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Medical Terminology > General Terms (Ch 10) > Flashcards

General Terms (Ch 10) Flashcards

1
Q

acetylcholine

A

neurotransmitter chemical released at the ends of nerve cells

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2
Q

afferent nerves

A

carry nervous impulses toward the brain and spinal cord; sensory nerves

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3
Q

akinetic

A

pertaining to loss or absence of voluntary movement

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4
Q

analgesia

A

absence of sensitivity to pain

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5
Q

anencephaly

A

congenital condition of partial or complete absence of brain matter

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6
Q

anesthesia

A

absence of nervous feeling or sensation

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7
Q

aphasia

A

inability to speak; language function is impaired due to injury to the cerebral cortex

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8
Q

apraxia

A

inability to perform purposeful acts or manipulate objects

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9
Q

arachnoid membrane

A

middle layer of the meninges that surrounds the brain and spinal cord

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10
Q

astrocyte

A

glial (neuroglial) cell that transports salts and water from capillaries in the central nervous system

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11
Q

ataxia

A

without coordination

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12
Q

autonomic nervous system

A

nerves that control involuntary body functions of muscles, glands, and internal organs

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13
Q

axon

A

microscopic fiber that carries a nervous impulse along a nerve cell

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14
Q

blood-brain barrier

A

blood vessels that let certain substances enter the brain tissue and keep other substances out

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15
Q

bradykinesia

A

slow movement

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16
Q

brainstem

A

lower portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord; includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata

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17
Q

cauda equina

A

collection of spinal nerves below the end of the spinal cord

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18
Q

causalgia

A

intense burning pain, often resulting from injury to a peripheral nerve

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19
Q

cell body

A

part of the nerve cell (neuron) that contains the nucleus

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20
Q

central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord

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21
Q

cephalgia

A

head pain; headache

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22
Q

cerebellar

A

pertaining to the cerebellum

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23
Q

cerebellopontine

A

pertaining to the cerebellum and pons

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24
Q

cerebellum

A

posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle movements and maintains balance

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25
cerebral cortex
outer region of the cerebrum
26
cerebrospinal fluid
clear, watery fluid that circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord
27
cerebrum
largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought and memory, among other functions
28
coma
state of unconsciousness from which a patient cannot be aroused
29
comatose
pertaining to a coma
30
cranial nerves
nerves that carry messages to and from the brain; there are 12 pairs of cranial nerves
31
dendrite
microscopic branching portion of a nerve cell; first part of the nerve cell to receive the nervous impulse
32
dura mater
thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding the brain and the spinal cord
33
dyskinesia
impairment of the ability to perform voluntary movements
34
dyslexia
difficulty in reading, writing, and learning
35
efferent nerves
carry messages away from the brain and the spinal cord; motor nerves
36
encephalitis
inflammation of the brain
37
encephalopathy
disease of the brain
38
ependymal cell
glial cell that lines the membranes within the brain and spinal cord and helps form cerebrospinal fluid
39
epidural hematoma
collection of blood located above the dura mater
40
glial cell
supportive and connective nerve cell that doesn't carry nervous impulses and can reproduce themselves
40
ganglion (pl. ganglia)
collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system
41
glioblastoma
malignant brain tumor of immature glial cells
42
gyrus (pl. gyri)
sheet of nerve cells that produces a rounded ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex; convolution
43
hemiparesis
slight paralysis of the right or left half of the body
44
hemiplegia
paralysis of the right or left half of the body
45
hypalgesia
diminished sensitivity to pain
46
hyperesthesia
excessive sensitivity or feeling; especially of the skin in response to touch or pain
47
hyperkinesis
excessive movement
48
hypothalamus
region of the brain lying below the thalamus, but above the pituitary gland that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete and release hormones
49
intrathecal injection
delivery of chemicals within the membranes (meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord
50
leptomeningitis
inflammation of the two thinner membranes (arachnoid and pia mater) surrounding the brain and spinal cord
51
medulla oblongata
lower part of the brain, closest to the spinal cord; controls breathing, heartbeat, and size of blood vessels
52
meningeal
pertaining to the meninges
53
meninges
three membranes surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord
54
meningioma
tumor (benign) of the meninges
55
microglial cell
phagocytic glial cell that removes waste products from the CNS
56
midbrain
uppermost portion of the brainstem
57
motor nerve
carries impulses from the brain and spinal cord to muscles
58
myelin sheath
fatty, white covering over the axon of a nerve cell
59
myelomeningocele
congenital hernia (protrusion) of the spinal cord and meninges through a defect (gap) in the vertebral column (associated with spina bifida)
60
myelopathy
disease of the spinal cord
61
myoneural
pertaining to muscle and nerve
62
narcolepsy
sudden seizures of sleep
63
nerve
macroscopic cordlike collection of fibers that carry electrical impulses
64
neuralgia
nerve pain
65
neurasthenia
lack of strength in nerves; a feeling of weakness and exhaustion
66
neuroglial cells
glial cells; supporting and connection cells of the nervous sysetm
67
neuron
nerve cell
68
neuropathy
disease of nerves; primarily in the peripheral nervous system
69
neurotransmitter
chemical messenger released at the end of a nerve cell
70
oligodendroglial cell
glial cell that forms the myelin sheath covering the axon of a neuron
71
paraplegia
paralysis of the lower part of the body and both legs
72
parasympathetic nerves
involuntary, autonomic nerves that regulate normal body functions, such as heart rate, breathing, and muscles of the gastrointestinal tract
73
parenchyma
essential, functioning cells of any organ
74
paresis
slight paralysis
75
paresthesia
abnormal nervous sensation occurring without apparent causes
76
peripheral nervous system
nerves outside the brain and spinal cord; cranial, spinal, and autonomic nerves
77
pia mater
thin, delicate, and innermost membrane of the meninges
78
plexus
network of nerves outside of the CNS; brachial, cervical, and lumbosacral plexuses
79
poliomyelitis
inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord
80
polyneuritis
inflammation of many nerves
81
pons
part of the brainstem anterior to the cerebellum, between the medulla and rest of the brain, that connects the upper and lower portions of the brain
82
quadriplegia
paralysis of all four limbs; both arms and both legs
83
radiculitis
inflammation of a spinal nerve root
84
radiculopathy
disease of a spinal nerve root
85
receptor
organ that receives and transmits a stimulus to sensory nerves
86
sciatic nerve
extends from the base of the spine down the thigh, lower leg, and foot (sciatica=pain along course of the nerve)
87
sciatica
pain or inflammation along the curse of the sciatic nerve
88
sensory nerve
carries messages to the brain and spinal cord from a receptor; afferect nerve
89
spinal nerves
pairs of nerves, arising one on each side of the spinal column, that transmit messages to and from the spinal cord
90
stimulus
agent of change that evokes a response
91
stroma
connective and supportive tissue of an organ
92
subdural hematoma
collection of blood in the space below the dura mater surrounding the brain
93
sulcus (pl. sulci)
depression or groove in the surface of the cerebral cortex; fissure
94
sympathetic nerves
autonomic nerves that activate responses in times of stress; heartbeat, respiration, and blood pressure are affected
95
synapse
space through which a nervous impulse travels between the nerve cells or between nerve and muscle or glandular cells
96
syncopal
pertaining to syncope (fainting)
97
syncope
fainting; temporary loss of consciousness
98
thalamic
pertaining to the thalamus
99
thalamus
main relay center of the brain where optic nerve fibers pass through the thalamus on their way to the cerebral cortex
100
trigeminal neuralgia
flashes of stab-like pain along the trigeminal nerve (5th cranial nerve) that has branches to the eye, upper jaw, and lower jaw
101
vagal
pertaining to the vagus nerve
102
vagus nerve
tenth cranial nerve with branches to the chest and abdominal organs
103
ventricles of the brain
canals in the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid

Medical Terminology (42 decks)

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