Unit 6 Full Word List 2024 Flashcards
acoustic
pertaining to hearing
aerotitis
air in the middle ear
afferent
traveling towards a structure
agnosia
not knowing
akinetopsia
motion-blindness
amblyopia
disease in which one eye’s input is ignored by the brain
ampulla
round flask; structure in the vestibular system which resembles a flask
amyotrophic
pertaining to muscle tissue wasting
anastomosis
“backwards mouth”; two openings coming together to form one
anesthesia
lack of sensation (usually, pain)
anesthesiologist
physician who administers anesthesia
aneurysm
ballooning of a blood vessel
aniridia
disease marked by the absence of an iris
anorexia
disease marked by a lack of desire (usually, for food)
anosmia
disease marked by an absence of the ability to smell
anticonvulsant
drug which stops seizure activity
antidepressant
drug which regulates mood
antipsychotic
drug which reverses symptoms of psychosis (a loss of contact with reality)
anxiolytic
drug which “breaks down” or reduces anxiety
apathy
lack of feeling
aphakia
absence of the lens
aphasia
absence of the power of speech (also, written language)
aponeurosis
sheath of connective tissue joining muscle and bones
arachnoid
one of the meninges; layer covering the brain that resembles a wet spider web
arteriosclerosis
hardening of the arteries
asthenopia
eye strain or eye fatigue
astigmatism
defect in the optical properties of the eye
atherosclerosis
buildup of plaque in the arteries
audiogram
graphical representation of a patient’s hearing
audiologist
clinician who studies hearing
audiometry
measurement of a patient’s hearing
auditory
pertaining to hearing
aural
pertaining to hearing
autism
alternative wiring of the brain resulting in characteristic behaviors and symptoms
autonomic
pertaining to body systems not under control of the conscious mind
axodendritic
a contact between an axon and a neuronal dendrite
axon
the part of a nerve cell responsible for its output
axosecretory
release of chemicals from an axon to the blood
axosomatic
a contact between an axon and neuronal cell body
basilar
running along the base of the brain (the name of an artery which does this)
binocular
using both eyes to perceive the visual world
bipolar
a neuron with two major extensions from the cell body
blepharedema
swelling of the eyelid
blepharitis
inflammation of the eyelid
blepharoconjunctivitis
inflammation of the eyelid and mucous membranes of the eye
blepharoplasty
surgical revision of the eyelid
blepharoplegia
paralysis of the eyelid
blepharoptosis
drooping of the eyelid
blepharopyorrhea
flow of pus from the eyelid
blepharospasm
involuntary contraction of the eyelid
blepharotomy
cutting into the eyelid
brain
the largest part of the central nervous system
bulimia
eating disorder characterized by the binge-purge-starve syndrome
cataract
cloudiness in the lens of the eye
catatonia
disease characterized by a lack of awareness
caudate
a structure in the brain which resembles a tail (Latin cauda)
cephalalgia
pain in the head
cephalodynia
pain in the head
cerebellar
pertaining to the part of the brain under the cerebrum
cerebellitis
inflammation of the cerebellum
cerebellum
part of the brain under the cerebrum and attached to the brainstem
cerebral
pertaining to the cerebrum
cerebromeningitis
inflammation of the brain and the membranes that cover it
cerebropathy
disease of the brain
cerebrospinal
pertaining to the brain and spinal cord
cerebrotomy
cutting into the brain
cerebrovascular
pertaining to the blood vessels of the brain
cerebrum
the large, wrinkled part of the brain; right and left hemispheres
cerumen
ear wax
ceruminolysis
process of breaking down ear wax
ceruminolytic
substance which breaks down ear wax
ceruminoma
tumor in the glands which produce ear wax
ceruminosis
condition of excessive ear wax
chemoreceptor
nerve cell which detects the presence of specific chemicals
choroid
a tissue resembling the chorionic membrane of the embryo; there is a choroid of the eye and a choroid plexus lining the ventricles of the brain
clonus
involuntary, rhythmic muscle contractions
cochlear
pertaining to the hearing apparatus of the inner ear (Latin “snail”, because of its anatomical resemblance to a snail)
cochleitis
inflammation of the cochlea
conductive
arising from a defect in the structures which bring sound to the inner ear
conjunctiva
mucous membrane of the eye
conjunctivitis
inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye
convulsion
sudden, violent, involuntary contraction of muscle
cornea
the clear window covering the iris and pupil
corticospinal
nerve cell pathway connecting the cerebral cortex and the spinal cord
craniosclerosis
hardening of the skull
craniosynostosis
premature fusion and hardening of the bones of a child’s skull
cyclokeratitis
inflammation of the cornea and ciliary body of the eye
cycloplegia
paralysis of the ciliary body of the eye
cyclotomy
cutting into the ciliary body of the eye
dacryoadenalgia
pain in the lacrimal gland (the gland that makes tears to lubricate the eye)
dacryoadenectomy
removal of a lacrimal gland
dacryoadenitis
inflammation of a lacrimal gland
dacryocystalgia
pain in the nasolacrimal sac (which stores tears to lubricate the eye)
dacryocystectomy
surgical removal of the nasolacrimal sac
dacryocystitis
inflammation of the nasolacrimal sac
dacryocystorhinostomy
surgery to enlarge the opening of the nasolacrimal sac
dacryocystotomy
cutting into the nasolacrimal sac
dacryohemorrhea
blood mixed with tears
dacryolith
stone in the lacrimal glands
dacryolithiasis
condition of stones in the lacrimal glands
dacryopyorrhea
flow of pus from the lacrimal glands
dacryorrhea
excessive flow of tears from the lacrimal glands
dacryostenosis
blockage of tears from the lacrimal glands
decrement
slow, steady decrease in size
decussation
crossing
delirium
confusion and disorientation
dementia
lack of orientation to person, place, or time, often with memory loss
depolarization
an accumulation of positive charges inside a nerve cell
dermatome
region on the surface of the body which sends information along a single spinal nerve
diencephalon
region of the brain between the cerebrum and the brainstem; thalamus and associated structures
diplopia
double vision
dopamine
chemical signaling molecule of the brain
dura
one of the meninges; layer covering the brain made up of tough connective tissue
duritis
inflammation of the dura, one of the coverings of the brain
dysesthesia
abnormal sensation
dyslexia
disruption in the ability to read
dysphasia
disruption in the ability to speak
dysphoria
abnormal sensation of dread or unease
echoencephalography
the use of ultrasound to image the brain
ectropion
turning of the eyelid away from the eyeball
efferent
traveling away from a structure
electroencephalography
the use of electrical activity to image the brain
electrophysiology
the study of electrical activity in the brain or in brain cells
embolism
obstruction of an artery by a clot or air bubble
encephalitis
inflammation of the brain
encephalocele
herniation of the brain
encephalogram
image or trace of the electrical activity of the brain
encephalomyelitis
inflammation of the brain and spinal cord
encephalomyeloneuropathy
a disease of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves
encephalopathy
a disease of the brain
encephalopyosis
condition of pus in the brain
endarterectomy
removal of the inner lining of an artery along with a clot or plaque
endolymph
fluid of the inner ear
endoneurium
innermost connective tissue layer of a nerve
endophthalmitis
inflammation of the inside of the eye
endovascular
pertaining to the inner lining of a blood vessel
entropion
turning of the eyelid toward the eyeball
enucleation
removal of the eyeball
ependymal
pertaining to cells lining the ventricles (fluid-filled chambers of the brain)
epidural
pertaining to the space outside the dura, one of the coverings of the brain
epilepsy
disease characterized by the sudden onset of seizures
epineurium
outermost connective tissue of a nerve
esotropia
eye misalignment where both eyes turn inward
euphoria
sensation of well-being or happiness
exophthalmus
protrusion of the eyes out of the head
exotropia
eye misalignment where both eyes turn outward
externa
outermost
exteroceptor
nerve cell which detects the presence of stimuli outside the body
extraocular
outside of the eye, especially referring to the muscles which move the eye
fascicle
bundle of nerve axons
frontal
bone at the front of the skull; lobe of the brain in the front
ganglioma
tumor of a ganglion
ganglion
a collection of nerve cells outside the central nervous system
ganglionitis
inflammation of a ganglion
glaucoma
abnormal increase in pressure within the eye
glossopharyngeal
pertaining to the tongue and oral cavity
gustation
the sensation of taste
gyrus
elevated bump on the surface of the cerebrum
hematoma
mass of blood
hemianopsia
abnormal visual perception, “half not seeing”
hemiparesis
muscle weakness affecting half of the body (e.g. right upper and lower extremity)
hemiplegia
paralysis affecting half of the body (e.g. right upper and lower extremity)
hemorrhagic
abnormal blood flow