neurological terminology

Question 1

central nervous system

Answer 1

brain and spinal cord; “processing center” for entire nervous system; control workings of the body

Question 2

paresthesisas

Answer 2

a burning or prickling sensation (hands, arms, legs, feet)

Question 3

vestibulocholear nerve

Answer 3

CN 8; hearing and maintaining balance

Question 4

peripheral nervous system

Answer 4

part outside brain and spinal cord; sends and receives information to/fr body to the brain

Question 5

paresis

Answer 5

a condition in which muscle movement has become weakened or impaired

Question 6

glossopharyngeal nerve

Answer 6

CN 9; throat sensation, taste, and swallowing

Question 7

cerebellum

Answer 7

in back of head between cerebrum and brain stem; controls balance for walking and standing

Question 8

paralysis

Answer 8

the loss of the ability to move some or all of your body

Question 9

vagus nerve

Answer 9

CN 10; movement, sensation, and abdominal organs

Question 10

cerebrum

Answer 10

largest part of the brain and divided into two hemispheres responsible for muscle function, speech, thought, emotions, reading, writing, and learning

Question 11

incontinence

Answer 11

inability to control the flow of urine from the bladder

Question 12

spinal accessory nerve

Answer 12

CN 11; neck movement

Question 13

brainstem

Answer 13

connects cerebrum to spinal cord; midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata; regulates certain involuntary actions

Question 14

seizure

Answer 14

sudden, uncontrolled body movements and changes in behavior that occur because of abnormal electrical activity in the brain

Question 15

hypoglossal nerve

Answer 15

CN 12; movement of tongue

Question 16

spinal cord

Answer 16

base of skull to center of back; sends motor commands from brain to body, sensory info from body to brain, and coordinate reflexes

Question 17

olfactory nerve

Answer 17

CN 1; smell

Question 18

flaccidity

Answer 18

paralysis where the muscle becomes soft and leads to passive stretching; loss of muscle tone

Question 19

optic nerve

Answer 19

CN 2; vision

Question 20

spasticity

Answer 20

stiff/rigid muscles

Question 21

spinal nerves

Answer 21

mixed nerves that interact directly with the spinal cord to modulate motor and sensory information from the body’s periphery

Question 22

oculomotor nerve

Answer 22

CN 3; eye movement and pupil reflex

Question 23

rigidity

Answer 23

continuous involuntary sustained muscle contraction

Question 24

dermatome

Answer 24

the area of sensory nerves near the skin that are supplied by a specific spinal nerve root

Question 25

trochlear nerve

Answer 25

CN 4; eye movements

Question 26

involuntary movements

Answer 26

occurs when you move your body in an uncontrollable and unintended way

Question 27

disequilibrium

Answer 27

a sensation of impending fall or of the need to obtain external assistance for proper locomotion

Question 28

trigeminal nerve

Answer 28

CN 5; face sensation and chewing

Question 29

ataxia

Answer 29

poor muscle control that causes clumsy voluntary movements

Question 30

vertigo

Answer 30

a sensation of motion or spinning that is often described as dizziness

Question 31

abducens nerve

Answer 31

CN 6; eye movements (lateral, abduction)

Question 32

neuropathy

Answer 32

a nerve problem that causes pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, or muscle weakness in different parts of the body

Question 33

presyncope

Answer 33

the sensation of feeling faint without actually fainting

Question 34

facial nerve

Answer 34

CN 7; face movement and taste

Question 35

reflex arc

Answer 35

a special type of neural circuit that begins with a sensory neuron at a receptor (e.g., a pain receptor in the fingertip) and ends with a motor neuron at an effector (e.g., a skeletal muscle)

Question 36

biceps reflex

Answer 36

an involuntary contraction of the biceps muscle of the arm produced by tapping upon its tendon

Question 37

triceps reflex

Answer 37

a reflex as it elicits involuntary contraction of the triceps brachii muscle

Question 38

brachioradialis reflex

Answer 38

a deep tendon reflex involving the C5 and C6 nerve roots through its innervation by the radial nerve

Question 39

achilles reflex

Answer 39

a form of stretch reflex in which the foot jerks towards its plantar surface when the Achilles tendon is tapped while the foot is dorsiflexed

Question 40

babinski (plantar) reflex

Answer 40

occurs after the sole of the foot has been firmly stroked. the big toe then moves upward or toward the top surface of the foot. the other toes fan out. this reflex is normal in children up to 2 years old. it disappears as the child gets older

Question 41

pupillary reflex

Answer 41

a reflex reaction wherein the pupil constricts in response to the light stimulation of the retina

Question 42

romberg test

Answer 42

a simple physical test to see if you have balance problems that are related to proprioception

Question 43

bell’s palsy

Answer 43

a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face

Question 44

nystagmus

Answer 44

fast, uncontrollable movements of the eyes that may be: side to side (horizontal nystagmus) up and down (vertical nystagmus)

Question 45

tremors

Answer 45

a neurological disorder that causes shaking movements in one or more parts of your body, most often in your hands

Question 46

aura

Answer 46

a simple focal seizure, also known as a partial seizure

Question 47

dysarthria

Answer 47

where you have difficulty speaking because the muscles you use for speech are weak

Question 48

dysphagia

Answer 48

swallowing difficulties

Question 49

clonus

Answer 49

involuntary and rhythmic muscle contractions caused by a permanent lesion in descending motor neurons

Question 50

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)/stroke

Answer 50

a loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which damages brain tissue