Language of Medicine Chapter 10

cerebell/o

cerebellum

cerebr/o

cerebrum

dur/o

dura mater

encephal/o

Brain

gli/o

glue

lept/o

thin, slender

mening/o, meningi/o

membranes, meninges

my/o

muscle

myel/o

spinal cord (means bone marrow in other contexts)

neur/o

nerve

pont/o

pons

radicul/o

nerve root (of spinal nerves)

thalam/o

thalamus

thec/o

sheath

vag/o

Vagus nerve (10th cranial nerve)

alges/o, -algesia

excessive sensitivity to pain

-algia

pain

caus/o

burning

comat/o

deep sleep (coma)

esthesi/o, -esthesia

feeling, nervous sensation

kines/o, kinesi/o

movement

-kinesia, -kinesis

movement

-lepsy

seizure

lex/o

word, phrase

-paresis

slight paralysis

-phasia

speech

-plegia

paralysis (loss or impairment of the ability to move parts of the body)

-praxia

action

-sthenia

strength

syncop/o

to cut off, cut short

tax/o

order, coordination

hydrocephalus

abnormal accumulation of fluid (CSF) in the brain

Spina bifida

Congenital defect in the lumbar spinal column caused by imperfect union of vertebral parts ( neural tube defect)

Alzheimer disease

Brain disorder marked by gradual and progressive mental deterioration dementia), personality changes, and impairment of daily functioning.

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Degenerative disorder of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem.

epilepsy

chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizure activity

Huntington disease (Huntington's)

hereditary disorder marked by degenerative changes in the cerebrum leading to abrupt involuntary movements and mental deterioration

multiple sclerosis (MS)

destruction of the myelin sheath on neurons in the CNS and its replacement by plaques of sclerotic (hard) tissue

myasthenia gravis (MG)

autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness of voluntary muscles

plegia

paralysis (partial or complete loss of motor function)

Parkinson disease (parkinson's)

degeneration of neurons in the basal ganglia, occurring in later life and leading to tremors, weakness of muscles, and slowness of movement

Tourette syndrome (Tourette's)

involuntary, spasmodic, twitching movements; uncontrollable vocal sounds; and inappropriate words

Herpes zoster (shingles)

viral infection affecting peripheral nerves

meningitis (leptomeningitis)

inflammation of the meninges;

human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalopathy

brain disease and dementia occurring with AIDS.

Brain tumor

Abnormal growth of brain tissue and meninges

Cerebral concussion

type of traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head

cerebral contusion

bruising of brain tissue as a result of direct trauma to the head

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

disruption in the normal blood supply to the brain; stroke

migraine

severe, recurring, unilateral, vascular headache

cerebrospinal fluid analysis

samples of CSF are examined

cerebral angiogram

x-ray imaging of the arterial blood vessels in the brain after injection of contrast material

computed tomography (CT) of the brain

computerized x-ray technique that generates multiple images of the brain and spinal cord

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

magnetic field and pulses of radiowave energy create images of the brain and spinal cord

positron emission tomography (PET) scan

radioactive glucose is injected and then detected in the brain to image the metabolic activity of cells

Doppler ultrasound studies

sound waves detect blood flow in the carotid and intracranial arteries

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

record of the electrical activity of the brain

lumbar puncture (LP)

CSF is withdrawn from between two lumbar vertebrae for analysis

sterotactic radiosurgery

use of a specialized instrument to locate and treat targets in the brain

Cerebellum Function

coordinating movement and balance

Examples of neurotransmitters

acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin