Neurology Vocabulary Review

Flashcards to review key neurological vocabulary terms and their definitions.

caus/o

burning, burn

cerebr/o

cerebrum, brain

concuss/o

shaken together, violently agitated

contus/o

bruise

encephal/o

brain

-esthesia

sensation, feeling

esthet/o

feeling, nervous sensation, sense of perception

-mania

madness

mening/o

membranes, meninges

neur/i, neur/o

nerve, nerve tissue

-phasia

speak or speech

phobia

abnormal fear

psych/o

mind

radicul/o

root or nerve root

-tropic

having an affinity for

acrophobia

an excessive fear of heights.

Alzheimer’s disease

a group of disorders involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

a rapidly progressive neurological disease that attacks the nerve cells responsible for controlling voluntary muscles.

anesthetic

medication used to induce anesthesia.

anesthetist

a medical professional who specializes in administering anesthesia but is not a physician.

anorexia nervosa

an eating disorder characterized by a false perception of body appearance that leads to an inability to maintain a healthy body weight.

anxiety disorders

mental condition characterized by excessive, irrational dread of everyday situations.

autism spectrum disorder

a condition with different levels of symptom severity involving difficulty in developing normal social relationships.

Bell’s palsy

temporary paralysis of the seventh cranial nerve that causes paralysis only on the affected side of the face.

carotid ultrasonography

an ultrasound study of the carotid artery performed to predict or diagnose an ischemic stroke.

causalgia

persistent, severe, burning pain that usually follows an injury to a sensory nerve.

cerebral contusion

bruising of brain tissue as a result of a head injury.

cerebral palsy

a group of disorders characterized by poor muscle control and neurologic deficiencies.

cerebrovascular accident

brain damage that occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted.

cervical radiculopathy

nerve pain caused by pressure on the spinal nerve roots in the neck region.

claustrophobia

abnormal fear of being in small or enclosed spaces.

cognition

the mental activities associated with thinking, learning, and memory.

coma

a deep state of unconsciousness.

concussion

a violent shaking up or jarring of the brain.

cranial hematoma

a collection of blood trapped in the tissues of the brain.

delirium

an acute condition of confusion and disorientation.

delirium tremens

sudden and severe mental changes caused by abruptly stopping alcohol use.

delusion

a false personal belief maintained despite evident proof to the contrary.

dementia

a slowly progressive decline in mental abilities, including memory and thinking.

dura mater

the thick, tough, outermost membrane of the meninges.

dyslexia

a learning disability characterized by substandard reading ability.

electroencephalography

the process of recording the electrical activity of the brain.

encephalitis

inflammation of the brain.

epidural anesthesia

regional anesthesia produced by injecting medication into the epidural space.

epilepsy

a chronic neurologic condition characterized by recurrent seizures.

factitious disorder

a condition where a person acts as if they have an illness when they do not.

hallucination

a sensory perception experienced in the absence of external stimulation.

hemorrhagic stroke

damage to the brain when a blood vessel leaks.

hydrocephalus

a condition characterized by excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.

hyperesthesia

abnormal and excessive sensitivity to sensory stimuli.

ischemic stroke

brain damage from blocked blood flow to the brain.

lethargy

a lowered level of consciousness marked by listlessness.

meningitis

inflammation of the meninges of the brain.

meningocele

congenital herniation of the meninges through a defect.

migraine headache

a headache characterized by throbbing pain on one side.

multiple sclerosis

a progressive autoimmune disorder with demyelination of nerve fibers.

myelitis

inflammation of the spinal cord.

myelography

a study of the spinal cord after a contrast injection.

narcolepsy

a sleep disorder with sudden episodes of sleeping during the day.

neurotransmitters

substances that help messages cross from one neuron to another.

obsessive-compulsive disorder

a mental condition characterized by obsessions and/or compulsions.

panic attack

an unexpected experience of fear accompanied by physical symptoms.

parasomnia

disorders occurring while falling asleep, during sleep, or waking.

paresthesia

a burning or prickling sensation with no apparent physical cause.

Parkinson’s disease

a chronic, degenerative disorder with muscle tremors and rigidity.

peripheral neuropathy

disorder affecting the peripheral nerves resulting in pain and loss of sensation.

post-traumatic stress disorder

may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event.

Reye’s syndrome

a serious disorder in children following viral illness treated with aspirin.

schizophrenia

a psychotic disorder characterized by withdrawal from reality and hallucinations.

sciatica

inflammation of the sciatic nerve due to nerve root pressure.

seizure

a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain.

shaken baby syndrome

syndrome resulting from violently shaking a child.

syncope

brief loss of consciousness due to reduced blood flow to the brain.

tremor

a repetitive, involuntary muscle movement.

trigeminal neuralgia

chronic pain condition characterized by severe, lightning-like pain.