Nervous System And Psychiatry Flashcards
Cerebr/o
Cerebrum (largest part of the brain)
Cerebell/o
Cerebellum (little brain)
Crani/o
Skull
Encephal/o
Entire brain
Esthesi/o
Sensation
Gangli/o
Ganglion (knot)
Gli/o
Glue
Gnos/o
Knowing
Kinesi/o
Movement
Lex/o
Word or phrase
Mening/o, meningi/o
Meninges (membranes)
Myel/o
Spinal cord or bone marrow
Narc/o
Stupor or sleep
Neur/o
Nerve
Phas/o
Speech
Phob/o
Exaggerated fear or sensitivity
Phor/o
Carry or bear
Phren/o, psych/o, thym/o
Mind
Schiz/o
Split
Somat/o
Body
Somn/o, somn/I, hypn/o
Sleep
Spin/o
Spine (thorn)
Spondyl/o, vertebr/o
Vertebra
Stere/o
Three-dimensional or solid
Tax/o
Order or coordination
Thalam/o
Thalamus (a room)
Ton/o
Tone or tension
Top/o
Place
Ventricul/o
Ventricle (belly or pouch)
Cata-
Down
-asthenia
Weakness
-lepsy
Seizure
-mania
Condition of abnormal impulse toward
-paresis
Slight paralysis
-plegia
Paralysis
Central nervous system
Brain and spinal cord
Brain
Portion of the CNS contained within the cranium
Cerebrum
Largest part of the brain; divided into right and left halves, known as cerebral hemispheres, which are connected by a bridge of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum; lobes of the cerebrum are named after the skull bones they underlie
Frontal lobe
Anterior section of each cerebral hemisphere; responsible for voluntary muscle movement and personality
Parietal lobe
Portion posterior to the frontal lobe; responsible for sensations such as pain, temperature, and touch
Temporal lobe
Portion that lies below the frontal lobe; responsible for hearing, taste, and smell
Occipital lobe
Portion posterior to the parietal and temporal lobes; responsible for vision
Cerebral cortex
Outer layer of the cerebrum consisting of gray matter; responsible for higher mental functions
Thalamus/diencephalon
Each of two grey matter nuclei deep within the brain; responsible for relaying sensory info to the cortex
Gyri
Convolutions (mounds) of the cerebral hemispheres
Sulci
Shallow grooves that separate gyri
Fissures
Deep groves in the brain
Cerebellum
Portion of the brain located below the occipital lobes of the cerebrum; responsible for control and coordination of skeletal muscles
Brainstem
Region of the brain that serves as a relay between the cerebrum, cerebellum, and spinal cord; responsible for breathing, heart rate, and body temperature; the three levels are the mesencephalon (midbrain), pons, and medulla oblongata
Ventricles
Series of interconnected cavities within the cerebral genoisoheres and brain stem filled with cerebrospinal fluid
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Plasma-like clear fluid circulating in and around the brain and spinal cord
Spinal cord
Column of nervous tissue from the brainstem through the vertebrae; responsible for nerve conduction to and from the brain and the body
Meninges
Three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, consisting of the dura mater, pia mater, and arachnoid mater
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Nerves that branch from the CNS including the nerves of the brain (cranial nerves) and spinal cord (spinal nerves)
Cranial nerves
12 pairs of nerves arising from the brain
Spinal nerves
31 pairs of nerves arising from the spinal cord
Sensory nerves
Nerves that conduct impulses from body parts and carry sensory info to the brain; also called afferent nerves
Motor nerves
Nerves that conduct motor impulses from the brain to muscles and the glands; also called efferent nerves
Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
Nerves that carry involuntary impulses to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and various glands
Hypothalamus
Control center for the autonomic nervous system located below the thalamus (diencephalon)
Sympathetic nervous system
Division of the autonomic nervous system that is concerned primarily with preparing the body in stressful or emergency situations
Parasympathetic nervous system
Division of the ANS that is most active in ordinary conditions; it counterbalances the effects of the sympathetic system by restoring the body to a restful state after a stressful experience
Aphasia, dysphasia
Impairment because of localized brain injury that affects the understanding, retrieving, and formulating of meaningful and sequential elements of a language, as demonstrated by an inability to use or comprehend words; occurs as a result of a stroke, head trauma, or disease
Coma
A general term referring to levels of decreased consciousness with varying responsiveness; a common method of assessment is the Glasgow Coma Scale
Delirium
A state of mental confusion caused by disturbances in cerebral function; the many causes include fever, shock, and drug overdose
Dementia
An impairment of intellectual function characterized by memory loss, disorientation, and confusion
Motor deficit
Loss or impairment of muscle function
Sensory deficit
Loss or impairment of sensation
Neuralgia
Pain along the course of a nerve
Paralysis
Temporary or permanent loss of motor control
Flaccid paralysis
Defective (flabby) or absent muscle control caused by a nerve lesion
Spastic paralysis
Stiff and awkward muscle control caused by a CNS disorder
Hemiparesis
Partial paralysis of the right and left half of the body
Sciatica
Pain that follows the pathway of the sciatic nerve, caused by compression or trauma of the nerve or its roots
Seizure
Sudden, transient disturbances in brain function resulting from an abnormal firing of nerve impulses; may or may not be associated with convulsion
Convulsion
To pull together; type of seizure that causes a series of sudden, involuntary contractions of muscles
Syncope
Fainting
Tactile stimulation
Evoking a response by touching
Hyperesthesia
Increased sensitivity to stimulation such as pain or touch
Paresthesia
Abnormal sensation of numbness and tingling without objective cause
Agnosia
Any of many types of loss of neurologic function involving interpretation of sensory info
Asterogenesis
Inability to judge the form of an object by touch
Atopognosis
Inability to locate a sensation properly, such as an inability to locate a point touched on the body
Alzheimer disease
Disease of structural changes in the brain resulting in an irreversible deterioration to loss of all intellectual functions, total disability, and death
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
Condition of progressive deterioration of motor nerve cells resulting in total loss of voluntary muscle control; symptoms advance from muscle weakness in the arms and legs, to the muscles of speech, swallowing, and breathing, to total paralysis and death; also known as Lou Gehrig disease
Cerebral palsy (CP)
Condition of motor dysfunction caused by damage to the cerebrum during development or injury at birth; characterized by partial paralysis and lack of muscle coordination
Cerebrovascular disease
Disorder resulting from a change within one or more blood vessels of the brain
Cerebral arteriosclerosis
Hardening of the arteries of the brsin
Cerebral atherosclerosis
Condition of the lipid buildup within the blood vessels of the brain
Cerebral aneurysm
Dilation of a blood vessel in the brain
Cerebral thrombosis
Presence of a stationary clot in a blood vessel of the brain
Cerebral embolism
Obstruction of a blood vessel in the brain by an embolus transported through the circulation
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA), stroke
Damage to the brain caused by Cerebrovascular disease, such as occlusion of a blood vessel by a thrombus or embolus (ischemic stroke) or intercranial hemorrhage after rupture of an aneurysm
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
Brief episode of loss of blood flow to the brain, usually caused by partial occlusion that results in temporary neurologic deficit (impairment); often precedes a CVA
Encephalitis
Inflammation of the brain
Epilepsy
Disorder affecting the CNS; characterized by recurrent seizures
Tonic-clonic seizure
Stiffening-jerking; a major motor seizure involving all muscle groups; previously termed grand mal seizure
Absence seizure
Seizure involving a brief loss of consciousness without motor involvement; previously termed petit mal seizure
Partial seizure
Seizure involving only limited areas of the brain with localized symptoms
Glioma
Tumor of glial cells graded according to degree of malignancy
Herniated disk
Protrusion of a degenerated or fragmented intervertebral disc so that the nucleus pulposus protrudes, causing compression of the nerve root
Herpes zoster
Viral disease affecting the peripheral nerves, characterized by painful blisters that spread over the skin following the affected nerves, usually unilateral; also known as shingles
Huntington chorea, Huntington disease
Hereditary disease of the CNS characterized by bizarre, involuntary body movements and progressive dementia
Hydrocephalus
Abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain as a result of developmental anomalies, infection, injury, or tumor
Meningioma
Benign tumor of the coverings of the brain (the meninges)
Meningitis
Inflammation of the meninges
Migraine headaches
Paroxysmal (sudden, periodic) attacks of mostly unilateral headache, often accompanied by disordered vision, nausea, or vomiting, lasting hours or days and caused by dilatation of the arteries
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Disease of the CNS characterized by the demyelination of nerve fibers, with episodes of neurologic dysfunction followed by recovery
Myasthenia gravis
Autoimmune disorder that affects the neuromuscular junction, causing a progressive decrease in muscle strength; activity resumes and strength returns after a period of rest
Myelitis
Inflammation of the spinal cord
Narcolepsy
Sleep disorder characterized by a sudden, uncontrollable need to sleep, attacks of paralysis, and dreams intruding while awake
Neural tube defects
Congenital deformities of the brain and spinal cord caused by incomplete development of the neural tube, the embryonic structure that forms the nervous system
Anencephaly
Defect in closure of the cephalic portion of the neural tube that results in incomplete development of the brain and bones of the skull; the most drastic neural tube defect usually results in a stillbirth
Spina bifida
Defect in development of the spinal column characterized by the absence of vertebral arches, often resulting in pouching of the meninges or of the meninges and spinal cord; considered to be the most common neural tube defect
Parkinson’s disease
Condition of slowly progressive degeneration in an area of the brainstem resulting in a decrease of dopamine; characterized by tremor, rigidity of the muscles, and slow movements; usually occurs later in life
Plegia
Paralysis
Hemiplegia
Paralysis on one side of the body
Paraplegia
Paralysis from the waist down
Quadriplegia
Paralysis of all four limbs
Poliomyelitis
Inflammation of the grey matter of the spinal cord caused by a virus, often resulting in spinal and muscle deformity and paralysis
Polyneuritis
Inflammation involving two or more nerves, often caused by a nutritional deficiency,such as lack of thiamine
Sleep apnea
Periods of breathing cessation (10 seconds or more) that occur during sleep, often causing snoring
Electrodiagnostic procedures
Diagnostic procedures used to evaluate the function of the nervous system by recording the electrical signals produced in the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Record of the minute electrical impulses of the brain; used to identify neurologic conditions that affect brain function and level of consciousness
Evoked potentials
Record of minute electrical potentials (waves) that are extracted from ongoing EEG activity to diagnose auditory, visual, and sensory pathway disorders; also used to monitor the neurologic function of pts during surgery
Polysomnography (PSG)
Recording of various aspects of sleep to diagnose sleep disorders
Lumbar puncture (LP)
Introduction of a specialized needle into the spine in the lumbar region for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, such as to obtain CSF for testing; also called spinal tap
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
Magnetic resonance imaging of blood vessels to detect pathologic conditions, such as thrombosis and atherosclerosis
Intracranial MRA
Magnetic resonance image of the head to visualize the vessels of the circles of Willis (common side of cerebral aneurysm, stenosis, or occlusion)
Extracranial MRA
Magnetic resonance image of the neck to visualize the cartiod artery
Nuclear medicine imaging
Radionucleotide organ imaging
Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scan
Scan combining nuclear medicine and computed tomography to produce images of the brain after the administration of radioactive isotopes
Position-emission tomography (PET)
Technique combining nuclear medicine and computed tomography to produce images of brain anatomy and corresponding physiology; used to study stroke, alzheimer disease, epilepsy, metabolic brain disorders, chemistry of nerve transmissions in the brain, and so on; provides greater accuracy than SPECT, but is used less often bc of cost and the limited availability of radioisotopes
Radiography
X-ray imaging
Cerebral angiogram
X-ray of blood vessels in the brain after intracarotid injection of contrast medium
Computed tomography of the head
CT (x-ray) images of the head used to visualize abnormalities such as brain tumors and malformations
Myelogram
X-ray of the spinal cord obtained after intraspinal injection of contrast medium
Reflex testing
Test performed to observe the body’s response to a stimulus
Deep tendon reflexes (DTR)
Involuntary muscle contraction after percussion at a tendon indicating function; positive findings are either no reflex response or an exaggerated response to stimulus. Numbers are often used to record responses
0= no response
1= diminished response
2= normal response
3= more brisk than avg response
4= hyperactive response
Babinski sign, babinski reflex
Pathologic response to stimulation of the plantar surface of the foot; a positive sign is indicated when the toes dorsiflex (curl upward)
Transcranial Doppler sonogram
Image made by sending ultrasound beams through the skull to assess blood flow in intracranial vessels; used in the diagnosis and management of stroke and head trauma
Carotid endarterectomy
Incision and coring of the lining of the carotid artery to clear a blockage caused by the buildup of the atherosclerotic plaque or a clot; an open procedure used to treat pts who are at risk for stroke
Crainectomy
Excision of part of the skull to approach the brain
Crainotomy
Incision into the skull to approach the brain
Discectomy
Removal of a herniated disc, often done percutaneously
Endovascular neurosugery, interventional neuroadiology
Minimally invasive techniques for diagnosis and treatment of disorders within blood vessels of the neck, brain, and spinal cord using specialized catheters inserted percutaneously into the femoral artery and guided by angiographic imaging to the treatment site; performed in a specialized angiographic lab by interventional neuroradiologists; common procedures are:
Percutaneous translumimal angioplasty with stent (PTA)
Embolization of intracranial aneurysms and vascular malformations
Laminectomy
Excision of one or more laminae of the vertebrae to approach the spinal cord
Vertebral lamina
Flattened posterior portion of the vertebral arch
Microsurgery
Use of a microscope to dissect minute structures during surgery
Neuroplasty
Surgical repair of a nerve
Spondylosyndesis
Spinal fusion
Radiation therapy
Treatment of neoplastic disease using ionizing radiation to impede the proliferation of malignant cells
Sterotactic radiosurgery
Radiation treatment to inactivate malignant lesions using multiple, precise external radiation beams focused on a target with the aid of a sterotactic frame and imaging such as CT, MRI, or angiography; used to treat inoperable brain tumors and other lesions
Sterotactic frame
Mechanical device used to localize a point in space, targeting a precise site
Analgesic
Agent that relieves pain
Anticonvulsant
Agent that prevents or lessons convulsion
Hypnotic
Agent that induces sleep
Affect
Emotional feeling or mood
Flat affect
Significantly dulled emotional tone or outward reaction
Apathy
A lack of interest or display of emotion
Catatonia
A state of unresponsiveness to one’s outside environment, usually including muscle rigidity, staring, and inability to communicate
Delusion
A persistent belief that has no basis in reality
Grandiose delusion
A persons false belief that he or she possesses great wealth, intelligence, or power
Persecutory delusion
A persons false belief that someone is plotting against him or her with the intent to harm
Dysphoria
A restless, dissatisfied mood
Euphoria
An exaggerated, unfounded feeling of well-being
Hallucination
A false perception of the sense for which there is no reality; most commonly hearing or seeing things
Ideation
The formulation of thoughts and or ideas, such as suicidal ideation
Mania
State of abnormal elation and increased activity
Neurosis
A psychologic condition in which anxiety is prominent
Psychosis
A psychologic condition characterized by distortion of reality resulting in the inability to communicate or function within one’s environment
Thought disorder
Thought that lacks clear processing or logical direction
Major depression, major depressive illness, clinical depression, major affective disorder, unipolar disorder
A disorder causing periodic disturbances in mood that affect concentration, sleep, activity, appetite, and social behavior; characterized by feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, and loss of interest
Dysthymia
A milder affective disorder characterized by chronic depression
Manic depression, bipolar disorder
An affective disorder characterized by mood swings or mania and depression
Seasonal affective disorder
An affective disorder marked by episodes of depression that most often occur during the fall and winter and that remit in the spring
Generalized anxiety disorder
The most common anxiety disorder, characterized by chronic, excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday problems; affects the ability to relax or concentrate, but does not usually interfere with social interactions or employment; physical symptoms include muscle tension, trembling, twitching, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and insomnia
Panic disorder
A disorder of sudden, recurrent attacks of intense feelings, including physical symptoms that mimic a heart attack with a general sense of loss of control or feeling that death is imminent; often progresses to agoraphobia
Phobia
Exaggerated fear of a specific object or circumstance that causes anxiety and panic; named for the object or circumstance
Post traumatic stress disorder
A condition resulting from an extremely traumatic experience, injury, or illness that leaves the sufferer with persistent thoughts and memories of the ordeal; symptoms may include feelings of fear, detachment, etc.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
An anxiety disorder featuring unwanted, senseless obsessions accompanied by repeated compulsions; can interfere with all aspects of a persons daily life; for example, the thought that a door is not locked causing repetitive checking to make sure it is locked, or thoughts that ones body has been contaminated causing repetitive washing
Hypochondriasis
a preoccupation with thoughts of disease and concern that one is suffering from a serious condition that persists despite medical reassurance to the contrary
Autism
a developmental disability, commonly appearing during the first three years of life, resulting from a neurologic disorder
affecting brain function, as evidenced by difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication and an inability to relate to anything beyond oneself in social interactions; persons with autism often exhibit body movements such as rocking and repetitive hand movements; persons commonly become preoccupied with observing parts of small objects or moving parts or with performing meaningless rituals
Dyslexia
a developmental disability characterized by difficulty understanding written or spoken words, sentences, or paragraphs that affects reading, spelling, and self-expression
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
a dysfunction characterized by consistent hyperactivity, distractibility, and lack of control over impulses, which interferes with ability to function normally at school, home, or work
Mental retardation
a condition of subaverage intelligence characterized by an IQ of 70 or less, resulting in the inability to adapt to normal social activities
Anorexia nervosa
a severe disturbance in eating behavior caused by abnormal perceptions about one’s body weight, as evidenced by an overwhelming fear of becoming fat that results in a refusal to eat and body weight well below normal
Bulimia nervosa
an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by efforts to limit digestion though induced vomiting, use of laxatives, or excessive exercise
Substance abuse disorders
mental disorders resulting from abuse of substances such as drugs, alcohol, or other toxins, causing personal and social dysfunction; identified by the abused substance, such as alcohol abuse, amphetamine abuse, opioid (narcotic) abuse, and polysubstance abuse
Schizophrenia
a disease of brain chemistry causing a distorted cognitive and emotional perception of one’s environment; symptoms include distortions of normal function (such as disorganized thought, delusions, hallucinations, and catatonic behavior), flat affect, apathy, and withdrawal from reality
Electroconvulsive therapy
Electrical shock applied to the brain to induce convulsions; used to treat pts with severe depression
Light therapy
Use of specialized illuminating light boxes and visitors to test seasonal affective disorder
Psychotherapy
Treatment of psychiatric disorders using verbal and nonverbal interaction with pts, individually or in a group, employing specific actions and techniques
Behavioral therapy
Treatment to decrease or stop unwanted behavior
Cognitive therapy
Treatment to change unwanted patterns of thinking
Psychotropic drugs
Medications used to treat mental illnesses
Antianxiety agents, anxiolytic agents
Drugs used to reduce anxiety
Antidepressant
Agent that counteracts depression
Neuroleptic agents
Drug used to treat psychosis, especially schizophrenia
Sedative
Agent that has a calming effect and quiets nervousnesses
