Lesson 12 - Nervous System Flashcards
analgesia
Without sensation to pain.
Alzheimer disease
Brain disorder marked by gradual deterioration of mental capacity (dementia) beginning in middle age.
anesthesia
Lack of normal sensation.
aphasia
(-phasia=speech) Without speech.
autonomic nervous system
Nerves that control involuntary body functions of muscles, glands, ad internal organs.
central nervous system (CNS)
Brain and spinal cord.
cephalgia
Pain in the head/headaches.
cerebellum
Part of the brain that coordinates muscle movements and maintains balance.
cerebral palsy
Palsy means paralysis. Cerebral palsy is partial paralysis and lack of muscular coordination caused by loss of oxygen (hypoxia) or blood flow to the cerebrum during gestation or in the perinatal period.
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Fluid that circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord.
cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
Stroke. Disruption in the normal blood supply to the brain.
cerebrum
Largest part of the brain; the “thinking area” - responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, hearing, thought and memory.
coma
Deep sleep
concussion
Temporary brain dysfunction (brief loss of consciousness) after injury, usually cleaning within 24 hours.
dyslexia
Reading, writing and learning disorder.
encephalitis
Inflammation of the brain
electroencephalography (EEG)
Recording of the electrical activity of the brain.
epilepsy
Chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizure activity.
hemiparesis
Slight weakness. Affects either the right or the left side of the body.
hemiplegia
Paralysis, loss or impairment of the mobility to move either the right or left half of the body.
hydrocephalus
Abnormal accumulation of fluid (CSF) in the brain.
lumbar (spinal) puncture (LP)
CSF is withdrawn from between two lumbar vertebrae.
meninges
mening/o; meningl/o
Three protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
meningitis
Inflammation of the meninges. Condition is caused by a bacteria or viruses.
motor nerves
Carry messages away from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and organs; efferent (ef=away) nerves.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Chronic disease marked by long periods of remission (stability) and relapse (worsening). Caused by destruction of the myelin sheath on neurons in the CNS, it prevents the conduction of nerve impulses through the axon and causes muscle weakness, unsteady gait, and paralysis.
myelography
(myel=spinal cord) X-ray images of the spinal cord after injection of contrast medium into the subarachnoid space.
narcolepsy
Sudden, uncontrollable compulsion to sleep.
nerve
A structure that consists of axons and dendrites in bundles like strands of rope.
neuralgia
Nerve pain.
neuropathy
Disease of the nerves.
Parkinson disease
Degeneration of nerves, occurring in later life and leading to tremors, weakness of muscles, and slowness of movement.
peripheral nervous system
Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord; cranial, spinal and automatic nerves
position emission tomography (PET) scan
Images produced after injection of radioactive glucose or oxygen. Provides valuable information about patients with Alzheimer disease, troke, schizophrenia, and epilepsy.
quadriplegia
All four extremities are paralyzed. Injury is at the cervical level of the spinal cord.
receptor
Organ that receives a nervous stimulation and passes it on to nerves within the body. The skin, ears, eyes, and taste buds are receptors.
sensory nerves
Carry messages to the brain and spinal cord from receptor; afferent (af=after) nerves.
Spina bifida
Congenital (present at birth) defect in the lumbar spinal column caused by imperfect union of vertebral parts (neural tube defect).
synapse
The space through which a nerve impulse or from a neuron to another cell, such as muscle or gland cell.
syncope
(syncope/o=to cut off/cut short) Fainting; sudden and temporary loss of consciousness caused by inadequate flow of blood to the brain.
Tourette syndrome
Involuntary, spasmodic, twitching movements; uncontrollable vocal sounds; and inappropriate words.
