MS & ALS Flashcards
A progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle weakness and atrophy. Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Impaired coordination of voluntary movements, often resulting in unsteady gait and difficulty with fine motor tasks.
ataxia
The long projection of a nerve cell (neuron) that typically conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron’s cell body.
axon
The involvement of the brainstem (bulbar region) in a disease process, often affecting speech, swallowing, and facial movements due to cranial nerve dysfunction.
Bulbar Pathology
The complex of nerve tissues that control the activities of the body. In vertebrates, it comprises the brain and spinal cord.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
The destruction or loss of the myelin sheath, the insulating layer surrounding nerve fibers, impairs nerve signal transmission.
demyelination
Difficulty in articulating speech due to problems with the muscles involved in speaking.
disarthria
Impairment of the ability to perform rapidly alternating movements.
Dysdiadochokinesia
The inability to control the range of motion of muscles, leads to overshooting or undershooting targets during movements.
dysmetria
difficulty swallowing
dysphagia
Impairment of the coordination of muscles acting together to produce smooth movement.
dyssynergia
A period in chronic illness characterized by a worsening of symptoms.
exacerbation
Involuntary, spontaneous twitching of muscle fibers visible under the skin.
fasciculations
exaggerated or overactive reflexes
hyperreflexia
reduced or absent reflexes
hyporeflexia
An area of damage or abnormality in tissue or an organ, such as those occurring in the brain or spinal cord in MS.
lesion
A motor neuron that extends from the spinal cord to the muscle, directly controlling muscle contraction. Damage to LMNs causes weakness, flaccidity, and atrophy.
LMN
A chronic, autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks the myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
A fatty substance that insulates nerve fibers, allowing for rapid and efficient transmission of nerve impulses.
Myelin
An abnormal sensation, such as tingling, prickling, or numbness, typically in the absence of external stimulation.
Paresthesia
Abnormal reflexes that indicate neurological damage, such as the Babinski sign.
pathological reflexes
Areas of inflammation and demyelination in the brain and spinal cord are characteristic of multiple sclerosis, often visible on MRI.
plaques
A temporary worsening of MS symptoms lasting less than 24 hours, often triggered by factors like heat or illness, without underlying new demyelination.
pseudo-exacerbation
Scarring or hardening of tissue, which occurs in the CNS in multiple sclerosis due to inflammation and myelin damage.
sclerosis
A condition of increased muscular tone causing stiff and awkward movements, often due to upper motor neuron damage.
spasticity
A motor neuron that originates in the brain and descends to the spinal cord, influencing the activity of lower motor neurons. Damage to UMNs causes weakness, spasticity, and hyperreflexia.
Umn
