Neuro Flashcards
Agnosia
loss of ability to recognize importance of sensory impressions
Agraphia
loss of ability to express thoughts in writing
Amnesia
loss of memory
Analgesia
loss of pain sensation
Aphasia
loss of power of expression by speech, writing, or signs; or loss of comprehension of spoken or written language
Apraxia
loss of ability to perform purposeful movements in the absence of sensory or motor damage (e.g., inability to use objects correctly)
Ataxia
_ inability to perform coordinated movements
Athetosis
bizarre, slow twisting, writhing movement, resembling a snake or worm
Chorea
sudden, rapid, jerky, purposeless movement involving limbs, trunk, or face
Clonus
rapidly alternating involuntary contraction and relaxation of a muscle in response to sudden stretch
Coma
_ state of profound unconsciousness from which a person cannot be aroused
Concussion
collision or trauma caused violent shaking of brain, yielding behavioral changes but no changes on radiologic imaging
Decerebrate rigidity
arms stiffly extended, adducted, internally rotated; legs extended, internally rotated, plantar-flexed
Dysarthria
imperfect articulation of speech due to problems of muscular control resulting from central or peripheral nervous system damage
Dysphasia
impairment in speech consisting of lack of coordination and inability to arrange words in their proper order
Extinction
disappearance of conditioned response
Fasciculation
rapid continuous twitching of resting muscle without movement of limb
Flaccidity
loss of muscle tone, limp
Graphesthesia
_ ability to “read” a number by having it traced on the skin
Hemiplegia
loss of motor power (paralysis) on one side of the body, usually caused by a stroke; paralysis occurs on side opposite the lesion
Lower motor neuron
_ motor neuron in the peripheral nervous system with its nerve fiber extending out to the muscle and only it cell body in the central nervous system
Myoclonus
rapid sudden jerk of muscle
Nuchal rigidity
_ stiffness in cervical neck area
Nystagmus
back and forth oscillation of the eyes
Opisthotonos
prolonged arching of back, with head and heels bent backwards, and meningeal irritation
P. Paralysis
decreased or loss of motor function due to problem with motor nerve or muscle fibers
Paraplegia
impairment or loss of motor and/or sensory function in the lower half of the body
Paresthesia
abnormal sensation (e.g., burning, numbness, tingling, prickling, crawling skin sensation)
Point location
ability of the person to discriminate exactly where on the body the skin has been touched
Spasticity
continuous resistance to stretching by a muscle due to abnormally increased tension with increased deep tendon reflexes
Stereognosis
ability to recognize objects by feeling their form, size, and weight while the eyes are closed
Tic
repetitive twitching of a muscle group at inappropriate times (e.g., wink, grimace)
Tremor
involuntary contraction of opposing muscle groups resulting in rhythmic movement of one or more joints
Two-point discrimination
ability to distinguish the separation of two simultaneous pinpricks on the skin
HH. Upper motor neuron
nerve located entirely within the central nervous system