NEUROLOGY

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Seizures, CVA/Stroke, Bell's Palsy, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome based on neurology lecture materials.

Parkinson's Disease (PD)

A progressive, degenerative disease of the nervous system, also known as Paralysis Agitans, that primarily affects the body's motor function due to a loss of dopamine.

Substantia Nigra

The area of the brain where dopamine is produced; its degeneration leads to the decreased inhibitory effects seen in Parkinson's Disease.

Bradykinesia

One of the three classic early signs of Parkinson's Disease, characterized by slowed physical movement.

Cogwheel Rigidity

A type of muscle rigidity in Parkinson's patients characterized by a rhythmic interruption of muscle movement.

Sinemet

The gold standard symptomatic treatment for Parkinson's Disease, consisting of a combination of dopamine precursor (levodopa) and peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor (carbidopa).

On-off Syndrome

A phenomenon in long-term levodopa therapy where the patient experiences periods of effectiveness (on effect) alternating with periods of near immobility (off effect).

Dyskinesia

Involuntary, twisting, and turning movements, such as facial grimacing or head bobbing, often occurring when levodopa-derived dopamine levels peak.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

A progressive, irreversible neurodegenerative sub-type of dementia characterized by neurofibrillary tangles, neuritic plaques, and a gradual decline in brain function.

Neurofibrillary Tangles

Tangled masses of nonfunctioning neurons that twist inside the cell, disrupting nutrient and signal transport, leading to cell death in Alzheimer's Disease.

Sundowning

A symptom of dementia characterized by increased confusion, wandering, and agitation at night when lighting is inadequate or the patient is fatigued.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors

A class of drugs, such as donepezil and rivastigmine, used to treat mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's by delaying the destruction of acetylcholine to maintain memory skills.

Validation Therapy

A communication strategy appropriate for late-stage (Stages 2-3) Alzheimer's Disease that focuses on acknowledging the patient's feelings rather than correcting their reality.

Epilepsy

A chronic disorder characterized by the repeated occurrence of two or more unprovoked seizures, often linked to an imbalance of the neurotransmitter GABA.

Tonic-Clonic Seizure

A generalized seizure lasting $-25$ minutes beginning with muscle rigidity (tonic phase) followed by rhythmic jerking (clonic phase).

Automatism

Involuntary, repetitive movements that occur during a seizure when awareness is impaired, such as lip smacking, chewing, or picking at clothes.

Status Epilepticus

A medical emergency involving prolonged seizure activity lasting longer than $5$ minutes or repeated seizures occurring over $30$ minutes.

Aura

A warning symptom before a seizure begins, where the patient may experience a strange smell, taste, visual change, or a rising stomach sensation.

Ischemic Stroke

The most common type of CVA, caused by a blockage in a cerebral or carotid artery, subdivided into thrombotic and embolic types.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

A CVA caused by compromised vessel integrity leading to bleeding into the brain tissue or subarachnoid space, often resulting from hypertension or an aneurysm.

Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA)

A fibrinolytic agent (alteplase) that is the standard early intervention for acute ischemic stroke, ideally administered within $3-4.5$ hours of onset.

Hyperperfusion Syndrome

A complication of carotid endarterectomy where blood flow is suddenly restored to the brain, but vessels cannot autoregulate the increased flow, causing potential damage.

Expressive Aphasia

Also known as Broca's aphasia, a neurologic deficit where the patient has difficulty speaking or producing language but can usually understand it.

Bell's Palsy

An acute, unilateral paralysis of the 7th cranial nerve (facial nerve), often associated with viral infections like herpes simplex.

Lagophthalmos

Incomplete eyelid closure found in Bell's Palsy, which makes eye protection the highest priority intervention to prevent corneal abrasion.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

An autoimmune disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system, characterized by ascending symmetric muscle weakness that can lead to respiratory failure.

Plasmapheresis

A treatment for GBS that removes circulating demyelinating autoantibodies from the plasma, usually performed within several days of symptom onset.

Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)

A critical respiratory assessment in GBS; a value less than $20\,mL/kg$ indicates an urgent risk for impending respiratory failure.