nervous system

a-

absence of, without, no, not

an-

absence of, without, no, not

dys-

painful, abnormal, difficult, labored

intra-

within

hemi-

half

hyper-

above, excessive

inter-

between

pan-

all, total

para-

beside, beyond, around, abnormal

pre-

before

poly-

many, much

post-

after

sub-

below, under

cephal/o

head

cerebell/o

cerebellum

cerebr/o

cerebrum

dur/o

dura mater, hard

encephal/o

brain

esthesi/o

sensation, sensitivity, feeling

gangli/o

ganglion

ganglion/o

ganglion

gli/o

glia, gluey substance

mening/o

meninges

meningi/o

meninges

ment/o

mind

mon/o

one, single

myel/o

spinal cord

neur/o

nerve

phas/o

speech

poli/o

gray matter

psych/o

mind

quadr/i

four

radic/o

nerve root

radicul/o

nerve root

rhiz/o

nerve root

-al

pertaining to

-algia

pain

-cele

hernia, protrusion

-cyte

cell

-ectomy

excision, surgical removal, cutting out

-genic

producing, originating, causing

-gram

the record, radiographic image

-graph

instrument used to record

-graphy

process of recording, radiographic imaging

-ia

condition of, diseased state or abnormal state

-ic

pertaining to

-iatrist

specialist, physician

-iatry

specialty, treatment

-ictal

seizure, attack

-itis

inflammation

-logist

specialist, physician

-logy

study of

-lysis

loosening, dissolution, separating

-malacia

softening

-oid

resembling

-oma

tumor

-osis

abnormal condition

-paresis

slight paralysis

-pathy

disease

-plasty

surgical repair

-plegia

paralysis

-sclerosis

hardening

-rrhaphy

suturing, repairing

-tomy

incision, cut into

neurology

neur/o/logy
medical specialty concerned with the study of the structures, functions, and diseases of the nervous system

mononeuropathy

mon/o/neur/o/pathy
disease affecting a single peripheral nerve

quadriplegia

quadr/i/plegia
paralysis of all four limbs

radiculopathy

radicul/o/pathy
disease of the nerve roots

cerebral angiography

cerebr/al angi/o/graphy
process of recording the blood vessels of the cerebrum

meningocele

mening/o/cele
protrusion of the meninges

neuroma

neur/oma
tumor made up of nerve cells

meningioma

meningi/oma
tumor of the meninges

encephalomalacia

encephal/o/malacia
softening of the tissues of the brain

psychiatrist

psych/iatrist
medical doctor who specializes in neuroscience and diagnoses and treats mental disorders

lumbar puncture

lumb/ar puncture
procedure used to withdraw cerebrospinal fluid from the lower lumbar region of the vertebral column

hemorrhagic stroke

hem/o/rrhagic stroke
disruption of blood flow to the brain caused by bleeding within the cranial vault

psychosis

psych/osis
a severe mental disorder in which a person loses the ability to recognize reality or relate to others

hyperesthesia

hyper/esthesi/a
increased sensitivity to stimuli

meningomyelocele

mening/o/myel/o/cele
protrusion of the meninges and spinal cord

rhizotomy

rhiz/o/tomy
incision into a nerve root

ganglionectomy

ganglion/ectomy
excision of a ganglion

paresthesia

par/esthesi/a rebel does not follow the rules
 abnormal sensation in the extremities

hydrocephalus

hydr/o/cephal/us
abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain

aphasia

a/phas/ia
loss of language function

glioma

gli/oma
tumor that begins in the glial tissue

glioblastoma

gli/o/blast/oma
a central nervous system tumor composed of developing glial tissue

meningitis

mening/itis
inflammation of the meninges, the tough membranes that surround the central nervous system

neuritis

neur/itis
inflammation of a peripheral or cranial nerve

ischemic stroke

ischem/ic stroke
disruption of blood flow to the brain because blood cannot flow through blood vessels as a result of a blockage or narrowing of the vessel

neuralgia

neur/algia
pain of the peripheral or cranial nerves

psychologist

psych/o/logist
specialist who can talk with patients and their families about emotional and personal matters

polyneuritis

poly/neur/itis
inflammation of several peripheral nerves at the same time

cerebral thrombosis

cerebr/al thromb/osis
formation of a blood clot in a blood vessel within the skull

psychiatry

psych/iatry
medical science that deals with the origin, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders

polyneuropathy

poly/neur/o/pathy
disease of multiple peripheral nerves at the same time

neurologist

neur/o/logist
doctor who has special training in diagnosing and treating disorders of the nervous system

electroencephalogram

electr/o/encephal/o/gram
the record of electrical activity of the brain

cephalgia

ceph/algia rebel does not follow the rules
pain in the head

subdural hematoma

sub/dur/al hemat/oma
accumulation of blood in the subdural space

encephalitis

encephal/itis
inflammation of the tissues of the brain