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Medical Terminology > General Terms (Ch 10) > Flashcards

General Terms (Ch 10) Flashcards

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USMLE® Step 1 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
Q

cerebral cortex

A

outer region of the cerebrum

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26
Q

cerebrospinal fluid

A

clear, watery fluid that circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord

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27
Q

cerebrum

A

largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought and memory, among other functions

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28
Q

coma

A

state of unconsciousness from which a patient cannot be aroused

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29
Q

comatose

A

pertaining to a coma

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30
Q

cranial nerves

A

nerves that carry messages to and from the brain; there are 12 pairs of cranial nerves

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31
Q

dendrite

A

microscopic branching portion of a nerve cell; first part of the nerve cell to receive the nervous impulse

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32
Q

dura mater

A

thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding the brain and the spinal cord

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33
Q

dyskinesia

A

impairment of the ability to perform voluntary movements

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34
Q

dyslexia

A

difficulty in reading, writing, and learning

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35
Q

efferent nerves

A

carry messages away from the brain and the spinal cord; motor nerves

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36
Q

encephalitis

A

inflammation of the brain

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37
Q

encephalopathy

A

disease of the brain

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38
Q

ependymal cell

A

glial cell that lines the membranes within the brain and spinal cord and helps form cerebrospinal fluid

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39
Q

epidural hematoma

A

collection of blood located above the dura mater

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40
Q

glial cell

A

supportive and connective nerve cell that doesn’t carry nervous impulses and can reproduce themselves

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40
Q

ganglion (pl. ganglia)

A

collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system

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41
Q

glioblastoma

A

malignant brain tumor of immature glial cells

42
Q

gyrus (pl. gyri)

A

sheet of nerve cells that produces a rounded ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex; convolution

43
Q

hemiparesis

A

slight paralysis of the right or left half of the body

44
Q

hemiplegia

A

paralysis of the right or left half of the body

45
Q

hypalgesia

A

diminished sensitivity to pain

46
Q

hyperesthesia

A

excessive sensitivity or feeling; especially of the skin in response to touch or pain

47
Q

hyperkinesis

A

excessive movement

48
Q

hypothalamus

A

region of the brain lying below the thalamus, but above the pituitary gland that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete and release hormones

49
Q

intrathecal injection

A

delivery of chemicals within the membranes (meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord

50
Q

leptomeningitis

A

inflammation of the two thinner membranes (arachnoid and pia mater) surrounding the brain and spinal cord

51
Q

medulla oblongata

A

lower part of the brain, closest to the spinal cord; controls breathing, heartbeat, and size of blood vessels

52
Q

meningeal

A

pertaining to the meninges

53
Q

meninges

A

three membranes surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord

54
Q

meningioma

A

tumor (benign) of the meninges

55
Q

microglial cell

A

phagocytic glial cell that removes waste products from the CNS

56
Q

midbrain

A

uppermost portion of the brainstem

57
Q

motor nerve

A

carries impulses from the brain and spinal cord to muscles

58
Q

myelin sheath

A

fatty, white covering over the axon of a nerve cell

59
Q

myelomeningocele

A

congenital hernia (protrusion) of the spinal cord and meninges through a defect (gap) in the vertebral column (associated with spina bifida)

60
Q

myelopathy

A

disease of the spinal cord

61
Q

myoneural

A

pertaining to muscle and nerve

62
Q

narcolepsy

A

sudden seizures of sleep

63
Q

nerve

A

macroscopic cordlike collection of fibers that carry electrical impulses

64
Q

neuralgia

A

nerve pain

65
Q

neurasthenia

A

lack of strength in nerves; a feeling of weakness and exhaustion

66
Q

neuroglial cells

A

glial cells; supporting and connection cells of the nervous sysetm

67
Q

neuron

A

nerve cell

68
Q

neuropathy

A

disease of nerves; primarily in the peripheral nervous system

69
Q

neurotransmitter

A

chemical messenger released at the end of a nerve cell

70
Q

oligodendroglial cell

A

glial cell that forms the myelin sheath covering the axon of a neuron

71
Q

paraplegia

A

paralysis of the lower part of the body and both legs

72
Q

parasympathetic nerves

A

involuntary, autonomic nerves that regulate normal body functions, such as heart rate, breathing, and muscles of the gastrointestinal tract

73
Q

parenchyma

A

essential, functioning cells of any organ

74
Q

paresis

A

slight paralysis

75
Q

paresthesia

A

abnormal nervous sensation occurring without apparent causes

76
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

nerves outside the brain and spinal cord; cranial, spinal, and autonomic nerves

77
Q

pia mater

A

thin, delicate, and innermost membrane of the meninges

78
Q

plexus

A

network of nerves outside of the CNS; brachial, cervical, and lumbosacral plexuses

79
Q

poliomyelitis

A

inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord

80
Q

polyneuritis

A

inflammation of many nerves

81
Q

pons

A

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
Q

quadriplegia

A

paralysis of all four limbs; both arms and both legs

83
Q

radiculitis

A

inflammation of a spinal nerve root

84
Q

radiculopathy

A

disease of a spinal nerve root

85
Q

receptor

A

organ that receives and transmits a stimulus to sensory nerves

86
Q

sciatic nerve

A

extends from the base of the spine down the thigh, lower leg, and foot (sciatica=pain along course of the nerve)

87
Q

sciatica

A

pain or inflammation along the curse of the sciatic nerve

88
Q

sensory nerve

A

carries messages to the brain and spinal cord from a receptor; afferect nerve

89
Q

spinal nerves

A

pairs of nerves, arising one on each side of the spinal column, that transmit messages to and from the spinal cord

90
Q

stimulus

A

agent of change that evokes a response

91
Q

stroma

A

connective and supportive tissue of an organ

92
Q

subdural hematoma

A

collection of blood in the space below the dura mater surrounding the brain

93
Q

sulcus (pl. sulci)

A

depression or groove in the surface of the cerebral cortex; fissure

94
Q

sympathetic nerves

A

autonomic nerves that activate responses in times of stress; heartbeat, respiration, and blood pressure are affected

95
Q

synapse

A

space through which a nervous impulse travels between the nerve cells or between nerve and muscle or glandular cells

96
Q

syncopal

A

pertaining to syncope (fainting)

97
Q

syncope

A

fainting; temporary loss of consciousness

98
Q

thalamic

A

pertaining to the thalamus

99
Q

thalamus

A

main relay center of the brain where optic nerve fibers pass through the thalamus on their way to the cerebral cortex

100
Q

trigeminal neuralgia

A

flashes of stab-like pain along the trigeminal nerve (5th cranial nerve) that has branches to the eye, upper jaw, and lower jaw

101
Q

vagal

A

pertaining to the vagus nerve

102
Q

vagus nerve

A

tenth cranial nerve with branches to the chest and abdominal organs

103
Q

ventricles of the brain

A

canals in the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid

Medical Terminology (42 decks)

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