Module 10_The Nervous System_Terms

Gr. asthenes= weak, derived froma- = without + sthenos = strength

weakness, debility.Neurastheniais weakness and fatigue brought on by psychological factors.Myasthenia is muscular weakness.

-asthenia

Gr. aisthesis = sensation, perception

feeling, sensation. Paresthesia is an abnormal feeling (in the extremities for example) of burning, pricking, tingling.

-esthesia

Gr. kinesis = movement, motion

movement, motion. Akinesia/akinesis refers to the complete or partial loss of muscle movement.

kinesi-

Gr. paresis = paralysis, loss of strength

paralysis. Hemiparesis refers to a form of paralysis affecting only one side of the body (syn. hemiplegia)

paresis

Gr. plege = stroke

stroke. Paraplegia is a paralysis of both lower extremities and also the trunk in some cases.

-plegia

Fr. contraction of the word “paralysie”.

paralysis. Bell’s palsy is paresis or paralysis of the facial muscles (usually unilateral).

palsy

Gr. taxis = order, arrangement

coordination. Ataxia refers to the lack of coordination of voluntary muscular movement.

tax-

Gr. tonos = tone (musical),elasticity, firmness (of muscle), derived from teinein = to stretch

tone, tension, pressure. Dystonia refers to abnormal tonicity (especially in muscle tissue) that impairs voluntary movement.

ton/o

Lat. vertigo = a turning around

Vertigo is the sensation of spinning or whirling around in space that results in loss of equilibrium.

vertig-

Gr. nystagmos = drowsiness, derived from nystazein = to take a nap

Nystagmus refers to the condition characterized by the constant recurring involuntary twitching of the eye.

nystagm-

Gr. phasis = speech

aphasia is the inability to understand speech or to express oneself through speech (from the Gr. a- = without + phasis (speech). dysphasia is the impairment of speech or comprehensible speech due to an acquired brain lesion.

-phasia

Gr. gnosis = knowledge

agnosia is the impairment of the ability to comprehend auditory, visual or other sensory stimuli, not traceable to defects in the primary sensory receptors or in the general intellect, but caused by lesions in the cerebrum.

gnos-

Gr. lalein = to talk, chatter

echolalia refers to the involuntary, parrot like repetition of words or sentences just spoken by another individual, usually seen in catatonic schizophrenia. Also termed echo speech, or echophrasia.

lal-

Gr. lexis = diction, speech, word, phrase

dyslexia is a term usually applied to impaired reading ability with reduced comprehension.

lex-

Gr. meninx = membrane + itis = inflammation of

inflammation of the meninges of the brain or spinal cord.

meningitis

Gr. meninx = membrane + kele = hernia

protrusion of the meninges of the brain or spinal cord through a (congenital) defect in the skull or spinal column.

meningocele

Gr. neuron = nerve + Lat. fibra = fiber + -oma = a tumor

a benign encapsulated tumor caused by Schwann cell proliferation in a confused array that includes nerve fibers.

neurofibroma

Named after the physician, James Parkinson (1755-1824)

a neurologic syndrome caused by a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Parkinson’s disease

Gr. polios = gray + muelos = marrow + -itis = disease, inflammation

an acute inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord often leading to paralysis.

poliomyelitis

O. Fr. seiser = to grasp

an epileptic attack (usually).

seizure

Gr. synkope = a cutting short

loss of consciousness caused by a reduction in cerebral blood flow.

syncope

Gr. tomos = a cutting + graphe = writing

the making of a radiographic image of a selected plane.

tomography

Lat. tractus = a drawing out, an extension + Gr. tome = a cut, cutting

the cutting of a nerve tract in the brainstem or spinal column.

tractotomy

Lat. vagus = ranging, wandering + Gr. tome = cut

a cutting of (branches of) the vagus nerve, usually performed to reduce gastric acid secretion.

vagotomy