Brain Basics

Sagittal

front to back cut, right and left side

Coronal

slice from ear to ear creating a front and back

Transverse

slice creating a top and bottom

Anterior/ventral

front

Posterior/dorsal

behind

superior

above, towards the head

inferior

below, towards the tail

distal

farther away from the midline

proximal

closer to the origin

superficial

towards the surface

deep

farther away from skins surface

lateral

side, away from the midline

medial

towards the center/midline

contralateral

structures, actions, or processes that are on the opposite side of the body

lpsilateral

structures or actions occurring on the same side of the body

abduction

moving away

adduction

move towards

extension

open up the joint

flexion

close the joint

decussation

crossing over

aphasia

language loss

agnosia

inability to know/recognize

apraxia

inability to program movement

dementia

declining cognition

apraxia of speech

inability to program speech movements

dysphagia

difficulty with swallowing

dysarthria

breakdown in speech execution

dysphonia

change in voice