Neurology: Vocabulary Flashcards
Peripheral Neuropathy
Any malfunction or damage of the peripheral nerves. Results may include muscle weakness, loss of sensation, impaired reflexes, and internal organ malfunctions.
Wernicke’s Syndrome
Condition characterized by loss of memory and disorientation, associated with chronic alcohol intake and a diet deficient in thiamine.
Korsakoff’s Psychosis
Psychosis characterized by disorientation, muttering, delirium, insomnia, delusions, and hallucinations. Symptoms include painful extremities, bilateral wrist drop (rarely), bilateral foot drop (frequent), and pain on pressure over the long nerves.
Stroke
Cause by either ischemic or hemorrhagic lesions to a portion of the brain, resulting in damage or destruction of brain tissue. Commonly also called cerebrovascular accident or “brain attack”
Transient Ischemic Attack
Temporary interruption of blood supply to the brain.
Partial Seizures
Seizures that remain confined to a limited portion of the brain, causing localized malfunction. Partial seizures may spread and become generalized.
Tonic-clonic seizure
Type of generalized seizure characterized by rapid loss of consciousness and motor coordination, muscle spasms, and jerking motions.
Tonic Phase
Phase of a seizure characterized by tension or contraction of muscles.
Clonic Phase
Phrase of a seizure characterized by alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles.
Absence Seizure
Type of generalized seizure with sudden onset, characterized by a brief loss of awareness and rapid recovery
Simple partial seizure
Type of partial seizure that involves local motor, sensory, or autonomic dysfunction of one area of the body. There is no loss of consciousness.
Complex partial seizure
Type of partial seizure usually originating in the temporal lobe characterized by an aura and focal findings such as alterations in mental status or mood.
Treatment of Seizures
Maintain airway Oxygen IV- No D50W unless hypoglycemic BG Do not restrain Body Temp Management Position PT on left side after Clonic-tonic phase Suction if needed EKG Monitoring Seizure >5 min- anticonvulsant Transport
Status Epileptics
Define and Treat
Series of two or more generalized motor seizures without any intervening periods of consciousness. Treatment: Manage Airway IV- NS at TKO EKG Monitoring Give D50W if Hypoglycemic 5-10 mg of Diazepam (Valium) Use Flumazenil to reverse effects of Diazepam if needed.
Syncope
Define and Treat
Transient loss of consciousness due to inadequate flow of blood to the brain with rapid recover of consciousness on becoming supine; fainting. Treatment: Manage Airway O2 Check Circulatory status Monitor Mental Status IV at TKO BG EKG monitoring Oximetry Transport
Neoplasm
Literally meaning “new form”: a new or abnormal formation: a tumor.
Brain Abscess
A collection of pus localized in an area of the brain.
Degenerative Neurological Disorders
A collection of diseases that selectively affects one or more functional systems of the central nervous system.
Alzheimer’s Disease
A degenerative brain disorder: the most common cause of dementia in the elderly. Caused by Death and disappearance of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. Signs and Symptoms: Short-term memory problems Shuffling gait Stiffness Aphasia (inability to speak) Psychiatric Disturbances End Stage- PT becomes Decorticate
Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
A group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration of the skeletal or voluntary muscle fibers.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Disease that involves inflammation of certain nerve cells followed by demyelination, or the destruction of the myelin sheath, which is the fatty insulation surrounding nerve fibers. Commonly in women starting age 20-40 Signs and Symptoms: Weakness of one or more limbs Sensory Loss Paresthesias Vision Changes
Dystonias
A group of disorders characterized by muscle contractions that cause twisting and repetitive movements, abnormal postures, or freezing in the middle of an action.
Parkinson’s Disease
Chronic and progressive motor system disorder characterized by tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. Other Signs and Symptoms: Depression Shuffling gait Stiff-stone like face Dementia
Central Pain Syndrome
Condition resulting from damage of injury to the brain, brainstem, or spinal cord characterized by intense, steady pain described as burning, aching, tingling, or a “pins and needles” sensation.
Bell’s Palsy
One-sided facial paralysis with an unknown cause characterized by the inability to close the ye, pain, tearing of the eyes, drooling, hypersensitivity to sound, and impairment of taste.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)/ Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Progressive degeneration of specific nerve cells that control voluntary movement characterized by weakness, loss of motor control, difficulty speaking, and cramping.
Eventually leads to weakened diaphragm and breathing problems.
Myoclonus
Temporary, involuntary twitching or spasm of a muscle or group of muscles.
Spina Bifida (SB) Define and name the three types
A neural defect that results from the failure of one or more of the fetal vertebrae to close properly during the first month of pregnancy.
Myelomeningocele- Spinal Cord and the meninges protrude from an opening in the spine.
Meningocele- Meninges protrude through a spinal opening
Occulta- One or more vertebrae are malformed and covered by a layer of skin.
Poliomyelitis (polio)
Infectious, inflammatory viral disease of the central nervous system that sometimes results in permanent paralysis. Signs and Symptoms: Fatigue Headache Fever Vomiting Stiffness of neck Pain in hands and feet
