Chapter 24 Neurologic System

Agnosia

loss of ability to recognize importance of sensory impressions

Agraphia

loss of ability to express thoughts in writing

Amnesia

loss of memory

Analgesia

loss of pain sensation

Aphasia

loss of power of expression by speech,, writing, or signs; or loss of comprehension of spoken or written language

Apraxia

loss of ability to perform purposeful movements in the absence of sensory or motor damage (e.g., inability to use objects correctly)

Ataxia

inability to perform coordinated movements

Athetosis

bizarre, slow, twisting, writhing movement, resembling a snake or worm

Chorea

sudden, rapid, jerky, purposeless movement involving limbs, trunk, or face

Clonus

rapidly alternating involuntary contraction and relaxation of a muscle in response to sudden stretch

Coma

state of profound unconsciousness from which person cannot be aroused

Concussion

collision or trauma causes violent shaking of brain, yielding behavioral changes but no changes on radiologic imaging

Decerebrate rigidity

arms stiffly extended, adducted, internally rotated; legs stiffly extended, plantar-flexed

Decorticate rigidity

arms adducted and flexed, wrists and fingers flexed; legs extended, internally rotated, plantar-flexed

Dysarthria

imperfect articulation of speech due to problems of muscular control resulting from central or peripheral nervous system damage

Dysphasia

impairment in speech consisting of lack of coordination and inability to arrange words in their proper order

Extinction

disappearance of conditioned response

Fasciculation

rapid, continuous twitching of resting muscle without movement of limb

Flaccidity

loss of muscle tone, limp

Graphesthesia

ability to “read” a number by having it traced on the skin

Hemiplegia

loss of motor power (paralysis) on one side of the body, usually caused by a stroke; paralysis occurs on side opposite of the lesion

Lower motor neuron

motor neuron in the peripheral nervous system with its nerve fiber extending out to the muscle and only its cell body in the central nervous system

Myoclonus

rapid sudden jerk of a muscle

Nuchal rigidity

stiffness in cervical neck area

Nystagmus

back and forth oscillation of the eyes

Opisthotonos

prolonged arching of back, with head and heels bent backward, and meningeal irritation

Paralysis

decreased or loss of motor function due to problems with motor nerve or muscle fibers

Paraplegia

impairment or loss of motor and/or sensory function in the lower half of the body

Paresthesia

abnormal sensation (e.g., burning, numbness, tingling, prickling, crawling skin sensation)

Point Localization

ability of the person to discriminate exactly where on the body the skin has been touched

Proprioception

sensory information concerning body movements and position of the body in space

Spasticity

continuous resistance to stretching by a muscle due to abnormally increased tension with increased deep tendon reflexes

Stereognosis

ability to recognize objects by feeling their form, size, and weight while the eyes are closed