Lesson 11 Neurologic Diseases and Disorders

acetylcholine (ACh)

a neurotransmitter involved in a number of functions, including voluntary motor control

agnosia

the inability to recognize familiar objects or faces.

agraphia

inability to write

alexia

not being able to read, either partially or fully

aneurysm

A weakened artery that has widened and thinned abnormally. The weakened part of the vessel can burst causing hemorrhage.

arachnoid

middle layer of the meninges

astrocytoma

type of cancer that develops in the brain or spinal cord

baroreceptors

mechanoreceptors located in the carotid sinus and aortic arch. Sense pressure changes by responding to tension in arterial wall.

basal nuclei

the basal nuclei are a group of subcortical nuclei found in the bottom of the forebrain and top of the midbrain. It is part of the cerebrum.

blood-brain barrier

a highly selective semi-permeable barrier that separates the blood from the brain and extracellular fluid.

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Fluid produced in the ventricles of the brain that flows in the subarachnoid space and bathes the meninges.

dura mater

thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord; dense irregular connective tissue membrane surrounding brain and spinal cord

dysarthria

a disorder which causes significant reductions in the effectiveness of speech articulation, caused by nerve damage.

Encephalitis

an inflammation of the brain caused by infection

gray matter

portion of the CNS that consists of neuron cell bodies and glial cells. Gray matter is involved in muscle control and sensory perception.

Guillain-Barré syndrome

a rare disease - an autoimmune condition that causes acute inflammation of the peripheral nerves in which myelin sheaths on the axons are destroyed, resulting in decreased nerve impulses, loss of reflex response, and sudden muscle weakness. Common causes are thought to include: previous infections by (C jejuni, CMV, Epstein Barr virus). Most people recover fully though some people have long-term nerve damage and occasionally, people have died of GBS, usually from difficulty breathing.

infratentorial lesions

-located in the brainstem or below the tentorium
-respiratory and circulatory function may be impaired

limbic system

Structures in the brain which regulate emotion, behaviour, motivation, long-term memory, and smell. Located in the midbrain.

Meninges

three membranes (dura mater, arachnoid, pia mater) that line the skull and vertebral canal and enclose the brain and spinal cord

Meningitis

inflammation of the meninges

neurons (nerve cells)

excitable cells that transmit electrical signals

otorrhagia

leaking CSF or bleeding, or hemorrhage, from the ear

pia mater

The innermost meninge (membrane) protecting the central nervous system; it is directly adhered to the brain and spinal cord.

Shingles

herpes zoster infection that involves peripheral nerves; characterized by pain and blisters along dermatomes

somatosensory cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

a.k.a. "Stroke". Lack of blood supply to the brain causing brain damage

supratentorial lesions

-occur in the cerebral hemispheres above the tentorium cerebelli
-leads to specific dysfunction in a discrete area

Tetraplegia (quadriplegia)

the partial or total loss of all four limbs due to injury or illness which leads to paralysis

transient ischemic attack (TIA)

a stroke that only lasts a few minutes due to a brief blockage of blood supply in the brain

transtentorial herniation

Cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, midbrain are displaced downward
Resulting pressure affects flow of blood and CSF, RAS, and respiration

white matter

areas in the CNS that are mostly made up of myelinated axons