If You're Lazy:

peristalsis

Waves of contraction/relaxation moving food through digestive tract

bolus

Mass of chewed food

chyme

Semi-digested food from stomach to duodenum

villus (villi)

Hairlike projections in small intestine for absorption

hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver (A, B, C types)

cirrhosis

Irreversible scarring of liver (alcohol, hepatitis, fatty liver)

cholelithiasis

Gallstones

GERD

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux)

peptic ulcer

Mucosal breakdown in stomach or duodenum (often H. pylori)

Crohn's disease

Chronic inflammation of small intestine (often ileum)

ulcerative colitis

Chronic inflammation and ulceration of large intestine

CNS

Central nervous system (brain + spinal cord)

PNS

Peripheral nervous system (nerves outside CNS)

afferent

Toward CNS (sensory)

efferent

Away from CNS (motor)

sympathetic division

Fight or flight; increases heart/respiratory rate

parasympathetic division

Rest and digest; slows heart/respiratory rate, stimulates digestion

neuron

Nerve cell with cell body, dendrites (receive), axon (send)

synapse

Junction between neurons where neurotransmitters cross

neurotransmitter

Chemical that crosses synapse (norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine)

blood-brain barrier

Prevents toxins from affecting brain

frontal lobe

Behind forehead; voluntary motor control, intellect, planning, behavior

parietal lobe

Receives/interprets sensory info (touch, taste, smell, hearing, sight)

temporal lobe

Language, emotions, sensory experiences

occipital lobe

Visual images and written words

thalamus

Sensory relay station

hypothalamus

Regulates BP, body temperature, water/electrolyte balance

cerebellum

Posture, balance, coordination

meninges

Dura mater (outer), arachnoid mater (middle), pia mater (inner)

Alzheimer disease

Most common dementia; protein clumps/tangles

ischemic stroke

~90% of strokes; caused by plaque or clot

hemorrhagic stroke

Blood vessel bursts or aneurysm ruptures

TIA (transient ischemic attack)

Mini-stroke; symptoms

FAST

Face droop, Arm drift, Speech slurred, Time to call 911

hemiplegia

Paralysis of one side of the body

Parkinson disease

Dopamine deficiency; tremor, rigidity, shuffling gait

multiple sclerosis (MS)

Autoimmune demyelination; exacerbations and remissions

meningitis

Inflammation of meninges; viral or bacterial

Bell palsy

CN VII (Facial); sudden one-sided facial paralysis

trigeminal neuralgia

CN V (Trigeminal); severe facial pain

quadriplegia

All four limbs paralyzed

paraplegia

Both lower extremities paralyzed

cerebral palsy

Motor impairment from brain damage in infant/young child

hydrocephalus

Excess CSF in ventricles; treatment = shunt

spina bifida

Vertebral arch fails to close

psychosis

Loss of contact with reality

schizophrenia

Form of psychosis; hallucinations + delusions

major depression (unipolar)

Deep sadness/hopelessness for ≥2 weeks

bipolar disorder

Alternating depression + mania

PTSD

After trauma; flashbacks, nightmares, emotional numbness

OCD

Obsessions (recurrent thoughts) + compulsions (irresistible urges)

agoraphobia

Fear of crowded places

antisocial personality disorder

Lie, cheat, steal; no guilt

SSRI

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (Prozac, Zoloft); depression, anxiety

benzodiazepine

Valium, Xanax, Ativan; anxiety and panic disorder (rapid onset)

EEG

Electroencephalography; records brain's electrical activity

cornea

Transparent, avascular; provides ~60% of eye's focusing power

lens

Changes shape (accommodation) to focus light; loses elasticity with age

retina

Contains rods (dim light, no color) and cones (bright light, color)

fovea centralis

Sharpest vision; 4,000 tiny cones, no rods

optic disc

Blind spot; no rods or cones

glaucoma

Fluid cannot drain → pressure builds → damages optic nerve; major cause of blindness

cataract

Cloudy lens; caused by aging, diabetes, smoking; major cause of blindness

macular degeneration

Loss of central vision; most cases >55

retinal detachment

Surgical emergency; dark shadow in peripheral vision

diabetic retinopathy

~50% of diabetics; hemorrhages destroy photoreceptors

papilledema

Swelling of optic disc due to increased intracranial pressure

PERRLA

Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation

Snellen chart

Distance vision test at 20 feet

tympanic membrane (eardrum)

Vibrates with sound waves

malleus, incus, stapes

Hammer, anvil, stirrup (ossicles of middle ear); stapes is smallest bone

eustachian tube

Connects middle ear to nasopharynx; short/horizontal in children <5

cochlea

Snail-shell; converts vibrations to nerve impulses (hearing)

semicircular canals

Detect rotational movement (balance)

otitis externa

Infection of external auditory canal (swimmer's ear)

acute otitis media (AOM)

Middle ear infection; ages 2-4; after URI

otosclerosis

Spongy bone at oval window + stapes; conductive hearing loss

sensorineural hearing loss

Damage to cochlear hair cells; most common cause = repeated loud noise

vertigo

Sensation of spinning

tinnitus

Ringing in the ears

Meniere disease

Vertigo + tinnitus + hearing loss

Rinne test

Tuning fork test distinguishes bone vs. air conduction

Weber test

Tuning fork test identifies which side hearing loss is on

endocrine system

Ductless glands that secrete hormones directly into bloodstream

hypothalamus

Connects brain to endocrine system; produces releasing hormones, oxytocin, ADH

pineal gland

Secretes melatonin at night; regulates sleep-wake cycles

FSH, LH, TSH, ACTH, prolactin, GH

Six anterior pituitary hormones

oxytocin (OT)

Posterior pituitary; uterine contractions, milk ejection, bonding

ADH

Posterior pituitary; reduces urine volume (vasopressin)

diabetes insipidus

ADH deficiency → excessive dilute urine; NOT diabetes mellitus

T3, T4

Thyroid hormones; increase metabolic rate

calcitonin

Lowers blood calcium (bone deposition)

PTH (parathyroid hormone)

Raises blood calcium (bone resorption)

insulin

ONLY hormone that lowers blood glucose

glucagon

Raises blood glucose

Type 1 diabetes (IDDM)

Autoimmune beta cell destruction; onset <30 years; insulin-dependent

Type 2 diabetes (NIDDM)

Insulin resistance; up to 95% of DM

DKA (diabetic ketoacidosis)

Hyperglycemia + dehydration + metabolic acidosis + ketones; medical emergency; acetone breath

hyperglycemia

High blood glucose; polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia

hypoglycemia

Low blood glucose (<70 mg/dL); brain first organ affected