neuro terminology Flashcards
hyperacute
- instantaneous, seconds
- think vascular pathology
acute
- minute to days
- infective or inflammatory causes
subacute
- weeks to months
- think neoplasia
chronic
- years
- genetic or degenerative
spastic
- denotes the velocity-dependent increase in tone that follows upper motor
neurone pathology. - It has been likened to a clasp knife because of the ‘spastic catch’
- noted by the examiner on rapid passive limb movements
flaccid
– floppy as seen with lower motor neurone pathology, but that also may
occur acutely with severe upper motor neurone pathology
hemiparesis
weakness on one side of the body
Hemiplegia
paralysis ( no meaningful function on one side of the body)
Paraperesis/plegia
weakness or paralysis of the legs
Quadriparesis/plegia
weakness/paralysis of all four limbs
Diplegia
paralysis on both sides of the body
- facial diplegia
Encephalopathy
a pathological process involving the brain, usually diffuse
Encephalitis
infection and/or inflammation of the brain
Meningitis
infection and/or inflammation of the meninges
Myelopathy
– pathology of the spinal cord: cervical and/or thoracic
Radiculopathy
– pathology of the nerve roots
Plexopathy
a pathological process involving the plexus (cervical or lumbosacral)
Neuropathy
pathology of the nerve
Myopathy
pathology of the muscle
Aphasia
– loss of the ability to effectively communicate verbally due to a cognitive
communication deficit.
- May be expressive, receptive or both
Dysphasia
- cognitive communication impairment that does not prohibit verbal
communication. - May be expressive or receptive
Anarthria/dysarthria
loss of/difficulty with verbal communication due to problems
articulating words, for example, due to bulbar palsy or cerebellar disease
Apraxia/Dyspraxia
– loss of/difficulty planning to reach a given motor endpoint or
perform sequenced activity.
- May be ideational, unable to sequence an imagined act
e. g. ‘turn a key’, or ideomotor, unable to mimic an observed posture or movement
Ataxia
loss of ability to co-ordinate movements
Chorea
– dance-like movements, generally due to basal ganglia pathology. They may
- range from very fast (ballism) to very slow (athetosis). Described as ‘dyskinesia’
when induced by drugs, e.g. L-dopa, neuroleptics.
