HIM 361- Ch. 10

arachnoid membrane

middle layer of the three membranes (meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord

autonomic nervous system

nerves that control involuntary body functions of muscles, glands, and internal organs

axon

microscopic fiber that carries the nervous impulse along a nerve cell

brainstem

posterior portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord (includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla)

cell body

part of a nerve cell that contains the nucleus

central nervous system (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

cerebellum

posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle movements and maintains balance

cerebral cortex

outer region of the cerebrum, containing sheets of nerve cells; gray matter of the brain

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord

cerebrum

Largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary muscular activity, vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought, and memory.

cranial nerves

12 pairs of nerves that carry messages to and from the brain with regard to the head and neck (except the vagus nerve)

dendrite

microscopic branching fiber of a nerve cell that is the first part to receive the nervous impulse

dura mater

thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord

ganglion (plural: ganglia)

collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system

hypothalamus

portion of the brain beneath the thalamus; controls sleep, appetite, body temperature, and secretions from the pituitary gland

medulla oblongata

part of the brain just above the spinal cord; controls breathing, heartbeat, and the size of blood vessels; nerve fibers cross over here

meninges

three protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord

myelin sheath

Covering of white fatty tissue that surrounds and insulates the axon of a nerve cell. Myelin speeds impulse conduction along axons.

nerve

macroscopic cord-like collection of fibers (axons and dendrites) that carry electrical impulses

neuron

nerve cell that carries impulses throughout the body; parenchyma of the nervous system

parasympathetic nerves

involuntary, autonomic nerves that regulate normal body functions such as heart rate, breathing, and muscles of the gastrointestinal tract

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

nerves outside the brain and spinal cord; cranial, spinal, and autonomic nerves

pia mater

thin, delicate inner membrane of the meninges

pons

part of the brain anterior to the cerebellum and between the medulla and the rest of the midbrain

spinal nerves

31 pairs of nerves arising from the spinal cord

stimulus (plural: stimuli)

agent of change in the internal or external environment that evokes a response

sympathetic nerves

autonomic nerves that influence bodily functions involuntarily in times of stress

synapse

space through which a nervous impulse travels between nerve cells or between nerve and muscle or glandular cells

thalamus

Main relay center of the brain; conducts impulses between the spinal cord and the cerebrum; incoming sensory messages are relayed through the thalamus to appropriate centers in the cerebrum

ventricles of the brain

canals in the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid

cerebell/o

cerebellum

cerebr/o

cerebrum

dur/o

dura mater

encephal/o

brain

gli/o

glial cells

lept/o

thin, slender

mening/o, meningi/o

membranes, meninges

What is myelomeningocele?

the most common form of spina bifida in which the bones of the spine do not completely form, resulting in an incomplete spinal canal, causing the spinal cord and meninges to stick out of the child's back

What is meningocele?

a form of spina bifida in which meninges protrude through defect in the vertebral arches but the spinal cord and nerves do not

my/o

muscle

myel/o

spinal cord, bone marrow

neur/o

nerve

pont/o

pons

radicul/o

nerve root (of spinal nerves)

thalam/o

thalamus

thec/o

sheath (refers to the meninges)

vag/o

vagus nerve (10th cranial nerve)

alges/o, -algesia

excessive sensitivity to pain

-algia

pain

caus/o

burning

comat/o

deep sleep (coma)

ethesi/o, -esthesia (don't confuse with -algia)

feeling, nervous sensation

kines/o, kinesi/o, -kinesia, -kinesis, -kinetic

movement

-lepsy

seizure

lex/o

word, phrase

-paresis

weakness

hemiparesis

weakness on one side of the body

-phasia

speech

aphasia

no, not speaking

-plegia (-don't confuse with -paresis)

paralysis (loss or impairment of the ability to move parts of the body)

hemiplegia

paralysis of one side of the body, usually caused by stroke (in whatever side of the brain the stroke occurred, the opposite side of the body is affected)

paraplegia

paralysis from the waist down. The lesion that caused the paralysis would be in the lumbar region

quadriplegia

paralysis of all four limbs (from the neck on down). The lesion that caused the paralysis would be in the cervical region.

-praxia

action

-sthenia

strength

syncop/o

to cut off, cut short

syncope

fainting- the sudden and temporary loss of consciousness due to inadequate flow of blood to the brain)

tax/o

order or coordination (ataxia= no coordination)

What does congenital mean?

it means "born with it"

hydrocephalus (can be congenital)

an abnormal accumulation of CSF in the brain

spina bifida (congenital)

congenital defects in the lumbar spinal column caused by imperfect union of vertebral parts (neural tube defect)

What are the two types of spina bifida?

1. spina bifida with a meningocele (meninges protrude)

2. spina bifida with a myelomeningocele (both the spinal cord and meninges protrude)

Alzheimer's disease (AD)

brain disorder where you have gradual and progressive mental deterioration (along with possible personality changes and impairment of daily functioning)

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

degeneration of the motor neurons, affecting the spinal cord and brain stem (cause and cure unknown)

epilepsy

chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizure activity

What are the 2 types of epilepsy?

1. tonic-clonic

2. absence seizures

What are tonic-clonic seizures?

(also called grand mal seizures)

a full blown seizure: sudden loss of consciousness, the patient falls down, stiffening of muscles, and jerking movements

What are absence seizures?

(also called petit mal seizures)

milder form of seizures; patietn experiences momentary, intermittent cloudiness and loses track of time

Huntington disease (Huntington chorea)

hereditary disorder marked by degenerative changes in the cerebrum leading to abrupt involuntary movements and mental deterioration

What's the difference between Parkinson's Disease

and Huntington Disease?

PD is where a person experiences tremors, but with Huntington Disease you have something more pronounced, often referred to as jerky movements of the arms and legs

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

destruction of the myelin sheath on neurons in the CNS and its replacement by plaques of sclerotic (hard) tissue (this affects electrical impulses form neuron to neuron)

myasthenia gravis (MG)

autoimmune neuromuscular disease that results in weakness of the voluntary muscles

What does palsy mean?

paralysis (partial or complete loss of motor function)

What are two types of palsy?

1. cerebral palsy= partial paralysis, lack of muscle, coordination, due to lack of oxygen getting to the brain

2. Bell's palsy= paralysis on one side of the face

Parkinson's disease (PD)

a degeneration of neurons in the basal ganglia that occurs later in life

What does Parkinson's Disease lead to?

-weakness of muscles

-tremors

-slowness of movement

-mask-like face

-shuffling gait and leaning

-arms stay at sides instead of swinging

Tourette Syndrome

involuntary, spasmodic, twitching movements; uncontrollable vocal sounds; and inappropriate words

herpes zoster (shingles) (infectious disorder)

viral infection affecting the peripheral nerves (it's a reactivation of the chicken pox virus that remains in the body after you've had it)

Meningitis (leptomeningitis) (infectious disorder)

inflammation of the meninges

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalopathy

when a patient who has AIDS develops brain disease and dementia

What does neoplastic mean?

new growth

brain tumor (neoplastic disorder)

abnormal growth of brain tissue and meninges

What is a traumatic disorder?

a disorder caused by external injury or trauma

cerebral concussion (traumatic disorder)

caused by a blow to the head

cerebral contusion

bruising of the brain tissue as a result of direct trauma to the head

contusion

medical term for bruising on the inside of the body

coma

loss of consciousness (reversible or irreversible) caused by a traumatic injury

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

disruption in the normal blood supply to the brain; stroke

what are the 3 types of stroke?

1. Thrombosis

2. Embolism

3. Hemorrhage

What causes a thrombotic stroke?

arteries that take blood to the brain get occluded by plaque build up