chp 11: Nervous system Flashcards
cognition
process of thought- including reasoning, judgment, 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 its center
traumatic
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
neur/o
nerve
-lepsy
seizure
-phasia
speech
dys-
bad, painful, difficult
hemi-
one half
para-
near; beside; beyond
quadri-
four
amyotrophic lateral
degenerative disorder that manifests in adulthood with symptoms of difficulty in swelling and talking, dyspnea, muscle weakness, and paralysis; also call Lou Gehrig disease (named after the baseball player who became afflicted with ALS)
dementia
progressive, irreversible deterioration of mental function marked my memory impairment and , commonly, deficits in reasoning, judgment, abstract thought, comprehension, learning, task execution, and use of language
Alzheimer diseas
chronic, organic brain syndrome characterized by death of neurons in the cerebral cortex and their replacement by microscopic “plaques,” which results 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 simple stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure, whereas others have extreme convulsions
Huntington chorea
inherited, degenerative disease of the CNS with symptoms developing in middle age as nerve cells in the brain waste away, resulting in uncontrolled bizarre movements, emotional disturbances, and mental deteriorations
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 characterized by inflammation, hardening, and loss of myeline throughout the spinal cord and brain, which produces weakness and other muscular symptoms
neruoblastoma
malignant tumor composed mainly of cells resembling neuroblasts 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
Bellpalsy
facial paralysis on one side of the face as a result of inflammation of a facial nerve
cerebralpalsy
bilateral, symmetrical, nonprogessive motor dysfunction and partial paralysis, which is usually caused by damage to the cerebrum during gestation or birth trauma but can also be hereditary
pralysis
loss of muscle function, loss of sensation, or both as a result of spinal cord injury
parkinson disease
progressive neurological disorder caused by a neurotransmitter deficiency (dopamine) that affects the portion of the brain responsible for controlling movement and results in hand tremors; uncontrollable head nodding; shuffling gait; and difficulty talking, swallowing, or completing simple tasks
poliomyelitis
inflammation of grey matter of the spinal cord caused by a virus, commonly resulting in spinal and muscle deformity and paralysis
sciatica
severe pain in the leg along the course of the sciatic nerve, which travels from the hip to the hip
shingles
chronic viral disease in which painful blisters appear on the skin along the course of a peripheral nerve that is caused by inflammation secondary to herpes zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox; also called herpes zoster
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 befida cystica
more severe type of spina bifida that involves protrusion of the meninges (meningocele), spinal cord (myelocele), or both meningomyelocele
stroke
inadequate supply of blood and oxygen to the brain due to a clot or ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhage), which allows brain tissue to die and becomes a medical emergency; also called cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis
laboratory test that examines a sample of CSF obtained from a lumbar puncture, which is analyzed for the presence of blood, bacteria, and malignant cells as well as for the amount fo protein and glucose present
electroencephalography (ECG)
electrodes are placed on the scalp to record electrical activity within the brain; used to evaluate seizure and sleep disorders and periods of unconsciousness, 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 laboratory analysis; also called spinal tap or spinal puncture
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 using a specialized saw called a trephine to reveal brain tissue during neurosurgery, or to relieve intracranial pressure (ICP)
anesthetics
produce partial or complete loss of sensation with or without loss of consciousness
general anesthetics
produce complete loss of feeling with loss of consciousness
local anestehetics
produce loss of feeling and affect a local area only
anticonvulsants
prevent or control seizures
antiparkinsonian agents
reduce signs and symptoms associated with Parkinson disease
antipsychotics
Alter neruotransmitters in the brain to alleviate symptoms of delusions and hallucinations
thrombolytics
dissolve blood clots in a process know as thrombolysis
ALS
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
CNS
central nervous system
CSF
cerebrospinal fluid
CVA
cerebrovascular accident; costovertebral angle
CVD
cerebrovascular disease
EEG
electroencephalogram; electroencephalography
LP
lumbar puncture
MS
mitral stenosis; musculoskeletal; multiple sclerosis; mental status; magnesium sulfate
PNS
peripheral nervous system
TIA
transient ischemic attack
TN
trigeminal neuralgia
