Chapter 8 Spelling Words Flashcards
absence seizure
a small seizure w/ a sudden temporary loss of consciousness lasting only a few seconds, a petit mall seizure
acetylocholine
a neurotransmitter- facilitates nerve impulses
afferent nerves
impulses TO the CNS/brain and spinal cord
agnosia
loss of mental ability to understand sensory stimuli; unable to interpret even when organs are functioning correctly
a-without gnos-understand -ia-condition
agraphia
inability to convert one’s thoughts into writing
a-without graph-record -ia-condition
alexia
inability to understand words
a-without -lexia-reading
analgesia
without sensitivity to pain
an-without algesia- sensitivity to pain
analgesic
(pertaining to) act of relieving pain
anesthesia
without feeling or sensation
an-without -ethesia=feeling, sensation
anacephaly
born without a brain
aneurysm
dilation in the wall of an artery that expands with each pulsation; caused usually hypertension and atherosclerosis
aphasia
inability to communicate through speech, writing, or signs because of an injury to or disease of the brain
a-without -phasia-speech
apraxia
inability to perform coordinated movements or use objects properly; not sensory or motor impairment or paralysis
a-without -praxia-perform
arachnoid membrane
the middle meninge layer
astrocyte
a star-shaped neuroglial cell found in the CNS; most numerous neuroglial cell; attaches to brain’s blood capillaries, forming part of the blood-brain barrier
astr/o-star-shaped -cyte-cell
astrocytoma
a tumor of the brain or spinal cord composed of astrocytes
astr/o-star-shaped cyt/o-cell -oma-tumor
ataxia
condition without order; without muscle coordination
a-without tax/o-order -ia-condition
aura
the sensation an individual experiences prior to onset of a migraine headache or an epileptic seizure. may be a sensation of light or warmth and may precede the attack by hours or only a few seconds
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
the part of the nervous system that regulates involuntary movement such as heart, smooth muscles and the glands; breaks into the PNS and SNS
axon
the part of the nerve cell that transports nerve impulses away from the nerve cell body
blood-brain barrier
a protective characteristic of the capillary walls of the brain that prevent passage of harmful substance from the bloodstream into the brain tissue of CSF
Babinski’s reflex
stroking the sole of the foot to see if the foot dorsiflexes and toes fan out; a positive if there is a reaction; positive good in infants, but not good in children and adults
Bell’s palsy
the permanent or tempoary paralysis of one side of the face due to trauma to the face, unknown infection, or tumor pressing on the facial nerve
bradyesthesia
slowly removing sensation of feeling
bradykinesia
abnormally slow movement
brady-slow kinesia-movement
brain abscess
localized accumulation of pus anywhere in the brain tissue
Brudzinski’s sign
a positive sign of meningitis, flexion of arm, hip, and knee when neck is passive
burr hole
a hole drilled into the skull
carpal tunnel syndrome
the pinching or compression of the median nerve within the carpal tunnel due to inflammation and swelling of tendons often because of repetitive overuse
cauda equina
the lower end of the spinal cord and the roots of the spinal nerves below L1; looks like a horse tail
causalgia
a acute burning pain along the path of a peripheral nerve, sometimes accompanied by erythema of the skin; injuery to the peripheral nerves
caus/o-burn algia-pain
cephalalgia
pain in the head; headache
cephal/o- head -algia-pain
cerebellum
the part of the brain responsible for coordinating voluntary muscular movements; located behind the brain stem.
cerebellospinal
leading from the cerebellum to the spine
cerebral angiography
process of visualization/recording of the cerebral vascular system via X-ray after injection of a radiopaque contrast medium into an arterial blood vessel (carotid, femoral, brachial)
cerebral concussion
the brief interruption of brain function, w/ loss of consciousness lasting for a few seconds
cerebral contusion
a small scattered venous hemorrhage in the brain (bruise of the brain tissue) occurs when brain strikes the inner skull
cerebral palsy
collective term to describe congenital (at birth) brain damage; permanent but not progressive; four types; characterized by child’s lack of voluntary control over muscles
cerebritis
inflammation of the brain/cerebrum
cerebrospinal fluid
fluid around the brain and spinal cord that protects it from physical blow or impact–cushion
cerebr/o-brain; cerebrum spin/o-spine -al-pertaining to
cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
a stroke; death of brain tissue due to decrease in blood flow
cerebrum
the largest, top part of the brain; responsible to memory, consciousness, sensations, emotions, voluntary movements
Cheyne-Stokes respirations
abnormal breathing pattern; apnea followed by rapid breathing
coma
a deep sleep; does not respond to external stimuli
comatose
pertains to being in a coma
chordotomy
procedure for pain control through a laminectomy where interference of pathways within the spinal cord that controls pain
cisternal puncture
insertion of spinal needle into the cisterna magna to remove CSF specimen
cluster headache
extreme pain around one eye; occurs 2-3 hours after falling asleep
contracture
a permanent shortening of a muscle causing a joint to remain in an abnormally flexed position, with resultant physical deformity
convolution
a gyrus; elevated fold of the cerebrum
craniotomy
surgical incision into the skull or cranium
degenerative disk
deterioration of the intervertebral disk, usually due to constant motion and wear on the disk
dementia
progressive, irreversible disorder where deteriorating memory, judgment, and ability to think occurs
demyelination
destruction of the myelin sheath
dendrite
a projection from a nerve cell body; receives impulses and conducts them on to the cell body
diencephalon
the part of the brain between the cerebrum and midbrain; consists of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pineal gland
diplopia
double vision; also called ambiopia
dipl/-double opia-vision
dura mater
outermost layer of the three meninges
dyslexia
impairment of the ability to read; letters and words are often reversed
dysphasia
difficult speech
dystonia
abnormal muscle tone
echoencephalography
ultrasound used to analyze the intracranial structures of the brain; the test has limitations
echo-sound encephal/o-brain -graphy-process of recording
electroencephalography (EEG)
measurement of electrical activity in the brain from electrodes placed on the scalp; can be a slep-deprived EEG or an ambulatory EEG
electr/o-electricity encephal/o-brain -graphy-process of recording
embolism
abnormal condition in which a blood clot (embolus) becomes lodged in a blood vessel, obstructing the flow of blood
epidural space
the space immediately outside the dura mater; contains a supporting cushion of fat and other connective tissues
epilepsy
recurrent episodes of sudden brief attacks of seizures
fissure
a deep groove on the surface of an organ
fontanelle or fontanel
infant’s soft spot
encephalitis
inflammation of the brain caused by a virus, such as measles or mumps, or a tick or mosquito bite
ganglion
a knotlike mass of nerve tissue found outside the brain or spinal cord (plural: ganglia)
glioma
the gluey substance (neuroglia) in the brain has a tumor
gli-gluey substance oma-tumor
grand mal seizure
the big seizure; sudden loss of consciousness, involuntary muscular contraction, vacillating between rigid body extension and alternating between relaxation and contraction; also called a tonic-clonic seizure