nervous system

terms from the packet + word parts

alzheimer’s disease

alzheimer’s disease

(AD) a group of disorders involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.

leading form of dementia

amytrophic lateral sclerosis

(ALS) lou-gehrig’s disease; a rapidly progressive neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles.

bell’s palsy

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

causalgia

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

cerebral contusion

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

cerebral palsy

a condition characterized by poor muscle control, spasticity,, speech defects and other neurologic deficiencies due to damage that affects the cerebrum.

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

damage to the brain that occurs when the blood flow to the brain is disrupted because a blood vessel is either blocked or has ruptured.

3rd leading cause of death and primary cause of long-term disability.

cervical radiculopathy

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

coma

is a profound (deep) state of unconsciousness marked by the absence of spontaneous eye movements, no response to painful stimuli, and lack of speech.

concussion

a violent shaking up or jarring of the brain. may result in a temporary loss of awareness and function.

cranial hematoma

a collection of blood trapped in the tissues of the brain.

delirium

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

dementia

slowly progressive decline in mental abilities, including memory, thinking and judgement, that is often accompanied by personality change.

encephalitis

inflammation of the brain.

can be caused by a viral infection such as rabies.

epilepsy

a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent episodes of seizures of varying severity.

guilian-barre syndrome

infectious polyneuritis; inflammation of the myelin sheath of peripheral nerves, characterized by rapidly worsening muscle weakness that can lead to temporary paralysis.

hemorrhagic stroke

(bleed) occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks. also occurs when an aneurysm within the brain ruptures.

less common and often fatal.

hydrocephalus

a condition in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles of the brain.

hyperesthesia

a condition of abnormal and excessive sensitivity to touch, pain, or other sensory stimuli.

ischemic stroke

most common type of stroke in older people, occurs when the flow of blood to the brain is blocked by the narrowing or blockage of a carotid artery.

lethargy

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

meningitis

infectious meningitis; an inflammation of the meninges of the brain and spinal cord.

meningocele

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

migraine headache

may be preceded by a warning aura, is characterized by throbbing pain on one side of the head.

primarily affects women and sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound.

multiple sclerosis

(MS) progressive autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation that causes demyelination of the myelin sheath.

myelitis

inflammation of the spinal cord.

narcolepsy

a sleep disorder consisting of sudden and uncontrollable brief episodes of falling asleep during the day.

paresthesia

refers to a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hand, arms, legs or feet but can also occur in other parts of the body.

parkinson’s disease

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

peripheral neuropathy

a disorder of the peripheral nerves that carry information to and from the brain and spinal cord. this produces pain, loss of sensation, and inability to control muscles, particularly in the arms or legs.

reye’s syndrome

a serious and potentially deadly disorder in children that is characterized by vomiting and confusion.

sciatica

inflammation of the sciatic nerve that results in pain, burning, and tingling along the course of the affected nerve through the thigh, leg, and sometimes into the foot.

seizure

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

shaken baby syndrome

describes the results of a child being violently shaken by someone. this action can cause brain injury, blindness, fractures, seizures, paralysis, and death.

syncope

the brief loss of consciousness caused by the decreased flow of blood to the brain.

trigeminal neuralgia

characterized by severe lightning-like pain due to an inflammation of the fifth cranial nerve.

these sudden, intense, brief attacks of sharp pain affect the cheek, lips, and gums only on the side of the face innervated by the affected nerve.

anesthetic

is the medication used to induce anesthesia. may be topical, local, regional or general.

epidural anesthesia

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

acrophobia

an excessive fear of heights.

anorexia nervosa

characterized by a false perception of body appearance.

this leads to an intense fear of gaining weight and inability to maintain a healthy body weight.

anxiety disorders

mental conditions characterized by excessive, irrational, dread of everyday situations or fear that is out of proportion to the real danger in a situation.

autism

a subgroup of autistic spectrum disorders.

claustrophobia

an abnormal fear of being in small or enclosed spaces.

delirium tremens

(DTs) a disorder involving sudden and severe mental changes or seizures caused by abruptly stopping the use of alcohol.

delusion

a false personal belief that is maintained despite obvious proof or evidence to the contrary.

dyslexia

(developmental reading disorder) learning disability characterized by substandard reading achievements due to the inability of the brain to process symbols correctly.

factitious disorder

a condition in which an individual acts as if they have a physical or mental illness when they are not really sick.

hallucination

a sensory perception (sight, touch, sound, smell, or taste) experienced in the absence of external stimulation.

OCD

(obsessive-compulsive disorder) characterized by recurrent obsessions and/or compulsions.

OCD makes one feel they must do compulsive behaviors to prevent harm.

panic attack

an unexpected, sudden experience of fear in the absence of danger, accompanied by physical symptoms. (heart palpitations, shortness of breath, etc.)

post traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD) may develop after an event involving actual or threatened death or injury to the individual or someone else, during which the person felt intense fear, helplessness, or horror.

schizophrenia

a psychotic disorder usually characterized by withdrawal from reality, illogical patterns of thinking, delusions, and hallucinations and accompanied in varying degrees by other emotional, behavioral, or intellectual disturbances.

anesthetist

medical profession who specializes in administering anesthesia, but is not a physician.

carotid ultrasonography

an ultrasound study of the carotid artery. performed to detect plaque buildup in the artery to predict or diagnose an ischemic stroke.

enchoencephalography

the use of ultrasound imaging to create a detailed visual image of the brain for diagnostic purposes.

electroencephalography

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

myelography

radiographic study of the spinal cord after the injection of a contrast medium through a lumbar puncture.

electromyography (EMG)

utilizes electrodes taped to the skin to measure the transfer of the electrical signals in peripheral nerves to the muscles.

cranial nerves

originate from the under surface of the brain. the 2 nerves of a pair are identical in function and structure, and each nerve of a pair serves half of the body.

there are 12 pairs of cranial nerves and are identified by roman numerals. they are named for the area or function they serve.

peripheral spinal nerves: cervical region

C1-C8

peripheral spinal nerves: thoracic region

T1-T12

peripheral spinal nerves: lumbar region

L1-L5

peripheral spinal nerves: sacral region

S1-S5

autonomic nervous system

controls the involuntary actions of the body such as the functioning of internal organs.

autonomic nervous system: parasympathetic

returns the body to normal after a response to stress. also maintain normal body functions during ordinary circumstances that are not emotionally or physically stressful.

autonomic nervous system: sympathetic

prepares the body for emergencies and stress by increasing the respiratory rate, heart rate, and blood flow to muscles.

“fight or flight” response

body’s natural reaction to real or imaginary danger.

a part of the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic)

caus/o

burning, burn

cerebr/o

cerebrum, brain

concuss/o

shaken together, violently agitated

encephal/o

brain

-esthesia

sensation, feeling

esthet/o

feeling, nervous sensation, sense of perception

-graphy

the process of producing a picture or record

mening/o

membranes, meninges

myel/o

spinal cord, bone marrow

neur/i, neur/o

nerve, nerve tissue

-phobia

abnormal fear

psych/o

mind

radicul/o

root or nerve root

-tropic

having an affinity for

4 main structures of the nervous system

nerves, brain, spinal cord, and sensory organs

CNS

central nervous system → brain and spinal cord.

receives and processes information and regulate body activities

PNS

peripheral nervous system → 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of peripheral spinal nerves.

transmit nerve signals to and from the CNS.

contus/o

bruise