Neuro

Seizure

Sudden discharge of excessive electrical energy from nerve cells in the brain.

Epilepsy

A condition characterized by two or more unprovoked seizures, resulting from various pathologic processes in the brain.

Idiopathic

Refers to a seizure condition with no known cause.

Provoked Seizures

Caused by systemic factors such as medication or environmental triggers.

Cryptogenic Seizures

Occur with no clear cause, but doctors suspect an underlying issue.

Partial Seizures

Also called focal seizures; involve one area of the brain and do not spread.

Generalized Seizures

Seizures that begin in one area and rapidly spread throughout both hemispheres.

Tonic Phase

Phase where muscles become rigid, and limbs are contracted during a seizure.

Clonic Activity

Spasm of the entire body that follows the tonic phase in seizures.

Status Epilepticus

A medical emergency where seizures are frequent enough to appear constant, risking brain damage.

Nuchal Rigidity

A sign characterized by stiffness of the neck, often observed in meningitis.

Brudzinski’s Sign

Involuntary bending of the legs when the neck is flexed; indicates meningeal irritation.

Kernig’s Sign

Pain on extending the leg after flexing it on the abdomen, associated with meningitis.

Hydrocephalus

Excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain's ventricles and subarachnoid spaces.

Spina Bifida

A birth defect involving an opening in the spinal cord or brain that occurs early in development.

Meningocele

Occurs when the meninges covering the spinal cord herniate through unformed vertebrae.

Myelomeningocele

Involves herniation of both the meninges and the spinal cord through an opening in the vertebral column.

Down Syndrome

A congenital chromosomal disorder characterized by varied degrees of intellectual disability and specific physical features.

Trisomy 21

A condition where there is an extra copy of material on the 21st chromosome.

Hypotonia

Reduced muscle tone, often seen in individuals with Down syndrome.

Simian Crease

A single transverse palmar crease that is common in individuals with Down syndrome.

Amniocentesis

A medical procedure used to obtain a sample of amniotic fluid for testing fetal conditions.