Neuro Terminology

Question 1

akinesia

Answer 1

inability to initiate movement; common in parkinsons

Question 2

asthenia

Answer 2

generalized weakness, typically secondary to cerebellar pathology

Question 3

ataxia

Answer 3

inability to perform coordinated movements

Question 4

athetosis

Answer 4

a condition that presents with involuntary movements combined with instability of posture. peripheral movements occur without central stability

Question 5

bradykinesia

Answer 5

movement that is very slow

Question 6

chorea

Answer 6

movements that are sudden, random, and involuntary

Question 7

clasp knife response

Answer 7

a form of resistance seen during range of motion of a hypotonic joint where there is greatest resistance at the initiation of range that lessens with movement through the range of motion

Question 8

clonus

Answer 8

a characteristic of an upper motor neuron lesion, involuntary alternating spasmodic contraction of a muscle precipitated by a quick stretch reflex

Question 9

cogwheel rigidity

Answer 9

a form of rigidity where resistance to movement has a phasic quality to it; often seen with parkinson’s disease

Question 10

dysdiadochokinesia

Answer 10

inability to perform rapidly alternating movments

Question 11

dsmetria

Answer 11

inability to control the range of a movement and the force of muscular activity

Question 12

dystonia

Answer 12

closely related to athetosis, however there is larger axial muscle involvement rather than appendicular muscles

Question 13

fasciculation

Answer 13

muscular twitch that is caused by random discharge of a lower motor neuron and its muscle fibers, suggests lower motor neuron disease but can be benign

Question 14

hemiballism

Answer 14

an involuntary and violent movement of a large body part

Question 15

kinesthesia

Answer 15

ability to perceive the direction and extent of movement of a joint or body part

Question 16

lead pipe rigidity

Answer 16

a form of rigidity where there is uniform and constant resistance to range of motion; often associated with lesions of the basal ganglia

Question 17

rigidity

Answer 17

a state of severe hypertonicity where a sustained muscle contraction does not allow for any movement at a specified joint

Question 18

tremor

Answer 18

involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movements secondary to a basal ganglia lesion

there are various classifications secondary to specific etiology

Question 19

agnosia

Answer 19

inability to interpret information

Question 20

agraphesthesia

Answer 20

inability to represent symbols, letters or numbers traced on skin

Question 21

agraphia

Answer 21

inability to write due to a lesion within the brain and is typically found in combination with aphasia

Question 22

alexia

Answer 22

inability to read or comprehend written language secondary to a lesion within the dominant lobe of the brain

Question 23

anosogonsia

Answer 23

denial or unawareness of ones illness

Question 24

aphasia

Answer 24

inability to communicate or comprehend due to damage to specific areas of the brain

Question 25

apraxia

Answer 25

inability to perform purposeful learned movements or activities even though there is no sensory or motor impairment that would hinder completion of the task

Question 26

astereognosis

Answer 26

inability to recognize objects by sense of touch

Question 27

body schema

Answer 27

having an understanding of the body as a whole and the relationship of its parts to the whole

Question 28

constructional apraxia

Answer 28

inability to reproduce geometric figures and designs

Question 29

decerebrate rigidity

Answer 29

a characteristic of a corticospinal lesion at the level of the brainstem that results in extension of the trunk and all extremities

Question 30

decorticate rigidity

Answer 30

a corticospinal lesion at the level of the diencephalon where the trunk and lower extremities are positioned in extension and the UE are positioned in flexion

Question 31

diplopia

Answer 31

double vision

Question 32

dysarthria

Answer 32

slurred and impaired speech due to motor deficit

Question 33

dysphagia

Answer 33

inability to swallow

Question 34

dysprosody

Answer 34

impairment in the rhythm and inflection of speech

Question 35

emotional lability

Answer 35

right hemisphere infarct where there is an inability to control emotions and outbursts of laughing or crying that are inconsistent with the situation

Question 36

fluent aphasia

Answer 36

characteristic of receptive aphasia where speech produces functional output regarding articulation, but lacks content and is typically dysprosodic using neologistic jargon

Question 37

hemiparesis

Answer 37

condition of weakness on one side of body

Question 38

hemiplegia

Answer 38

paralysis on one side of the body

Question 39

homonymous hemianopsia

Answer 39

loss of right or left half of field of vision in both eyes

Question 40

ideational apraxia

Answer 40

inability to formulate an initial motor plan and sequence tasks where the proprioceptive input necessary for movement is impaired

Question 41

ideomotor apraxia

Answer 41

person plans a movement or task, but cannot volitionally perform it - automatic movement may occur, however, a person cannot impose additional movement on command

Question 42

neologism

Answer 42

substitution within a word that is so severe tat it makes the word unrecognizable

Question 43

non-fluent aphasia

Answer 43

characteristic of expressive aphasia where speech is non-functional, effortful, and contains paraphasias writing is impaired

Question 44

perseveration

Answer 44

the state of repeatedly performing the same segment of a task or repeatedly saying the same word without purpose

Question 45

synergy

Answer 45

mass movement patterns that are primitive in nature and coupled with spasticity due to brain damage