Human Physiology Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from human physiology lectures, including Cardiovascular, Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Respiratory, Central Nervous, Renal, and Blood systems.

Circulatory Shock

A state of circulatory failure where the system cannot supply enough oxygenated blood to the tissues, classified into stages including the Compensatory Stage and the Progressive Stage.

Angina Pectoris

A condition related to coronary circulation characterized by chest pain or discomfort when the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygenated blood.

Fick Principle

A physiological principle used to measure cardiac output based on the rate at which oxygen is consumed by the body and the difference in oxygen content between arterial and venous blood.

Stroke Volume

The amount of blood pumped out of the ventricle of the heart during each contraction.

Cardiac Index

A hemodynamic measurement that relates the cardiac output to body surface area ($CO/BSA$).

Bile Salts

Components of bile important for the digestion and absorption of fats, characterized by specific compositions and functions.

Peptic Ulcer

An open sore in the lining of the stomach or duodenum, often discussed in terms of its etiology and physiological treatment basis.

Deglutition

The process of swallowing, consisting of phases including the Pharyngeal Phase.

Parietal Cells

Specialized gastric gland cells responsible for the mechanism of secretio of HCl (hydrochloric acid).

Achalasia Cardia

A failure of the smooth muscle fibers to relax, which can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to remain closed, inhibiting deglutition.

Diabetes Insipidus

A condition characterized by large amounts of dilute urine and increased thirst, often compared and contrasted with Diabetes Mellitus.

Cushing Syndrome

A condition caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of glucocorticoids, characterized by specific clinical features.

Tetany

A condition marked by intermittent muscular spasms, caused by malfunction of the parathyroid glands and a consequent deficiency of calcium.

Dwarfism

A condition of short stature which may be caused by growth hormone deficiency (Pituitary Dwarf) or thyroid deficiency (Thyroid Dwarf).

Spermatogenesis

The process of sperm cell development, including specific stages and factors that affect its regulation.

Oxygen-Hemoglobin Dissociation Curve

A curve that plots the proportion of hemoglobin in its saturated form against the prevailing oxygen tension; affected by factors like the Bohr’s Effect and $2,3-BPG$.

$$P50$$

The partial pressure of oxygen at which hemoglobin is $50\%$ saturated.

Bohr's Effect

The decrease in the oxygen affinity of hemoglobin in response to decreased blood $pH$ or increased $CO_2$.

Hypoxia

A condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level, with one type being Hypoxic Hypoxia.

Haldane Effect

The property of hemoglobin where the deoxygenation of blood increases its ability to carry carbon dioxide.

$$VO_2\,max$$

The maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise; also known as maximal aerobic capacity.

Ondine's Curse

A rare condition resulting in the loss of autonomic control of breathing, mentioned in the context of neural regulation of breathing.

Parkinsonism

A clinical syndrome characterized by tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, associated with lesions in the Basal Ganglia.

Aphasia

A language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, categorized into different types.

Neospinothalamic Pathway

A sensory pathway in the CNS responsible for the transmission of fast pain.

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

The volume of fluid filtered from the renal glomerular capillaries into the Bowman's capsule per unit time.

Countercurrent Multiplier Mechanism

The mechanism in the kidneys that establishes an osmotic gradient in the renal medulla, allowing for the concentration of urine.

Cystometrography

A clinical procedure used to measure the pressure-volume relationship of the bladder to study the physiology of micturition.

Milleu Interior

The internal environment of the body, which the kidney helps maintain through the regulation of osmolarity of body fluids.

Presbyopia

A condition associated with aging where the eye exhibits a progressively diminished ability to focus on near objects due to changes in the accommodation reflex.

Impedance Matching

A function of the middle ear that compensates for the loss of sound energy as it moves from air to the fluid-filled cochlea.

Excitation-Contraction Coupling

The process by which an electrical stimulus (action potential) triggers a mechanical response (muscle contraction).

Myasthenia Gravis

A chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles, affecting the Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ).

Saltatory Conduction

The propagation of action potentials along myelinated axons from one node of Ranvier to the next, increasing conduction velocity.

Erythroblastosis Foetalis

A hemolytic disease of the newborn caused by Rh blood group incompatibility between the mother and the fetus.

Homeostasis

The process by which biological systems maintain stability while adjusting to changing external conditions, often involving feedback systems.