Neurology vocab

Alzheimer diseae

Chronic brain condition involving progressive disorientation, speech and gait disturbances, and loss of memory

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Disease with muscular weakness and atrophy due to degeneration of motor neurons of spinal cord; commonly called Lou Gehrig’s disease

Bell palsy

One-sided facial muscle weakness or paralysis; usually is temporary

brain tumor

Intracranial mass, either benign or malignant; benign tumor of the brain can still be fatal because it will grow and cause pressure on normal brain tissue; most common brain tumor is astrocytoma

cephalalgia

Pain affecting head, face, or neck; may be result of tension, stress, dehydration, squinting in bright lights, or may be caused by something more serious commonly know as a head ache

cerebral aneurysm

Abnormal widening of cerebral blood vessel resulting from weakened blood vessel wall

cerebral contusion

Bruising of brain from impact; symptoms last longer than 24 hours and may include vomiting, dizziness, unconsciousness, unequal pupil size, or shock

Cerebral palsy

Nonprogressive brain damage resulting from defect in fetal development or trauma or oxygen deprivation during or shortly after birth

cerebrovascular accident

Development of brain infarct due to loss in blood supply to brain commonly called a stroke

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Condition characterized by severe blow or repeated less severe blows to the head resulting in progressive degeneration of brain tissue

convulsion

Severe, involuntary, alternating muscle contractions and relaxations

delirium

Abnormal mental state characterized by confusion, disorientation, and agitation

dementia

Progressive impairment of intellectual function that interferes with performing activities of daily living

epilepsy

Recurrent disorder of brain; seizures and loss of consciousness occur as result of uncontrolled neuron electrical activity

Guillain barre syndrome

Condition in which some nerves lose their myelin insulation

Hydrocephalus

Buildup of cerebrospinal fluid within brain

multiple sclerosis

Inflammatory autoimmune disease of central nervous system; immune system damages myelin, leaving areas of hardened tissue called plaques ;

myasthenia gravis

Autoimmune disease with severe muscular weakness and fatigue due to difficulty of electrical impulse passing across synapse from one nerve to the next due to insufficient neurotransmitter

Parkinson disease

Chronic disorder of the nervous system with fine tremors, muscular weakness, rigidity, and shuffling gait

shingles

Appearance of painful blisters on body along a nerve path; caused by varicella zoster virus

spasticity

Condition of abnormally strong and long-lasting muscle spasms

spina bifida

Congenital defect in walls of spinal canal in which two sides of vertebra do not meet or close

Spinal cord injury

Damage to the spinal cord as result of trauma; spinal cord can be bruised or completely severed

subdural hematoma

Mass of blood forming underneath dura mater when meninges are torn by trauma

syncope

Medical term for fainting or passing out

Traumatic brain injury

Damage to brain resulting from impact (such as a car accident), blast waves (such as an explosion), or penetrating projectile (such as a bullet

transient ischemic attack

Temporary reduction of blood supply to brain

cerebral angiography

Diagnostic X-ray of blood vessels of the brain after injection of radiopaque material

cerebrospinal fluid analysis

Laboratory examination of clear, watery, colorless fluid from within the brain and spinal cord; detects infections or bleeding of the brain or spinal cord

computed tomography

Diagnostic imaging technique that produces cross-sectional view of body

electroencephalography

Diagnostic test that records electrical activity of the brain by placing electrodes at various positions on the scalp

Lumbar puncture

Puncture with needle into lumbar vertebral area (usually space between fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae) to withdraw fluid for examination or for injection of medication; also know as spinal tap

nerve conduction velocity

Diagnostic test to determine if nerves are damaged by recording rate at which electrical impulse travels along a nerve; if nerve is damaged, velocity is decreased

positron emission tomography

Diagnostic imaging technique that uses positive radionuclides to reconstruct brain sections; measurement of oxygen and glucose uptake, cerebral blood flow, and blood volume can be taken

analgesic

Drug to treat minor to moderate pain without loss of consciousness

anesthetic

Drug that produces loss of sensation or loss of consciousness

anticonvulsant

Medication to reduce excitability of neurons and to prevent uncontrolled neuron activity associated with seizures

narcotic analgesic

Drug to treat severe pain; has potential to be habit-forming