nervous system terms

3.03 medical terms

arach-

spider

**cephal/o**

head

cerebell/o

cerebellum

cerebr/o

cerebrum

crani/o

skull

encephalo

brain

endo-

within

\-esthesia

sensation, feeling

\-graph

instrument used to record an image

hemi-

half

hydro

water

mening

membrane covering the brain

myel/o

spinal cord

**neur/o**                 

nerve

\-oid

like, resemble

pleg/o

paralysis

psych/o

mind

\-us

structure

Blood-brain barrier:

inability of some substances to penetrate the brain tissue

Cerebral Ventricles:

four cavities within the brain that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid

Convolutions:

elevated folds on the surface of the cerebrum that increase the surface area of the brain

CVA:

cerebrovascular accident; stroke

Dementia:

loss in at least two areas of complex behaviors

Fight or Flight response:

body perceives danger and prepares to run away or stand and fight; heart rate increases, mouth becomes dry, and pupils and bronchi dilate

Gyri:

convolutions in the brain

**Lumbar puncture**:

a needle is inserted between two vertebrae to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid

Neurotransmitter:

 a chemical messenger that carries, boosts, and balances signals between neurons (ex. Acetylcholine)

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Paralysis

the loss of the ability to move (and sometimes to feel anything) in part or most of the body, typically as a result of illness, poison, or injury

Stimulus

something that can elicit or evoke a physiological response in a cell, a tissue, or an organism