MED TERM - Nervous System

palsy

paralysis, usually partial; commonly characterized by weakness and shaking

meninges

three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord

CVA

cerebrovascular accident; stroke

TIA

transient ischemic attack; a stroke in which symptoms resolve within 24 hours

lethargy

abnormal inactivity or lack of response to normal stimuli

dementia

broad term for cognitive deficit, including memory impairment

papilledema

swelling of the optic disc in the back of the eyeball

convulsion

any sudden or violent contraction of one or more voluntary muscles

-lepsy

seizure

-paresis

partial paralysis or motor weakness

-taxia

order, coordination

pachy-

thick

poliomyelitis

inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord caused by a virus

tractotomy

transection of a nerve tract in the brainstem or spinal cord

propofol

general anesthetic; a drug that produces complete loss of feeling with loss of consciousness

sulci

furrows or fissures on the cerebral surface

thalamus

processes and transmits sensory stimuli to the cerebral cortex

dura mater

outermost meninx (covering) of the brain and spinal cord

PNS

peripheral nervous system

CNS

central nervous system

cerebr/o

cerebrum

encephal/o

brain

gangli/o

ganglion (knot or knotlike mass)

gli/o

glue; neuroglial tissue

kinesi/o

movement

lept/o

thin, slender

lex/o

word, phrase

mening/o, meningi/o

meninges (membranes covering the brain and spinal cord)

narc/o

stupor; numbness; sleep

radicul/o

nerve root

thec/o

sheath (usually referring to the meninges)

ton/o

tension

ventricle

Organ chamber or cavity that receives or holds fluid

BUILDING TERM: dyslexia (dys/lex/ia)

DEFINITION: Difficulty with reading, including tendency to reverse letters or words

dys: difficult

lex: reading/word

ia: condition

BUILDING TERM: glioma (gli/oma)

DEFINITION: Tumor composed of neuroglial tissue

gli: glial cells

oma: tumor

BUILDING TERM: cerebrotomy (cerebr/o/tomy)

DEFINITION: Incision of the cerebrum

cerebr/o: brain

tomy: incision

BUILDING TERM: meningocele (mening/o/cele)

DEFINITION: Hernia or swelling of the meninges

mening/o: protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord

cele: swelling

BUILDING TERM: narcotic (narc/o/tic)

DEFINITION: Pertaining to sleep

narc/o: numbness/sleep

tic: pertaining to

BUILDING TERM: radicul/algia (radicul/algia)

DEFINITION: Pain in the nerve root

radicul: root (nerve root)

algia: pain

BUILDING TERM: intrathecal (intra/thec/al)

DEFINITION: Pertaining to the space within a sheath

intra: within

thec: sheath/covering

al: pertaining to 

BUILDING TERM: neurolysis (neur/o/lysis)

DEFINITION: Destruction of a nerve

neur/o: nerve

lysis: destruction/breakdown

BUILDING TERM: dystonia (dystonia)

DEFINITION: Poor muscle tone

dys: difficult/poor

ton: tone

ia: condition

BUILDING TERM: narcolepsy (narco/lepsy)

DEFINITION: Sudden urge to sleep

narc/o: numbness/sleep

lepsy: seizure/sudden attack

BUILDING TERM: quadriplegia (quadri/plegia)

DEFINITION: Paralysis of all four extremities

quadri: four

plegia: paralysis

BUILDING TERM: unilateral (uni/later/al)

DEFINITION: Pertaining to one side

uni: one

later: side

al: pertaining to 

BUILDING TERM: ataxia (a/tax/ia)

DEFINITION: Defective muscle coordination

a: without 

tax: coordination

ia: condition

BUILDING TERM: kinesiology (kinesi/o/logy)

DEFINITION: Study of muscles and body movement

kinesi/o: muscles & movement

logy: study of

BUILDING TERM: synalgia (syn/algia)

DEFINITION: Joined (referred) pain

syn: with/together

algia: pain

BUILDING TERM: hemiparesis (hemi/paresis)

DEFINITION: Partial paralysis of one-half of the body

hemi: half

paresis: weakness

Afferent impulses move:

toward the brain

What is the purpose of the myelin sheath?

ensure impulses do not stimulate adjacent nerves

Impulses travel over the synapse through ____

neurotransmitters

Which cells in the body serve as the “nerve glue?”

neuroglia

The largest portion of the brain is the ____

cerebrum

encephal/o

brain

-esthesia

feeling

A person who falls asleep at inappropriate times, such as when driving, may have which condition?

narcolepsy

Why do transient ischemic attacks require immediate medical attention?

They often lead to a more major stroke.

Which intervention helps healthcare providers determine the type of stroke a person has experienced and decide upon related treatment options?

computed tomography (CT) scan

Nerve impulses often develop short circuits in people with multiple sclerosis because of the deterioration of ____

myelin

A mood disorder characterized by mental and physical hyperactivity

mania

The inability to comprehend sensory input even though the sensory sphere is intact

agnosia