Chapter 15: Nervous System (Exam 3, bright yellow cards) Flashcards
cerebr/o
cerebrum
crani/o
cranium (skull)
encephal/o
brain
gangli/o
ganglion (knot or knot-like mass)
gli/o
glue; neuroglial tissue
kinesi/o
movement
lept/o
thin, slender
lex/o
word, phrase
mening/o
meningi/o
meninges (membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)
myel/o
bone marrow; spinal cord
nar/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
-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
agnosia
inability to comprehend auditory, visual, spatial, olfactory, or other sensations, even though the sensory sphere is intact
Alzheimer disease (AD)
Type 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
- 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 mater 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 and 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
Guillain-Barré syndrome
Autoimmune condition that causes acute inflammation of the peripheral nerves damaging their myelin sheaths, resulting in decreased nerve impulses, loss of reflex response, and sudden muscle weakness
- infective/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
- shingles
Huntington chorea
CNS disorder characterized by quick, involuntary movements, speech disturbances, and mental deterioration
- 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
- 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
- facial nerve palsy
cerebral palsy (CP)
type of paralysis that affects movement and muscle coordination and may affect gross and fine motor skills
paralysis
loss of voluntary motion in one or more muscle groups with or without sensation
paresthesia
sensation of numbness, prickling, tingling, or heightened sensitivity
Parkinson disease
Degenerative disorder in which the progressive loss of brain cells leads to impairment in motor function, including tremors, muscular rigidity, and a slowing of movement
- paralysis agitans
- 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 or 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 spurs
- 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
- acute noninflammatory encephalopathy
- fatty degenerative liver failure
syncope
brief loss of consciousness and posture caused by a temporary decrease of blood flow to the brain
- fainting
electroencephalography (EEG)
recording of electrical activity in the brain, whose cells emit distinct patterns of rhythmic electrical impulses
electromyography
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
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
- spinal puncture
- spinal tap
nerve conduction velocity (NCV)
test that measures the speed at which impulses travel through a nervec
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
Laboratory test to examine a sample of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord that helps diagnose disorders of the central nervous system, including viral and bacterial infections, 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 originates and enable custom surgical treatment for tumor and epileptic tissue resection
- magnetoencephalography
myelography
Radiographic examination to detect pathology of 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 produces a cross-sectional image of metabolic activity of 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 tremors 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 diseases 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 other abnormal growths in the brain, spinal column, and other body sites with minimal exposure to surrounding healthy tissue
stroke
any disorder of the cerebral blood vessels that results in an interruption of blood flow to the brain
- cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
- brain attack
ischemic stroke
blockage of carotid arteries by plaque or thrombus, resulting in insufficient blood flow to the brain
intracerebral hemorrhage
compression and destruction of brain structures from released blood
subarachnoid hemorrhage
release of blood into the space surrounding the brain; commonly caused by a ruptured aneurysm; usually fatal
