Nervous System

peripheral nervous system

collects data. receives information such as temperature, pain, light and pressure from surroundings. It transmits info into an analytic center via nerves.

Central Nervous system

unified collection of cells in the brain and spine. receives information, processes and formulates a response.

somatic nervous system/voluntary

actions we are aware of, w musculoskeletal system and movement

autonomic nervous system/involuntary

unconscious actions such as digestion and the heart pumping blood.

cerebr/o or encephal/o

brain

cerebell/o

cerebellum

lob/o

lobe

cephal/o

head

crani/o

head, skull

mening/o or meningi/o

meninges (membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord)

dur/o

dura (tough outer membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord)

neur/o

nerve

gangli/o

nerve bundle

myel/o

spinal cord, bone marrow

esthesi/o

feeling, sensation

phas/o

speech

phren/o or psych/o

mind

somn/o or somn/i or hypn/o

sleep

gnosi/o

know

\-mania

excessive desire

\-phobia

excessive fear or sensitivity

\-paresis

slight or partial paralysis

ton/o

muscle tone, tension, pressure

tax/o

arrangement, order, coordination

\-plegia

paralysis

\-asthenia

weakness

aphasia

ah-FAY-zhah

inability to speak

ataxia

ah-TAK-see-ah

lack of coordination

catatonia

KAT-ah-TOHN-ia

condition characterized by reduced muscle tone

delirium

deh-LEER-ee-um

a brief loss of mental function

dementia

da-MEN-chah

loss/decline in mental function

dyskinesia

DIS-kih-NEE-zhah

difficulty moving

dyslexia

dis-LEK-see-ah

difficulty reading

dysphasia

dis-FAY-zhah

difficulty speaking

dystonia

dis-TOH-nee-ah

condition characterized by involuntary muscle

insomnia

in-SOM-nee-ah

inability to sleep

myoclonus

MAI-AWK-loh-nus

muscle twitching

myospasm

MAI-oh-spazm

involuntary muscle contraction

neurasthenia

NUR-as-THEE-nee-ah

nerve weakness

somnambulism

sawn-NAM-byoo-lizm

sleep walking

syncope

SING-koh-pee

fainting; losing consciousness due to temporary loss of blood flow to the brain

cephalalgia

sef-ah-LAL-jee-ah

head pain

cephalodynia

SEF-ah-loh-DIN-ee-ah

head pain

encephalalgia

in-SEF-al-AL-jee-ah

brain pain

neuralgia

noo-RAL-jee-ah

nerve pain

neurodynia

NUH-roh-DIN-ee-ah

nerve pain

hemiparesis

hem-ee-par-EE-sis

partial paralysis on half the body

hemiplegia

hem-ee-PLEE-jee-ah

paralysis on half the body

monoparesis

mawn-oh-pah-REE-sis

partial paralysis of one limb

monoplegia

mawn-oh-PLEE-jee-ah

paralysis of one limb

paralysis

pah-RAL-ih-sis

complete loss of sensation and motor function

paresis

puh-REE-sis

partial paralysis characterized by varying degrees of sensation and motor function

causalgia

kaw-SAL-jee-ah

painful sensation of burning

dysesthesia

DIS-es-THEE-zhah

bad feeling

hyperesthesia

HAI-per-es-THEE-zhah

increased sensation

paresthesia

PAR-es-THEE-zhah

abnormal sensation (usually numbness or tingling in the skin)

pseudesthesia

SOO-des-THEE-zhah

false sensation

synesthesia

SIN-es-THEE-zhah

condition where one sensation is experienced as another

acrophobia

AK-roh-FOH-bee-ah

fear oh heights

agoraphobia

ah-GOR-ah-FOH-bee-ah

fear of outdoor spaces

hydrophobia

HAI-droh-FOH-bee-ah

fear of water

kleptomania

KLEP-toh-MAY-nee-ah

desire to steal

photophobia

FOH-toh-FOH-bee-ah

extreme sensitivity to light

pyromania

PAI-roh-MAY-nee-ah

desire to set fire

echoencephalography

EK-oh-en-SEF-ah-LAWG-rah-fee

procedure used to examine the brain using sound waves

electroencephalography (EEG)

eh-LEK-troh-en-SEF-ah-LAWG-rah-fee

procedure used to examine the electrical activity of the brain

lumbar puncture (LP)

LUM-bar PUNK-chir

inserting a needle into the lumbar region of the spine in order to collect spinal fluid, commonly called a spinal tap

cerebral angiography

she-REE-bral AN-jee-AWG-rah-fee

procedure used to examine blood vessels in the brain

magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)

mag-NET-ik REZ-oh-nants AN-jee-AWG-rah-fee

procedure used to examine blood vessels

myelogram

MAI-eh-loh-gram

image of the spinal cord, usually done using x-ray

positron emission tomography (PET) scan

PAWZ-ih-trawn ee-MISH-uh toh-MAWG-rah-fee

an imaging procedure that uses radiation (positrons) to produce cross sections of the brain

transcranial Doppler sonography

tranz-KRAY-nee-al DAWP-ler soh-NAWG-rah-fee

an imaging technique that produces an image of the brain using sound waves sent through the skull

cerebellitis

SER-eh-bel-Al-tis

inflammation of the cerebellum

cerebral atrophy

seh-REE-bral A-troh-fee

wasting away of brain tissue

duritis

doo-RAI-tis

inflammation of the dura

encephalocele

en-SEF-ah-loh-SEEL

hernia of the brain (normally through a deficit in the skull)

hematoma

HEE-mah-TOH-mah

a tumor-like mass made up of blood

cranial hematoma

KRAY-nee-al HEE-mah-TOH-mah

a hematoma beneath the skull

epidural hematoma

EP-ih-DIR-al HEE-mah-TOH-mah

a hematoma located on top of the dura

intracerebral hematoma

IN-trah-se-REE-bral HEE-mah-TOH-mah

a hematoma located inside the brain

subdural hematoma

sub-DIR-al HEE-mah-TOH-mah

a hematoma located beneath the dura

macrocephaly

MAK-roh-SEF-ah-lee

abnormally large head

microcephaly

MAI-kroh-SEF-ah-lee

abnormally small head

meningocele

men-IN-goh-seel

a hernia of the meninges

myelocele

MAI-eh-loh-seel

a hernia of the spinal cord

myelomalacia

MAI-eh-loh-mah-LAY-shee-ah

abnormal softening of the spinal cord

myelomeningocele

MAI-eh-loh-men-IN-goh-seel

a hernia of the spinal cord and meninges

neuritis

noo-RAI-tis

nerve inflammation

neuroma

nir-OH-mah

a nerve tumor

neurosclerosis

NOO-roh-skleh-ROH-sis

hardening of nerves

polyneuritis

PAWL-ee-noo-RAIT-is

inflammation of multiple nerves

agnosia

AG-noh-zhah

inability to comprehend

apathy

AP-ah-thee

lack of emotion

hyperkinesia

HAI-per-kih-NEE-shah

increase in muscle movement or activity

neurasthenia

NIR-as-THEE-nee-ah

nerve weakness

neuroglycopenia

NIR-oh-glai-koh-PEE-nee-ah

deficiency of sugar that interferes with normal brain activity

nystagmus

nis-TAG-mus

involuntary back and forth eye movements

prosopagnosia

PRAWS-oh-pag-NOH-see-ah

inability to recognize faces

anesthesiologist

AN-es-THEE-zee-AWL-ah-jist

doctor who specializes in anesthesiology

afferent nerve

AF-eh-rent nirv

a nerve that carries impulses toward the central nervous system