Semester 2 Final

This has a lot of the most important vocab words. If you cant go through all of the indiviual chapters, do this.

Neuron

Basic cell of the nervous system having three parts; also called a nerve cell.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals between neurons.

Synapse

Space over which nerve impulses jump from one neuron to another.

Axon

Part of a nerve cell that conducts nerve impulses away from the cell body.

Dendrite

Branching extension of a nerve cell that conducts impulses toward the cell body.

Myelin sheath

Fatty tissue that covers axons and speeds impulse conduction.

Central nervous system

The brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system

Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.

Autonomic nervous system

Part of the nervous system that controls involuntary functions.

Sympathetic nervous system

Division of the autonomic nervous system active during stress.

Parasympathetic nervous system

Division of the autonomic nervous system active during rest.

Brain

Organ responsible for controlling body functions and responses.

Cerebrum

Largest part of the brain involved in thought, memory, and voluntary movement.

Cerebral cortex

Outer layer of the cerebrum.

Cerebellum

Part of the brain that coordinates movement and balance.

Brainstem

Part of the brain that controls vital functions such as breathing and heart rate.

Medulla oblongata

Part of the brainstem regulating heart rate, breathing, and reflexes.

Pons

Part of the brainstem involved in respiratory control.

Midbrain

Part of the brainstem involved with visual reflexes.

Thalamus

Sensory relay station of the brain.

Hypothalamus

Brain region involved in homeostasis and hormone regulation.

Meninges

Three membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord.

Dura mater

Outermost layer of the meninges.

Arachnoid

Middle layer of the meninges.

Pia mater

Innermost layer of the meninges.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Fluid that circulates around the brain and spinal cord.

Spinal cord

Ropelike nervous tissue extending from the brain.

Cranial nerves

12 pairs of nerves that carry impulses to and from the brain.

Spinal nerves

31 pairs of nerves carrying messages to and from the spinal cord.

Ganglion

Group of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system.

Reflex

Involuntary response to a stimulus.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

Record of the electrical activity of the brain.

CT scan

Cross-sectional radiographic imaging.

Lumbar puncture

Withdrawal of cerebrospinal fluid from the lumbar region.

PET scan

Imaging of the brain using radioactive isotopes and tomography.

Concussion

Brain injury caused by trauma.

Coma

State of profound unconsciousness with little response to stimuli.

Stroke

Neurological event caused by disrupted blood supply to the brain.

Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

Brief neurological event that may signal a future stroke.

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Another term for stroke.

Aneurysm

Abnormal widening of an artery wall.

Hemorrhagic stroke

Stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.

Thrombotic stroke

Stroke caused by a blood clot.

Embolic stroke

Stroke caused by an embolus blocking a vessel.

Embolus

Traveling clot that blocks a blood vessel.

Thrombus

Blood clot attached to a vessel wall.

Epilepsy

Chronic disorder characterized by recurrent seizures.

Absence seizure

Mild seizure with brief loss of awareness.

Tonic-clonic seizure

Severe seizure with convulsions and loss of consciousness.

Aura

Symptoms that precede a seizure.

Aphasia

Loss of speech.

Dysphasia

Difficulty with speech.

Agnosia

Inability to recognize familiar objects.

Apraxia

Inability to perform familiar tasks.

Ataxia

Lack of coordinated muscle movement.

Paresthesia

Abnormal sensation such as tingling.

Syncope

Temporary loss of consciousness due to reduced blood flow to the brain.

Alzheimer’s disease

Degenerative brain disease causing memory loss and cognitive decline.

Parkinson’s disease

Neurological disorder caused by dopamine deficiency.

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Demyelinating disease causing weakness and neurological deficits.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Degenerative motor neuron disease causing loss of muscle control.

Myasthenia gravis

Autoimmune disease causing muscle weakness.

Meningitis

Inflammation of the meninges.

Encephalitis

Inflammation of the brain.

Hydrocephalus

Excess accumulation of fluid in the brain.

Bell’s palsy

Temporary paralysis of one side of the face.

Huntington’s chorea

Hereditary disorder causing involuntary movements.

Dementia

Decline in mental function affecting daily life.

Sciatica

Inflammation or irritation of the sciatic nerve.

Narcolepsy

Disorder causing sudden episodes of sleep.

Shingles

Viral disease affecting peripheral nerves.

Kidney

Organ that filters blood and produces urine.

Nephron

Functional unit of the kidney.

Glomerulus

Cluster of capillaries where blood filtration occurs.

Bowman's capsule

Structure surrounding the glomerulus that collects filtrate.

Renal pelvis

Central collecting area for urine in the kidney.

Ureter

Tube carrying urine from the kidney to the bladder.

Urinary bladder

Organ that stores urine.

Urethra

Tube carrying urine from the bladder to the exterior.

Meatus

External opening of a canal such as the urethra.

Cortex

Outer region of the kidney.

Medulla

Inner region of the kidney.

Filtration

Process of separating waste from blood in the kidneys.

Reabsorption

Process of returning needed substances to the bloodstream.

Urea

Nitrogenous waste product excreted in urine.

Uric acid

Nitrogenous waste excreted in urine.

Creatinine

Waste product used to assess kidney function.

Renin

Enzyme involved in blood pressure regulation.

Urinalysis

Examination of urine properties.

Specific gravity

Measurement of urine concentration.

pH

Measurement of acidity or alkalinity.

Albumin

Protein whose presence in urine may indicate kidney disease.

Glucose

Sugar whose presence in urine may indicate diabetes.

Ketone

Product of fat breakdown found in urine during diabetes or starvation.

Hemodialysis

Filtration of blood outside the body when kidneys fail.

Peritoneal dialysis

Dialysis using the peritoneal cavity.

ESWL

Use of shock waves to break kidney stones.

Foley catheter

Indwelling urinary catheter with an inflatable balloon.

Cystoscopy

Examination of the bladder using a cystoscope.

Kidney failure

Loss of kidney function.