CLCV 102-Ch. 14 Neurology

neurology

the branch of medicine specializing in conditions of the nervous system

neurologist

physician who specializes in disorders of nervous system

neurosurgery

branch of medicine specializing in surgery of nervous system

brain

one of the largest organs in the body; coordinates most body activities; center for all thought, memory, judgement, and coordination

spinal cord

provides pathway for impulses traveling to and from brain; a column of nerve fibers that extends from medulla oblongota of brain down to level of second lumbar vertebra

sensory receptors

nerve fibers located directly under surface of skin; detect temperature, pain, touch, and pressure

central nervous system

portion of nervous system that consists of brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system

portion of nervous system that contains cranial nerves and spinal nerves; mainly responsible for voluntary muscle movement, smell, taste, sight, and hearing

neuron

individual nerve cell that group together to form nerves and other tissue

synapse

point at which axon of one neuron meets dendrite of next neuron

synaptic cleft

gap between two neurons

neurotransmitter

chemical messenger that carries electrical impulse across gap between two neurons

myelin

tissue that wraps around many of nerve fibers; composed of fatty material and functions as insulator

alges/o

sense of pain

cerebell/o

cerebellum

cerebr/o

cerebrum

encephal/o

brain

esthesi/o

sensation

medull/o

medulla oblongota

mening/o

meninges

myel/o

spinal cord

neur/o

nerve

pont/o

pons

radicul/o

nerve root

thalam/o

thalamus

angi/o

vessel

cephal/o

head

electr/o

electricity

hemat/o

blood

hydr/o

water

lumb/o

low back

my/o

muscle

scler/o

hardening

spin/o

spine

tom/o

to cut

vascul/o

blood vessel

\-al

pertaining to

\-algia

pain

\-ar

pertaining to

\-ary

pertaining to

\-asthenia

weakness

\-cele

protrusion

\-eal

pertaining to

\-ectomy

surgical removal

\-esthesia

sensation condition

\-gram

a record

\-graphy

process of recording

\-ic

pertaining to

\-ine

pertaining to

\-itis

inflammation

\-logist

one who studies

\-logy

study of

\-malacia

abnormal softenining

\-oma

tumor, mass

\-osis

abnormal condition

\-otomy

cutting into

\-paresis

weakness

\-pathy

disease

\-phasia

speech

\-plasty

surgical repair

\-plegia

paralysis

\-rrhaphy

to suture

\-sclerosis

hardening

\-tic

pertaining to

\-trophic

development

a-

without

an-

without

anti-

against

de-

without

di-

two

dys-

painful, difficult, abnormal

hemi-

half

hyper-

excessive

mono-

one

para-

two like parts of a pair, beside

poly-

many

quadri-

four

sub-

under

cerebellum

second largest portion of brain, aids in coordination voluntary body movements and maintaining balance and equilibrium

cerebrum

largest part of brain; receives sensory information and sends motor commands; also responsible for memory, problem solving, and language; divided into 4 parts

frontal lobe

1/4 of cerebral hemisphere lobes; controls motor functions

parietal lobe

1/4 of cerebral hemisphere lobes; receives and interprets nerve impulses from sensory receptors

temporal lobe

1/4 of cerebral hemisphere lobes; controls hearing and smell

occipital lobe

1/4 of cerebral hemisphere lobes; controls eyesight

thalamus

portion of diencephalon; composed of gray matter and acts as center for relaying impulses from eyes, ears, and skin to cerebrum; pain perception also controlled here

brainstem

area of brain that includes 3 components; pathway for impulses to be conducted between brain and spinal cord; contains centers that control respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure; origin for 12 pairs of cranial nerves

medulla oblongota

portion of brainstem that connects spinal cord with brain; contains respiratory, cardiac, and blood pressure control centers

meninges

3 connective tissue membrane layers that surround brain and spinal cord

dura mater

fibrous outermost meninges layer that forms a tough protective layer

arachnoid layer

delicate middle layer of meninges

pia mater

thin innermost meninges layer that is applied directly to the surface of the brain

spinal nerves

31 pairs of nerves arising from spinal cord

gray matter

nervous tissue that appears gray because it is not covered by myelin

dorsal root

pathway for sensory neurons entering spinal cord carrying sensory information

ascending tracts

column of white matter nervous tissue carrying sensory info up spinal cord to brain

white matter

nervous tissue that appears white because it is covered by myelin

descending tracts

columns of white matter nervous tissue carrying motor commands from brain down spinal cord to ventral roots