Medical Terminology: Nervous System and Mental Health Conditions

Nervous System and Mental Health Terms

Symptoms and Medical Conditions

  • Epilepsy and Seizures:
    • Previously discussed, with "lepsey" relating to seizure.
  • Herpes Zoster (Shingles):
    • Reactivation of the chickenpox virus (herpes virus) along a nerve.
    • Causes blisters on the skin along the affected nerve's path.
    • Appropriate to discuss in both the integumentary and nervous system chapters.
  • Hydrocephalus:
    • Breakdown: hydro (water) + cephalo (head) = water on the head.
    • Accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain's ventricles.
    • In babies, skull bones can expand due to unfused fontanels.
    • Treatment often involves a shunt to drain excess fluid.
    • Usually caused by malformation or blockage of channels that cerebrospinal fluid is supposed to flow through.

Hydrocephalus Details

  • Impact on Infants:
    • Infant skulls are malleable due to unfused bones (fontanels), allowing expansion.
    • Accumulating pressure stretches the skull.
    • Treatment involves shunting to drain excess water.
  • Causes:
    • Malformations in cerebrospinal fluid flow channels.
    • Blockages in small channels like the aqueduct or interventricular holes.

Meningitis

  • Inflammation of the meninges (membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord).
  • Usually caused by viral or bacterial infection.

Meningomyelocele and Spina Bifida

  • Spina Bifida:
    • Congenital disease where vertebral bones don't fuse properly.
    • Nervous tissue protrudes outward.
    • Spina (spine) + bifid (split) = split spine.
  • Meningomyelocele:
    • Severe form of spina bifida.
    • -cele: herniation, protrusion, or swelling.
    • Meningo: referring to the meninges.
    • Myelo: referring to the spinal cord.
    • Protrusion of meninges and spinal cord material.

Multiple Sclerosis

  • Autoimmune disorder.
  • Hard plaques (scleroses) develop along the axons of neurons.
  • Compromises bodily functions.
  • Multiple scleroses are hard patches along the insulated coverings of axons.

Parkinson's Disease

  • Degenerative nervous system disorder.
  • Characteristics: stooped gait, shuffling walk, tremors.
  • Pathophysiology: death of cells in the substantia nigra (midbrain).
Parkinson's Pathophysiology
  • Substantia Nigra:
    • Specialized cells in the midbrain that produce a neurotransmitter.
    • This neurotransmitter communicates with motor function areas of the brain.
  • Disease Progression:
    • In Parkinson's, these cells die, leading to neurotransmitter deficiency.
    • Results in difficulty initiating and stopping movements.

Poliomyelitis (Polio)

  • Viral infection affecting the gray matter of the spinal cord.
  • Polio: inflammation + gray (matter) + spinal cord.
  • Difference between white matter and gray matter in the spinal cord.

Radiculopathy and Sleep Apnea

  • Radiculopathy:
    • Radiculo: nerve roots (connections between spinal nerve and spinal cord).
    • Disease of the nerve roots, different from neuropathy (disease of a nerve).
  • Sleep Apnea:
    • Respiratory problem of neurological origin.
    • Pneea (breathing) + a- (negation) = interruption of breathing during sleep.
    • May require a sleep study or CPAP machine.

Subdural Hematoma

  • Hematoma: collection of blood.
  • Subdural: below or underneath the dura mater (tough outer membrane around the brain and spinal cord).
  • Usually occurs due to head trauma.

Tourette's Syndrome and TIA

  • Tourette's Syndrome:
    • Tic disorder with random, involuntary vocalizations.
    • Begins in childhood.
  • Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA):
    • Temporary cerebral dysfunction due to blockage.
    • Sometimes called a "mini-stroke" (not entirely accurate).
    • Sudden, brief, and temporary, unlike a true stroke (cerebrovascular accident).

Mental Health Conditions

  • Agoraphobia:
    • Irrational fear of going outside and leaving home.
  • Bipolar Disorder:
    • Mood disorder with swings between happiness and deep depression.
  • Schizophrenia:
    • Schizo (split) + phrenia (mind).
    • A very complicated condition

Babinski Sign/Reflex

  • Test to determine brain or spinal nerve injury.
  • Procedure: instrument run along the underside of the foot.
  • Normal response: foot remains still or toes curl downward.
  • Positive Babinski sign (injury): big toe flexes, other toes splay out.

EEG and Lumbar Puncture

  • EEG (Electroencephalogram):
    • Electrical recording of brain activity.
    • Used to investigate epilepsy and other brain disorders.
  • Lumbar Puncture:
    • Needle inserted into the lower back to access the subarachnoid space.
    • Aspirates cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
    • Done low in the vertebral canal (L4-L5) to avoid spinal cord damage because the spinal cord ends around L1-L2.

Other Imaging Techniques

  • MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging):
    • Imaging technique for anatomical structures and activity.
  • PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan:
    • Imaging technique using nuclear medicine to show activity (e.g., blood flow).

Bone Manipulations

  • Related to musculoskeletal system but used to access nervous system structures.
  • Craniectomy: excision/removal of part of the cranium.
  • Craniotomy: incision into the skull to access the brain.
  • Cranioplasty: repair of the skull.
  • Ganglionectomy: excision of a ganglion.
  • Laminectomy: removal of a piece of the lamina (part of a vertebra) to relieve pressure on the spinal cord.

Abbreviations

  • CNS, ALS, CSF, EEG. (Review all abbreviations).