ch 15

bell palsy

- paralysis of muscles on 1 side of face
- caused by inflammation/compression of facial nerve (cranial nerve VII)
- temporary; resulting in sagging mouth, eyelid non-closure
- can come back

cerebral palsy (CP)

- lack of muscle control & partial paralysis
- caused by brain defect or lesion at birth or shortly after

cerebral aneurysm

- ballooning of weakened portion of arterial wall in cerebrum
- asymptomatic until it ruptures, then may result in death

stroke

AKA cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or brain attack
- interruption of blood supply (O2) to region of brain
- cells die & affected areas suffer dysfunction

subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)

- bleeding b/w pia mater & arachnoid layers of the meninges
- symptoms \= intense, sudden headache w/ nausea, vomiting, and neck pain
- critical condition; causes hemorrhagic stroke

transient ischemic attack (TIA)

- sudden deficiency of blood to brain
- temporary symptoms similar to stroke; complete recovery
- warning sign for stroke

dementia

- cognitive impairment characterized by loss of intellectual brain function
- difficulty performing complex tasks, reasoning, learning/retaining new info, orientation, word finding, and behvior
- several causes; not part of normal aging

Alzheimer disease (AD)

- type of dementia
- brain shrinks as nerve cells die & tissues atrophy
- occurs most after 65, slowly progressive
- inability to remember recent past

Parkinson disease (PD)

- degenerative disease of CNS
- resting tremors in hands, feet; rigidity; expressionless face, shuffling gait, dementia
- usually occurs after age 50

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig Disease

progressive muscle atrophy caused by degeneration & scarring of neurons along the lateral columns of the spinal cord that control muscles

multiple sclerosis (MS)

- chronic degenerative disease; sclerotic patches along brain & spinal cord
- myelin sheath is attacked
- symptoms \= fatigue, balance & coordination impairments, numbness, vision problems
- organs shut down because impulses aren't being sent

chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)

- progressive degenerative disease of brain appearing years after repeated head trauma
- signs & symptoms \= memory loss, aggression, confusion, attention deficits, poor judgment, anxiety, depression
- professional athletes; diagnosed at autopsy

shingles

- viral disease that affects the peripheral nerves & causes blisters on the skin that follow the affected nerves (herpes zoster)
- hyperesthesia can persist due to neuralgia (hyper sensitive)

botulism

- serious illness caused by a bacterial toxin that interferes w/ nerve conduction
- causes skeletal muscle paralysis
- used as botox

epilepsy

recurrent seizures; group of disorders characterized by abnormal electrical activity in the brain

sciatica

- inflammation of the sciatic nerve causing pain that travels from thigh through leg to the foot/toes (posterior)
- multiple causes including sitting for long periods & herniated disk

positron emission tomography (PET) scan

- nuclear medicine procedure combining CT & radioactive chemicals to produce sectional images of brain & other organs
- radioactive materials (tracers) are bound to molecules used in metabolism
- more active areas (cancers) use more molecules \= higher activity is detected
- examines blood flow & metabolic activity

evoked potential studies (EP studies)

measure changes & responses in brain waves elicited by visual response (VER), auditory (AER), or somatosensory (SSER) stimuli

deep tendon reflexes

portion of a physical exam where gentle strikes at specific locations are performed to assess the possibility of potential neurological abnormalities

lumbar puncture (LP) or spinal tap

- insertion of needle into subarachnoid space b/w 3rd & 4th lumbar vertebrae
- removes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for diagnostic purposes

ataxia

lack of muscle coordination

cognitive

pertaining to the mental processes of comprehension, judgment, memory, and reason

coma

state of profound unconsciousness

concussion

- injury to the brain caused by minor or major head trauma
- symptoms \= vertigo, headache, and possible loss of consciousness

conscious

awake, alert, aware of one's surroundings

convulsion

sudden, involuntary contraction of a group of muscles' may be present during a seizure

disorientation

state of mental confusion as to time, place, or identity

dysarthria

inability to use speech that is distinct and connected because of a loss of muscle control after damage to the nervous system

gait

manner or style of walking

incoherent

unable to express one's thoughts or ideas in an orderly, intelligible manner

paraplegia

paralysis from the waist down

seizure

sudden, abnormal surge of electrical activity in the brain, resulting in involuntary body movements or behaviors

shunt

tube implanted in the body to redirect the flow of a fluid

spasticity

- continued contraction of certain muscles due to damage of brain of the spinal cord controlling voluntary movement and causing tightness, and stiffness that can interfere w normal movement, speech and gait
- associated w CP, MS, and other neurological disorders

syncope

fainting or sudden loss of consciousness caused by lack of blood supply to the cerebrum

unconsciousness

state of being unaware of surroundings and incapable of responding to stimuli as a result of injury, shock, illness, or drugs

psychiatrist

a physician who has had additional training and experience in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Psychiatrists
often prescribe medications for patients with these
disorders.

clinical psychologist

is one who has had graduate training in clinical
psychology and who administers psychological tests and
treats individuals with disturbances of mental, emotional,
and behavioral disorders by counseling therapy.

anorexia nervosa

eating disorder characterized by
disturbed perception of body image, resulting in failure to maintain body weight, fear of gaining weight, etc.

anxiety disorder

characterized by feelings of
apprehension, tension or uneasiness arising from the anticipation of unreal or imagined anger

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

disorder of learning and behavioral problems
characterized by marked inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity

autism

spectrum of mental disorders; preoccupation with subjective mental activity, inability to interact socially, and impaired communication (Autism spectrum disorders \=
ASD)

bipolar disorder

A major psychological disorder typified
by a disturbance in mood; manic and depressive episodes may occur

bulimia nervosa

eating disorder characterized by
uncontrolled binge eating followed by purging

major depression

mood disturbance characterized by
feelings of sadness, despair, discouragement,
hopelessness, lack of joy, altered sleep patterns, and
difficulty with decision making and daily function

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

disorder
characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts resulting in tendency to perform repetitive acts or ritual compulsions.

panic attack

episode of a sudden onset of acute anxiety
occurring unpredictably with feelings of acute apprehension, dyspnea, dizziness, sweating, and/or chest pain (other additional symptoms)

phobia

marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable cued by the presence or anticipation of a
specific situation or object

pica

compulsive eating of nonnutritive substances, such
as clay or ice.
- May be the result of iron deficiency.

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

disorder
characterized by acute emotional response to a traumatic
event perceived as life threatening or severe emotional
stress.

schizophrenia

group of psychotic disorders
characterized by gross distortions of reality, disturbance of
language and communication, withdrawal from social interaction, and the disorganization/fragmentation of
thought, perception, and emotional reaction.

somatoform disorders

characterized by physical symptoms for which no known physical cause exists

central nervous system (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

cranial & spinal nerves

cranial nerves

carry impulses b/w brain, neck, and head (12)

spinal nerves

carry messages b/w spinal cord and abdomen, limbs, and chest (31)

brain (within cranium)

- Center for coordinating body activities
- Comprised of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and
brainstem

cerebrum

- Largest part of the brain; left & right hemispheres
- Controls the skeletal muscles, interprets general
senses, contains centers for hearing and sight (optic & auditory nerves)
- Intellect, memory, and emotional reactions

gray matter

- Outer portion of the cerebrum
- Contains neuron cell bodies that collect and process information
- Forms inner portion of spinal cord

white matter

- Inner portion of the cerebrum
- Contains axons that extend from neurons
- Conveys information to different parts of the brain
- Forms outer portion of spinal cord

ventricles

Cavities containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

- Clear, colorless fluid contained in the ventricles
- Flows through the subarachnoid space around brain
and spinal cord
- Cushions the brain and spinal cord from shock,
transports nutrients, and clears metabolic waste

cerebellum

Coordinates skeletal muscles to maintain balance

Brainstem

- Stemlike portion of the brain that connects with the
spinal cord
- Contains centers that control respiration and heart rate (midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata)

midbrain

most superior portion of the brainstem

pons

Connects the cerebrum with the
cerebellum and brainstem

medulla oblongata

located between pons &
spinal cord; contains centers that control
respiration, heart rate, muscles in blood vessel
walls (blood pressure) [INVOLUNTARY]

spinal cord (in vertebral canal)

- Conducts nerve impulses to and from the brain
- Initiates reflex action to sensory information without
input from brain

meninges

3 layers of membrane that cover the
brain/spinal cord (dura mater, arachnoid, pia mater)

dura mater

tough outer layer of meninges

arachnoid

delicate middle layer; attached to pia
mater with web-like fibers (subarachnoid space is
created)

pia mater

thin inner layer of meninges

nerve

cordlike structure made up of fibers; carries
impulses from one part of the body to another
- 12 pairs cranial
- 31 pairs spinal

ganglion

group of nerve cell bodies located outside
the CNS

glia

specialized cells that support and nourish
nervous tissue; do not conduct impulses
- Secrete CSF or assist with phagocytosis

neuron

FUNCTIONAL UNIT
- Nerve cell that conducts impulses (never replaced)
- There are sensory and motor neurons.

somatic

sends signals to the skeletal muscles (voluntary)

autonomic

sends signals to involuntary tissues (i.e.- smooth
muscle)

cerebell/o

cerebellum

cerebr/o

cerebrum, brain

dur/o

hard, dura mater

encephal/o

brain

gangli/o

ganglion

ganglion/o

ganglion

gli/o

glia

mening/o

meninges

meningi/o

meninges

myel/o

spinal cord

neur/o

nerve

poli/o

gray matter

radicul/o

nerve root

rhiz/o

nerve root

angi/o

vessel(s); blood vessel(s)

blast/o

developing cell, germ cell

cephal/o

head

crani/o

cranium (skull)

embol/o

plug

esthesi/o

sensation, sensitivity, feeling

hem/o

blood

hemat/o

blood