HLTH 1010 -- Chapter 11

The Nervous System

caus/o-

burning, burn

cephal/o-

head

cerebr/o-

cerebrum, brain

concuss/o-

shaken together, violently agitated

contus/o-

bruise

crani/o-

cranium, skull

encephal/o-

brain

-esthesia

sensation, feeling

esthet/o-

feeling, nervous sensation, sense of perception

mening/o-

membranes, meninges

myel/o-

spinal cord, bone marrow

neur/i, neur/o

nerve, nerve tissue

-phasia

speak, speech

radicul/o-

root, nerve root

-tropic

having an affinity for

alzheimer’s disease (AD)

disorders involving parts of brain that control thought, memory, and language

amnesia

memory disturbance characterized by a total or partial inability to recall past experiences

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

rapidly progressive neurological disease that attacks nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles

anesthesiologist

specializes in administering anesthesia before and after surgery

anesthetic

medication used to induce anesthesia

anesthetist

specializes in administering anesthesia but is not a physician

bell’s palsy

temporary paralysis of seventh cranial nerve that causes paralysis of face, only on affected side

carotid ultrasonography

ultrasound study of carotidartery

causalgia

persistent, severe burning pain that usually follows injury to sensory nerve

central nervous system

made up of brain and spinal cord

cerebral contusion

bruising of brain tissue as result of head injury that causes brain to bounce against rigid bone of skull

cerebral palsy (CP)

disorders characterized by poor muscle control, spasticity, speech defects, and other neurologic deficiencies due to damage that affects cerebrum

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

stroke

cerebrum

largest and uppermost portion of brain

cervical radiculopathy

nerve pain caused by pressure on spinal nerve roots in neck region

cognition

mental activities associated with thinking, learning, and memory

coma

deep state of unconsciousness marked by absence of spontaneous eye movements, no response to painful stimuli, and lack of speech

concussion

violent shaking up or jarring of brain

cranial hematoma

collection of blood trapped in tissues of brain

delirium

acute condition of confusion, disorientation, disordered thinking and memory, agitation, and hallucinations

dementia

slowly progressive decline in mental abilities

dura mater

thick, tough, outermost membrane of meninges

electroencephalography (EEG)

process of recording electrical activity of brain through use of electrodes attached to scalp

encephalitis

inflammation of brain

epidural anesthesia

regional anesthesia produced by injecting medication into the epidural space of lumbar or sacral region of spine

epilepsy

chronic neurological condition characterized by recurring seizures

ganglion

nerve center made up of a cluster of nerve cell bodies outside of central nervous system

hallucination

sensory perception experienced in absence of external stimulation

hemorrhagic stroke

when blood vessels in brain leaks

hydrocephalus

excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in ventricles of brain

hyperesthesia

abnormal and excessive sensitivity to sensory stimuli

ischemic stroke

most common in older people, occurs when flow of blood to brain is blocked by narrowing or blockage of an artery

lethargy

lowered level of consciousness marked by listlessness, drowsiness, and apathy

meningitis

inflammation of meninges of brain and spinal cord

meningocele

congenital herniation of meninges through a defect in skull or spinal column

migraine

throbbing pain on one side of head

multiple sclerosis (MS)

progressive autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation that causes demyelination of myelin sheath

myelin sheath

protective covering made up of glial cells

myelitis

inflammation of spinal cord

myelography

fluoroscopic and CT study of spinal cord after injection of contrast

neurologist

specializes in diagnosing and treating diseases and disorders of nervous system

neurons

basic cells of nervous system that allow different parts of body to communicate with each other

neurotransmitters

chemical substances that make it possible for messages to cross from synapse of neuron to target receptor

parasthesia

burning or prickling sensation with no apparent physical cause

parkinson’s disease (PD)

chronic, degenerative central nervous system disorder characterized by fine muscle tremors, rigidity, and a slow or shuffling gait

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

includes 12 pairs of cranial nerves extending from brain and 31 pairs of peripheral spinal nerves extending outward from spinal cord

peripheral neuropathy

disorder of peripheral nerves that carry info to and from brain and spinal cord

reye’s syndrome (Rs)

serious disorder in children characterized by vomiting and confusion

sciatica

inflammation of sciatic nerve caused by pressure on nerve

seizure (Sz)

sudden surge of electrical activity in brain that affects how a person feels or acts for a short period of time

shaken baby syndrome

results of child being violently shaken by someone

spinal cord

long, fragile, and tube-like structure

syncope

fainting

tetanus

acute and potentially fatal infection of central nervous system caused by a toxin produced by tetanus bacteria

tourette syndrome (TS)

disorder characterized by involuntary tics, grunts, and utterances

transient ischemic attack (TIA)

temporary interruption in blood supply to brain

tremor

repetitive, involuntary muscle movement

trigeminal neuralgia

chronic pain condition characterized by severe, lightning-like pain due to inflammation of fifth cranial nerve

unconcious

state of being unaware and unable to respond to any stimuli

nerve

onet bundles of neurons

tract

bundle/group of nerve fibers located within brain or spinal cord

innervation

supply of nerves to specific body part

plexus

network of intersecting spinal nerves

receptors

sites in sensory organs that receive external stimulation

stimulus

anything that excites a nerve and causes an impulse

dendrites

root-like processes that receive impulses and conduct them to cell body

axon

process that conducts impulses away from nerve cell

terminal end fibers

branching fibers at end of axon that lead nerve impulse from axon to synapse

synapse

anything that excites a nerve and causes an impulse

acetylcholine

influences muscle action

dopamine

influences motivation, pleasure, and muscle movement

glutamate

influences learning

endorphins

helps relieve pain

norepinephrine

affects alertness and arousal

serotonin

roles in sleep, hunger, and pleasure recognition

glial cells

produce support and protection for neurons

meninges

system of membranes that enclose brain and spinal cord

arachnoid membrane

allows space for fluid to flow between layers, located between dura mater and pia mater

pia mater

contains rich supply of blood vessels, located nearest to brain and spinal cord

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

clear, colorless, watery fluid that flows throughout brain and around spinal cord, cushions organs and nourishes brain and spinal cord

cerebral

pertaining to cerebrum or brain

cerebral cortex

outer layer of cerebrum and is made up of elevated folds and deep fissures

cerebral hemisphere

control functions of opposite side of cerebrum

frontal lobe

motor functions, memory, and behavior

parietal lobe

receives and interprets nerve impulses from sensory receptors