Terms 21 Flashcards
antegrade amnesia
loss of memory of events that occurred after a traumatic event to the brain; an inability to recall new information.
axon
long, slender projection of a nerve cell (neuron) that conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron’s cell body.
brain stem
the lower part of the brain, adjoining and structurally continuous with the spinal cord.
central nervous system (CNS)
the part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord.
cerebellum
posterior part of the brain that plays an important role in the integration of sensory perception and motor control, especially for coordination.
cerebrospinal fluid
serum-like fluid that functions in shock absorption for central nervous system structures; circulates through passages within the brain and within the meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
cerebrum
region on the top of the brain that integrates sensory perception and motor control and is involved in attention and the processing of language, music, and other sensory stimuli.
diffuse axonal injury
the most common and devastating types of traumatic brain injury; results when damage occurs over a more widespread area than in focal brain injury.
epidural hematoma
a traumatic brain injury in which a buildup of blood occurs between the dura mater and the skull.
intracranial pressure
the pressure within the skull; can also be exerted on the brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid.
lucid period
a short period during which the condition of a patient with a traumatic brain injury temporarily improves before again deteriorating.
neural ischemia
a condition in which part of the brain or spinal cord receives too little oxygenated blood; damage to these organs results after only a few minutes of anoxia.
neuron
nerve cell.
peripheral nervous system
the part of the nervous system outside the central nervous system.
recurrent traumatic brain injury
a condition in which the head suffers multiple, successive injuries before a previous injury has fully healed; subsequent injuries can be much more severe due to the occurrence of previous injuries.