Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

med term > nervous system - pathology > Flashcards

nervous system - pathology Flashcards

1
Q

What is anesthesiology?

A

Branch of medicine specializing in all aspects of anesthesia, including for surgical procedures, resuscitation measures, and the management of acute and chronic pain.

Physician is an anesthesiologist.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is neurology?

A

Branch of medicine concerned with diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions of the nervous system.

Physician is a neurologist.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is neurosurgery?

A

Branch of medicine concerned with treating conditions and diseases of the nervous system by surgical means.

Physician is a neurosurgeon.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is an absence seizure?

A

Type of epileptic seizure that lasts only a few seconds to half a minute, characterized by a loss of awareness and an absence of activity.

It is also known as a petit mal seizure.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is analgesia?

A

Absence of pain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is anesthesia?

A

Lack of feeling or sensation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is aphasia?

A

Inability to communicate verbally or in writing due to damage of the speech or language centers in the brain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is ataxia?

A

Lack of muscle coordination.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is an aura?

A

Sensations, such as seeing colors or smelling an unusual odor, that occur just prior to an epileptic seizure or migraine headache.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is cephalalgia?

A

Headache (HA).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a coma?

A

Profound unconsciousness resulting from an illness or injury.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What does conscious mean?

A

Conditions of being awake and aware of surroundings.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is a convulsion?

A

Severe involuntary muscle contractions and relaxations. These have a variety of causes, such as epilepsy, fever, and toxic conditions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is delirium?

A

Abnormal mental state characterized by confusion, disorientation, and agitation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is dementia?

A

Progressive impairment of intellectual function that interferes with performing activities of daily living. Patients have little awareness of their condition.

Found in disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is dysphasia?

A

Impairment of speech due to brain injury.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is a focal seizure?

A

Localized seizure often affecting one limb.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is hemiparesis?

A

Weakness or loss of motion on one side of the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is hemiplegia?

A

Paralysis on only one side of the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is hyperesthesia?

A

Abnormally heightened sense of feeling, sense of pain, or sensitivity to touch.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is monoparesis?

A

Muscle weakness in one limb.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is monoplegia?

A

Paralysis of one limb.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is neuralgia?

A

Nerve pain.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is palsy?

A

Temporary or permanent loss of the ability to control movement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is paralysis?

A

Temporary or permanent loss of function or voluntary movement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is paraplegia?

A

Paralysis of the lower portion of the body and both legs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What is paresthesia?

A

Abnormal sensation such as burning or tingling.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is quadriplegia?

A

Paralysis of all four limbs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What is a seizure?

A

Sudden, uncontrollable onset of symptoms, such as in an epileptic seizure.

30
Q

What does semiconscious mean?

A

State of being aware of surroundings and responding to stimuli only part of the time.

31
Q

What is syncope?

A

Fainting.

32
Q

What is a tonic-clonic seizure?

A

Type of severe epileptic seizure characterized by a loss of consciousness and convulsions.

The seizure alternates between strong continuous muscle spasms (tonic) and rhythmic muscle contraction and relaxation (clonic). It is also known as grand mal seizure.

33
Q

What is a tremor?

A

Involuntary, repetitive, alternating movement of a part of the body.

34
Q

What does unconscious mean?

A

State of being unaware of surroundings, with the inability to respond to stimuli.

35
Q

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

A

Chronic, organic mental disorder consisting of dementia, which is more prevalent in adults after 65 years of age.

Involves progressive disorientation, apathy (without feeling), speech and gait (manner of walking) disturbances, and loss of memory. Named for German neurologist Alois Alzheimer.

36
Q

What is an astrocytoma?

A

Tumor of the brain or spinal cord composed of astrocytes, one type of neuroglial cells.

37
Q

What is a brain tumor?

A

Intracranial mass, either benign or malignant.

A benign tumor of the brain can still be fatal since it will grow and cause pressure on the normal brain tissue.

38
Q

What is cerebellitis?

A

Inflammation of the cerebellum.

39
Q

What is a cerebral aneurysm?

A

Located abnormal dilation of a blood vessel, usually an artery; the result of a congenital defect or weakness in the wall of the vessel.

40
Q

What is a cerebral contusion?

A

Bruising of the brain from a blow or impact.

41
Q

What is cerebral palsy?

A

Brain damage resulting from a defect, trauma, infection, or lack of oxygen before, during, or shortly after birth.

42
Q

What is a cerebrovascular accident?

A

Development of an infarct (dead tissue) due to loss in the blood supply to an area of the brain.

Blood flow can be interrupted by a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhage), a floating clot (embolus), a stationary clot (thrombosis), or compression. The extent of damage depends on the size and location of the infarct and often includes dysphasia and hemiplegia. Commonly called a stroke.

43
Q

What is a concussion?

A

Injury to the brain resulting from the brain being shaken inside the skull from a blow or impact.

Symptoms vary and may include headache, blurred vision, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, and balance problems. Also called mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

44
Q

What is encephalitis?

A

Inflammation of the brain.

45
Q

What is epilepsy?

A

Recurrent disorder of the brain in which seizures and loss of consciousness occur as a result of uncontrolled electrical activity of the neurons in the brain.

46
Q

What is hydrocephalus?

A

Accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricles of the brain, causing the head to be enlarged.

It is treated by creating an artificial shunt for the fluid to leave the brain. If left untreated, it may lead to seizures and mental retardation.

47
Q

What is a migraine?

A

Specific type of headache characterized by severe head pain, sensitivity to light, dizziness, and nausea.

48
Q

What is Parkinson’s disease?

A

Chronic disorder of the nervous system with fine tremors, muscular weakness, rigidity, and a shuffling gait.

Named for British Physician James Parkinson.

49
Q

What is Reye’s syndrome?

A

Combinations of symptoms first recognized by Australian pathologist R.D.K. Reye that includes acute encephalopathy and damage to various organs, especially the liver.

This occurs in children under age 15 who have had a viral infection. It is also associated with taking aspirin. For this reason, it’s not recommended for children to use aspirin.

50
Q

What is a transient ischemic attack?

A

Temporary interference with blood supply to the brain, causing neurological symptoms such as dizziness, numbness, and hemiparesis.

May eventually lead to a full blown stroke. (CVA)

51
Q

What is a traumatic brain injury?

A

Damage to the brain resulting from impact (such as car accident), blast waves (such as from an explosion), or a penetrating projectile (such as caused by a bullet).

Symptoms may be mild, moderate, or severe and may include loss of consciousness, headache, vomiting, loss of motor coordination, and dizziness.

52
Q

What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

A

Disease with muscular weakness and atrophy due to degeneration of motor neurons of the spinal cord.

Also called Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the New York Yankees baseball player who died from the disease.

53
Q

What is meningocele?

A

Congenital condition in which the meninges protrude through an opening in the vertebral column.

54
Q

What is myelitis?

A

Inflammation of the spinal cord.

55
Q

What is myelomeningocele?

A

Congenital condition in which the meninges and spinal cord protrude through an opening in the vertebral column.

56
Q

What is poliomyelitis?

A

Viral inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Results in varying degrees of paralysis; may be mild and reversible or may be severe and permanent. This disease has been almost eliminated due to the discovery of a vaccine in the 1950s.

57
Q

What is spina bifida?

A

Congenital defect in the walls of the spinal canal in which the laminae of the vertebra do not meet or close.

May result in a meningocele or a myelomeningocele, meninges or the spinal cord being pushed through the opening.

58
Q

What is a spinal cord injury?

A

Damage to the spinal cord as a result of trauma. Spinal cord may be bruised or completely severed.

59
Q

What is Bell’s palsy?

A

One-sided facial paralysis due to inflammation of the facial nerve, probably viral in nature.

The patient cannot control salivation, tearing of the eyes, or expression, but most will eventually recover.

60
Q

What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?

A

Disease of the nervous system in which nerves lose their myelin covering.

May be caused by an autoimmune reaction. Characterized by loss of sensation and/or muscle control starting in the legs. Symptoms then move toward the trunk and may even result in paralysis of the diaphragm.

61
Q

What is multiple sclerosis?

A

Inflammatory disease of the central nervous system in which there is extreme weakness and numbness due to loss of myelin insulation around nerves.

62
Q

What is myasthenia gravis?

A

Disease with severe muscular weakness and fatigue due to insufficient neurotransmitter at a synapse.

63
Q

What is a neuroma?

A

Nerve tumor or tumor of the connective tissue sheath around a nerve.

64
Q

What is neuropathy?

A

General term for disease or damage to a nerve.

65
Q

What is polyneuritis?

A

Inflammation of two or more nerves.

66
Q

What is radiculitis?

A

Inflammation of a nerve root; may be caused by a herniated nucleus pulposus.

67
Q

What is radiculopathy?

A

Refers to the condition that occurs when a herniated nucleus pulposus puts pressure on a nerve root.

Symptoms include pain and numbness along the path of the affected nerve.

68
Q

What is shingles?

A

Eruption of painful blisters on the body along a nerve path.

Thought to be caused by a Herpes zoster virus infection of the nerve root.

69
Q

What is an epidural hematoma?

A

Mass of blood in the space outside the dura mater of the brain and spinal cord.

70
Q

What is a meningioma?

A

A tumor in the meninges.

71
Q

What is meningitis?

A

Inflammation of the meninges around the brain or spinal cord caused by bacterial or viral infection.

Symptoms include fever, headache, neck stiffness, lethargy, vomiting, irritability, and photophobia.

72
Q

What is a subdural hematoma?

A

Mass of blood forming beneath the dura mater if the meninges are torn by trauma.

May exert fatal pressure on the brain if the hematoma is not drained by surgery.

med term (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions