Chapter 12 Nervous System Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the anatomy, pathology, procedures, and terminology of the nervous system as presented in the Chapter 12 lecture notes.

Consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Central nervous system (CNS)

Consists of either cranial nerves or spinal nerves.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

The three basic parts of a neuron are the dendrites, nerve cell body, and axon.

Neuron parts

A fatty substance that insulates some axons.

Myelin

The largest portion of the brain.

Cerebrum

The second largest portion of the brain.

Cerebellum

The portion of the cerebrum that controls eyesight.

Occipital lobe

The portion of the cerebrum that controls hearing and smell.

Temporal lobe

Tracts of the spinal cord that carry sensory information.

Ascending tracts

Tracts of the spinal cord that carry motor commands.

Descending tracts

Also called motor neurons; they carry impulses away from the brain and spinal cord.

Efferent neurons

Also called sensory neurons; they carry impulses to the brain and spinal cord.

Afferent neurons

The tough outer layer of the meninges.

Dura mater

The spiderlike middle layer of the meninges.

Arachnoid layer

The delicate inner layer of the meninges.

Pia mater

Divided into two divisions: the parasympathetic and the sympathetic nervous systems.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Nerves that serve the skin and skeletal muscles.

Somatic nerves

Sensations perceived before a seizure.

Aura

A medical term for fainting.

Syncope

Loss of the ability to control movement.

Palsy

A congenital hernia of the meninges.

Meningocele

A mild traumatic brain injury caused by a violent shaking.

Concussion

An X-ray of the brain's blood vessels.

Cerebral angiography

Abbreviation for electroencephalogram, which is a record of the brain's electrical activity.

EEG

Abbreviation for positron emission tomography; a diagnostic image made with radioactive isotopes.

PET scan

A procedure to obtain CSF from around the spinal cord; commonly called a spinal tap.

Lumbar puncture (LP)

The medical term for a stroke.

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

A type of feeding and eating disorder.

Anorexia nervosa

A type of elimination disorder.

Enuresis

Paralysis of the lower portion of the body and both legs.

Paraplegia

A fracture in which the bone is shattered, splintered, or crushed into many small pieces.

Comminuted fracture

A mass of blood in the space outside the dura mater of the brain and spinal cord.

Epidural hematoma

The lack of feeling or sensation.

Anesthesia

Removal of a portion of a vertebra called the lamina to relieve pressure on the spinal nerve.

Laminectomy

Loss of the ability to speak.

Aphasia

Weakness of one-half of the body.

Hemiparesis

Lack of muscle coordination.

Ataxia

The behavioral science that studies human behavior and thought processes.

Psychology

The branch of medicine that diagnoses and treats mental disorders.

Psychiatry

The part of the brain composed of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

Brainstem

The space where cerebrospinal fluid ($CSF$) is found.

Subarachnoid space

A tumor composed of astrocyte cells.

Astrocytoma

A specific level of the spinal cord (Lumbar 2) often associated with spinal cord injury locations.

L2 level

Abbreviation for cerebral palsy.

CP

Abbreviation for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease.

ALS