Neurology (Pt. 3)

Question 1

Alzheimer Disease

Answer 1

Chronic brain condition involving progressive disorientation, speech and gait disturbances, and loss of memory.

Question 2

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Answer 2

Disease with muscular weakness and atrophy due to degeneration of motor neurons of spinal cord; commonly called Lou Gehrig Disease.

Question 3

Anticonvulsant

Answer 3

Medication to reduce excitability of neurons and to prevent uncontrolled neuron activity associated with seizures.

Question 4

Brain Tumor

Answer 4

Intracranial mass, either benign or malignant; benign tumor of brain can still be fatal because it will grow and cause pressure on normal brain tissue.

Question 5

Cerebral Contusion

Answer 5

Bruising of brain from impact; symptoms last longer than 24 hours and include unconsciousness, dizziness, vomiting, unequal pupil size, and shock.

Question 6

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Answer 6

Nonprogressive brain damage resulting from defect in fetal development or trauma or oxygen deprivation at time of birth.

Question 7

Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis

Answer 7

Laboratory examination of clear, watery, colorless fluid from within brain and spinal cord; detects infections or bleeding of brain.

Question 8

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

Answer 8

Development of brain infarct due to loss in blodd supply to brain, can be caused by ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhage), floating clot (embolus), stationary clot (thrombosis), or compression; extend of damage depends on size and location of infarct and can include dysphasia and hemiplegia; commonly called stroke.

Question 9

Coma

Answer 9

Profound unconsciouness or stupor resulting from illness or injury.

Question 10

Concussion

Answer 10

Injury to brain when brain is shaken inside skull because of impact; symptoms last 24 hours or less and can include dizziness, vomiting, unequal pupil size, and shock.

Question 11

Dementia

Answer 11

Progressive impairment of intellectual function that interferes with performing activities of daily living.

Question 12

Epilepsy

Answer 12

Recurrent disorder of brain; seizures and loss of consciousness occur as result of uncontrolled neuron electrical activity.

Question 13

Hydrocephalus

Answer 13

Buildup of cerebrospinal fluid within brain, causing head to be enlarged; treated by creating shunt from brain to abdomen to drain excess fluid.

Question 14

Lumbar Puncture

Answer 14

Puncture with needle into lumbar vertebral area (usually space between fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae) to withdraw fluid for examination or for injection of medication, also called spinal puncture or spinal tap.

Question 15

Migraine

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Answer 16

Inflammatory autoimmune disease of central nervous system; immune system damages myelin around neurons and results in extreme weakness and numbness.

Question 17

Myasthenia Gravis

Answer 17

Autoimmune disease with severe muscular weakness and fatigue due to difficulty of electrical impulse passing across synapse from one nerve to the next.

Question 18

Paralysis

Answer 18

Temporary or permenant loss of muscle function and movement.

Question 19

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Answer 19

Use of positive radionuclides to reconstruct brain sections; measurement of oxygen and glucose uptake, cerebral blood flow, and blood volume can be taken; amount of glucose brain uses indicates its metabolic activity.

Question 20

Seizure

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Absence Seizure

Answer 21

(Petit Mal Seizure) Appears as loss of awareness and absence of activity.

Question 22

Tonic-clonic Seizure

Answer 22

(Grand Mal Seizure) is characterized by muscle convulsions.

Question 23

Shingles

Answer 23

Eruption of painful blisters on the body along nerve path; thought to be caused by a herpes zoster virus infection of nerve root.

Question 24

Spina Bifida

Answer 24

Congenital defect in walls of spinal canal in which two sides of vertebra do not meet or close; can result in meningocele or myelomeningocele.

Question 25

Spinal Cord Injury

Answer 25

Damage to spinal cord as result of trauma; spinal cord can be bruised or completely severed.

Question 26

Subdural Hematoma

Answer 26

Mass of blood forming underneath dura mater when meninges are torn by trauma; can exert fatal pressure on brain if hematoma is not drained by surgery.

Question 27

Syncope

Answer 27

Fainting

Question 28

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Answer 28

Temporary reduction of blood supply to brain; causes symptoms such as syncope, numbness, and hemiplegia; can eventually lead to cerebrovascular accident.

Question 29

Parkinson Disease

Answer 29

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