med term ch. 10

nervous system/mental health

afferent

moving toward a center
ex. nerve fibers conducting impulses to the spinal cord and brain

efferent

moving away from a center
ex. conducting nerve impulses away from the brain or spinal cord

electroencephalogram (EEG)

cf/r: electr/o (electricity)
cf/r: encephal/o (brain)
suffix: gram (recording)
record of the electrical activity of the brain

electroneurodiagnostic

cf/r: electr/o
cf/r: neur/o
root: diagnost (decision)
pertaining to the use of electricity in the diagnosis of neurologic disorders

epilepsy

root: epilept (seizure)
chronic brain disorder due to paroxysmal excessive neuronal discharges

motor

structure of the nervous system that send impulses out to cause muscles to contract or a gland to secrete

nerve

a cord of nerve fibers bound together by connective tissue

nervous system

root: nerv (nerve)
the whole integrated nerve apparatus

neurology

cf/r: neur/o (nerve)
medical speciality of disorders of nervous system

parasympathetic

prefix: para (beside)
prefix: sym (together)
root: pathet (suffering)
division of the autonomic nervous system

sensory

root: sens (feel)
suffix: ory (having the function of)
pertaining to sensation; structures of the nervous system that carry impulses to the brain

somatic

root: somat (body)
a division of the peripheral nervous system serving the skeletal muscles

sympathetic

prefix: sym (together)
root: pathet (suffering)
division of the autonomic nervous system operating at an unconscious level

viscera

root: viscer (internal organs)
any single organ

autonomic

prefix: auto (self)
root: nom (law)
self governing visceral motor division of the peripheral nervous system

axon

single process of a nerve cell carrying nervous impulses away from the cell body

dendrite

branched extension of the nerve cell body that receives nervous stimuli

dopamine

neurotransmitter in some specific small areas of the brain

glia

connective tissue that holds a structure together

neuroglial

cf/r: neur/o (nerve)
root: glia (glue)
connective tissue holding nervous tissue together

myelin

root: myel (spinal cord)
suffix: in (chemical compound)
material of the sheath around the axon of a nerve

neuron

technical term for a nerve cell; consists of a cell body with its dendrites and axons

neurotransmitter

suffix: er (agent)
cf/r: neur/o
prefix: trans (across)
root: mitt (send)
chemical agent that relays messages from one nerve cell to the next

synapse

prefix: syn (together)
root: apse (clasp)
junction between two nerve cell (nerve cell and its target cell); where electrical impulses are transmitted between cells

cerebellum

root: cerebell (little brain)
the most posterior area of the brain located between the midbrain and the cerebral hemispheres; coordinates balance and movement

cerebrospinal fluid

cf/r: cerebr/o (brain)
root: spin (spine)
fluid formed in the ventricles of the brain; surround the brain and spinal cord

cerebrum

root: cerebr (cerebrum)
cerebral hemispheres

corpus callosum

root: callos (thickening)
root corpus (body)
bridge of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres

frontal lobe

root: front (front of)
front area of the cerebral hemisphere

gyrus

rounded elevation on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres

hypothalamus

prefix: hypo (below)
root: thalam (thalamus)
an endocrine gland in the floor and wall of the third ventricle of the brain; regulates blood pressure, body temp, water, electrolyte balance

occipital lobe

root: occipit (back of head)
posterior area of the cerebral hemisphere
interprets visual images and written words

parietal lobe

root: pariet (wall)
area of the brain under the parietal bone
receives and interprets sensory information such as spoken words

sulcus

groove on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres that separate gyri

temporal lobe

root: tempor (time, temple)
posterior two thirds of the cerebral hemispheres; interpret sensory experiences/sounds

thalamus

mass of gray matter under the ventricle in each cerebral hemisphere; receives all sensory input and directs them to the appropriate cortex for interpretation

analegsia

prefix: an (without)
root: alges (sensation of pain)
state in which pain is reduced

anesthesia

prefix: an (without)
cf/r: esthes (feeling)
suffix: ia (condition)
complete loss of sensation

arachnoid mater

root: mater (mother)
root: arachn (spider, cobweb)
weblike middle layer of the three meninges

dura mater

root: dura (hard)
root: mater (mother)
hard fibrous outer layer of the meninges

epidural space

prefix: epi (above)
root: dur (dura)
space between the dura mater and the wall of the vertebral canal

meninges

three layered covering of the brain and spinal cord

pia mater

root: pia (delicate)
delicate inner layer of the meninges

subarachnoid space

prefix: sub (under)
root: arachn (cobweb, spider)
space between the pia mater and the arachnoid membrane

alzheimer disease

common form of dementia

cognition

process of acquiring knowledge through thinking, learning and memory

confusion

root: confus (bewildered)
mental state in which environmental stimuli are not processed appropriately

delirium

root: deliri (disorientation, confusion)
acute altered state of consciousness with agitation and disorientation

dementia

prefix: de (removal)
root: ment (mind)
chronic, progrssive, irreversible loss of the mind's cognitive and intellectual functions

empathy

prefix: em (into)
root: pathy (emotion, disease)
ability to place yourself into the feelings, emotions, and reactions of another persons

sympathy

root: pathy (emotion, disease)
prefix: sym (together)
appreciation and concern for another persons mental and emotional state

sedative

root: sedat (to calm)
agent that calms nervous excitement

senile

root: sen (old age)
characteristic of old age

stroke

acute clinical event caused by impaired cerebral circulation

grand mal

root: grand (big)
root: mal (bad)
previous name for generalized tonic clonic seizure

narcolepsy

cf/r: narc/o (stupor)
suffix: lepsy (seizure)
involuntary falling asleep

petit mal

root: petit (small)
root: mal (bad)
previous name for absence seizures

postical

prefix: post (after)
root: ict (seizure)
transient neurologic deficit after a seizure

ictal

condition caused by a stroke or epilepsy

tic

sudden, involuntary repeated contraction of movements

tonic

root: ton (pressure)
state of muscular contraction

tonic clonic seizure

root: ton (pressure, tension)
root: clon (tumult)
root: seiz (to grab)
suffix: ure (process)
the body alternates between excessive muscular rigidity and jerking muscular contractions

tourette syndrome

disorder of multiple motor and vocal tics

aneurysm

small, circumscribed dilation of an artery or cardiac chamber

arteriography

cf/r: arteri/o (artery)
suffix: graphy (recording)
x-ray visualization of an artery after injection of contrast material

autism

root: autis (autism)
a disorder with severely abnormal social and communication skills

bovine spongiform encephalopathy

root: bov (cattle)
cf/r: spong/i (sponge)
cf/r: encephal/o (head)
suffix: form (appearance of)
suffix: pathy (disease)
disease of cattle that can be transmitted to humans- causes creutzfeldt jakob disease

carotid endarterectomy

prefix: end (inside)
root: arter (artery)
suffix: ectomy (surgical incision)
surgical removal of diseased lining from the carotid artery to leave a smooth lining and restore blood flow

creutzfeldt-jakob disease

progressive, incurable neurologic disease caused by infectious prions

enchephalitis

root: enchephal (heat)
inflammation of brain cells and tissues

migraine

prefix: mi (hemi, half)
rot: graine (head pain)
paroxysmal severe headache confined to one side of the head

parkinson disease

disease of muscular rigidity, tremors and a maskl-ike facial expression

prion

small infectious protein particle

syncope

temporary loss of consciousness and postural tone due to diminished cerebral blood flow

tremor

small shaking involuntary repetitive movements of hands, extremities, neck or jaw

acoustic

pertaining to hearing

analgesia

prefix: an (without)
root: alges (sensation of pain)
suffix: ia (condition)
state in which pain is reduced

bell palsy

paresis or paralysis of one side of the face

concussion

root: concuss (shake violently)
suffix: ion (action)
mild brain injury

countrecoup

injury to the brain at a point directly opposite the point of contact

contrustion

root: contus (bruise)
hemorrhage into tissue (bruising)

coup

injury to the brain directly under the skull at the point of contact

fibromyalgia

root: my (muscle)
cf/r: fibr/o (fiber)
suffix: aglia (pain)
pain in the muscle fibers

meningococcal

cf/r: mening/o (meninges)
root: cocc (round bacterium)
pertaining to the meningococcus bacterium

neuroma

root: neur (nerve)
suffix: oma (tumor)
any tumor arising from cells in the nervous system

subdural space

prefix: sub (below)
root: dur (dura)
space between the arachnoid and dura mater layers of the meninges

trauma

root: trauma (injury)
a physical or mental injury

trigeminal

prefix: tri (three)
root: gemin (double)
fifth cranial nerve with three branches supplying the face

neuralgia

root: neur (nerve)
suffix: algia (pain)
trigeminal neuralgia- painful facial muscles supplied by the trigeminal nerve

tic douloureux

synonym for trigeminal neuralgia

demyelination

prefix: de (without)
rot: myelin
suffix: ation (process)
process of losing the myelin sheath of a nerve fiber

exacerbation

root: excerbat (increase, aggravate)
period when there is an increase in the severity of a disease

intermittent

prefix: inter (between)
root: mitt (send)
suffix: ent (end result)
alternately ceasing and beginning again

modify

change the form or qualities of something

paresthesia

prefix: para (abnormal)
root: esthes (sensation)
abnormal sensation (tingling, burning, prickling)

remission

prefix: re (back)
root: miss (send)
period when there is a lessening or absence of symptoms of a disease

sclerosis

cf/r: scler/o (hardening)
suffix: sis (abnormal condition)
thickening and hardening of a tissue- in NS: fibrous and glial tissue

amyotrophic

prefix: a (without)
cf/r: my/o (muscle)
root: troph (nourishment)
pertaining to muscular atrophy

compression

prefix: com (together)
root: press (squeeze)
squeeze together to increase density of decrease dimension of a structure

herniation

root: herni (rupture)
suffix: ate (composed of)
protrusion of an anatomical structure from its normal location from the tissue that normally contains it