ch07 nevrous system and mental health (key terms: neurologic disorders)

Alzheimer disease(AD)

A form of dementia caused by atrophy of the cerebral cortex; presenile dementia

Amyloid

A starch-like substance of unknown composition that accumulates in the brain in Alzheimer and other diseases

Aneurysm

Localized abnormal dilation of a blood vessel that results from weakness of the vessel wall; and may eventually burst.

Aphasia

Specifically, loss or defect in speech communication for both spoken and written. May affect understanding of speech or to produce speech.

Astrocytoma

Neuroglial tumor composed of astrocytes

Cerebral contusion

Bruise to the surface of the brain following a blow to the head

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Sudden damage to the brain resulting from reduction of cerebral blood flow; possucuases are atherosclerosis, thrombosis, or a ruptured aneurysm; commonly called stroke

Concussion

Injury resulting from a violent blow or shock; a concussion of the brain usually results in loss of consciousness

Confusion

State of reduced comprehension, coherence, and reasoning ability reaulting in inappropriate responses to environmental stimuli

contrecoup injury

Damage to the brain on the side opposite the point of a blow as a result of the brains hitting the skull

Convulsion

Series of violent, involuntary muscle contractions. Tonic convulsion involves prolonged contraction of the muscles; in a clinic convulsion there is alternation of contraction and relaxation. Both forms appear in grand mal epilepsy

Dementia

Gradual and usually irreversible loss of intellectual function

Embolism

Obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot or other material carried in the circulation

Encephalitis

Inflammation of the brain

Epidural hematoma

Accumulation of blood un the epidural space ( between the dura mater and the skull)

Epilepsy

Chronic disease involving periodic sudden bursts of electric activity from the brain, resulting in seizures

Glioma

Tumor of neuroglia cells

Hemiparesis

Partial paralysis or weakness of one side of the body

Hemiplegia

Paralysis of one side of the body

Hydrocephalus

Increased accumulation of CSF in or around the brain as a result of obstruction to flow. May be caused by tumor, inflammation, hemorrhage, or congenital abnormality

Insomnia

Insufficient or no restorative sleep despite ample opportunity to sleep

Meningioma

Tumor of the meninges

Meningitis

Inflammation of the meninges

Multi-infarct dementia (MID)

Dementia caused by chronic cerebral ischemia (lack of blood supply to the tissues) as a result of multiple small strokes. A progressive loss of cognitive function, memory, and judgment as well as altered motor and sensory function

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Chronic, progressive disease involving loss of myelin in the CNS

Narcolepsy

Brief, uncontrollable episodes of sleep during the day

Neurilemmoma

Tumor of the sheath of a peripheral nerve; schwannoma

Paralysis

Temporary or permanent loss of function

Parkinsonism (Parkinson disease)

Disorder originating in the basal ganglia and characterized by slow movements, tremor, rigidity, and mask-like face.

Seizure

Sudden attack as seen in epilepsy

Shingles

Acute viral infection that follows nerve pathways causing small lesions on the skin, caused by reactivation of the virus that also causes chickenpox

Sleep apnea

Brief periods of breathing cessation during sleep

Stroke

Sudden interference with blood flow in one or more cerebral vessels leadings to oxygen deprivation and necrosis of brain tissue: caused by a blood clot in a vessel (ischemic stroke) or rupture of a vessel (hemorrhagic stroke), cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Subdural hematoma

Accumulation of blood beneath the dura mater

Thrombosis

Development of a blood clot within a vessel

Tremor

Shaking or Involuntarily movement