and enable custom surgical treatment for tumor and epileptic tissue resection; also called magnetoencephalography (MEG)
myelography
radiographic examination to detect parking off the spinal cord, including the location of a spinal cord injury, cysts, and tumors following injection of a contrast medium
positron emission tomography (PET)
computed tomography that records the positrons (positively charged particles) emitted from a radiopharmaceutical and produced a cross-sectional image of metabolic activity if body tissues to determine the presence of disease
cryosurgery
technique that exposes abnormal tissue to extreme cold to destroy it
thalamotomy
partial destruction of the thalamus to treat intractable pain; involuntary movements, including tennis in Parkinson disease; or emotional disturbances
tractotomy
transection of a nerve tract in the brainstem or spinal cord
trephination
technique that cuts a circular opening into the skull to reveal brain tissue and decrease intracranial pressure
ventriculoperitoneal shunting
relieves intracranial pressure due to hydrocephalus by diverting (shunting) excess cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles into the peritoneal or thoracic cavity
intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)
treatment for ischemic stroke using tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), a potent clot-busting drug, injected directly into a vein
plasmapheresis
extracorporeal procedure to treat patients with autoimmune disease by removing their plasma containing the offending antibodies and replacing it with donor plasma or plasma substitutes
stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)
procedure that uses three-dimensional imaging (stereotactic) along with high doses of highly focused radiation to destroy tumors and organs abnormal growths of the brain, spinal column, and other body sites with minimal exposure to surrounding healthy tissue
anesthetics
produce partial or complete loss of sensation, with or without loss of consciousness
general anesthetics
act upon the brain to produce complete loss of feeling with loss of consciousness
local anesthetics
act upon nerves or nerve tracts to affect only a local area
nerve block anesthetics
blocks pain from the area supplied by that nerve
anticonvulsants
prevent uncontrolled neuron activity associated with seizures by altering electrical transmission along neurons or altering the chemical composition of neurotransmitters; also called antiepileptics
antiparkisonian agents
control tremors and muscle rigidity associated with Parkinson disease by increasing dopamine in the brain
Psychiatric antianxiety agents
react at distinct receptor sites in the limbic and cortical system to decrease anxiety
antipsychotics
treat psychosis, paranoia, and schizophrenia by altering chemicals in the brain, including the limbic system, which controls emotions
antidepressants
treat multiple symptoms of depression by increasing levels of specific neurotransmitters
hypnotics
depress central nervous system (CNS) functions, promote sedation and sleep, and relieve agitation, anxiousness, and restlessness
psychostimulants
reduce impulsive behavior by increasing the level of neurotransmitters
AD
Alzheimer disease
AChR
acetylcholine receptor
ADHD
attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder
CNS
central nervous system
CP
cerebral palsy
CSF
cerebrospinal fluid
CT
computed tomography
CTA
computed tomography angiography
CVA
cerebrovascular accident
EEG
electroencephalography
EMG
electromyography
ICP
intracranial pressure
IV
intravenous
LP
lumbar puncture
MEG
magnetoencephalography
MG
myasthenia gravis
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
MS
multiple sclerosis; mental status; musculoskeletal; mitral stenosis
MSI
magnetic source imaging
NCV
nerve conduction velocity
PET
positron emission tomography
PNS
peripheral nervous system
SRS
stereotactic radiosurgery
TIA
transient ischemic attack
tPA
tissue plasminogen activator
