Chapter 8
Terms
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- Neuroleptic agents
- drugs used to treat psychosis, esp.ly schizophrenia
- Behavioral therapy
- treatment to decrease/stop unwanted behavior
- Myel/o
- spinal cord/bone marrow
- Tax/o
- order or coordination
- Paresthesia
- abnormal sensation of numbness and tingling w/o objective cause
- Multiple sclerosis
- disease of CNS characterized by demyelination (deterioration of myelin sheath) of nerve fibers, w/ episodes of neurologic dysfunction (exacerbation) followed by recovery (remission)
- Bulimia nervosa
- eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by efforts to limit digestion through induced vomiting, use of laxatives, or excessive exercise
- Cerebral embolism
- obstruction of blood vessel in brain by embolus transported through circulation
- Myasthenia gravis
- autoimmune disorder that affects neuromuscular junction causing progressive decrease in muscle strength; activity resumes and strength returns after period of rest
- Extracranial MRA
- magnetic resonance image of neck to visualize carotid artery
- Narc/o
- stupor, sleep
- Tonic-clonic
- stiffening-jerking; major motor seizure involving all muscle groups; previously termed grand mal (big bad) seizure
- Grandiose delusion
- person's false belief that he/she possesses great wealth, intelligence, or power
- Psychotherapy
- treatment of psychiatric disorders using verbal and nonverbal interaction w/ patients, individually or in group, employing specific actions and techniques
- Euphoria
- exaggerated, unfounded feeling of well-being
- Thought disorder
- thought that lacks clear processing/logical direction
- Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)
- magnetic resonance imaging of blood vessels, for detecting pathologic conditions such as thrombosis and atherosclerosis
- Phob/o
- exaggerated fear or sensitivity
- Syncope
- fainting
- Dementia
- impairment of intellectual function characterized by memory loss, disorientation, and confusion
- Spinal nerves
- 31 pairs of nerves arising from spinal cord
- Gyri
- convolutions (mounds) of cerebral hemispheres
- Neur/o
- nerve
- Tactile stimulation
- evoking response by touching
- Polysomnography
- recording of various aspects of sleep (eg, eye and muscle movements, respiration, and EEG patterns) to diagnose sleep disorders
- Diskectomy (discectomy)
- removal of herniated disk; often done percutaneously
- Delirium
- state of mental confusion caused by disturbances in cerebral function; many causes include fever, shock, or drug overdose
- Spina bifida
- congenital defect in spinal column characterized by absence of vertebral arches, often resulting in pouching of spinal membranes or tissue
- Mental retardation
- condition of subaverage intelligence characterized by IQ of 70 or below, resulting in ability to adapt to normal social activities
- Fissures
- deep grooves in brain
- SPECT brain scan (single proton emission computed tomography)
- scan combining nuclear medicine and computed tomography to produce images of brain after administration of radioactive isotopes
- Brainstem
- region of brain that serves as relay b/w cerebrum, cerebellum, and spinal cord; responsible for breathing, heart rate, and body temperature; three levels are mesencephalon (midbrain), pons, and medulla oblongata
- Epilepsy
- disorder affecting CNS, characterized by recurrent seizures
- Esthesi/o
- sensation
- Hypothalamus
- control center for autonomic nervous system located below thalamus (diencephalon)
- Cerebr/o
- cerebrum (largest part of brain)
- Encephal/o
- entire brain
- Dysphoria
- restless, dissatisfied mood
- temporal lobe
- portion that lies below frontal lobe, responsible for hearing, taste, and smell
- Microsurgery
- use of microscope to dissect minute structures during surgery
- Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
- nerves that branch from CNS, including nerves of brain (cranial nerves) and spinal cord (spinal nerves)
- Psychosis
- mental condition characterized by distortion of reality resulting in inability to communicate/ function w/in one's environment
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- record of minute electrical impulses of brain, used to identify neurologic conditions that affect brain function and level of consciousness
- Myelogram
- x-ray of spinal cord made after intraspinal injections of contrast medium
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- condition resulting from extremely traumatic experience, injury, or illness that leaves sufferer w/ persistent thoughts and memories of ordeal; may occur after war, violent personal assault, physical or sexual abuse, serious accident, or natural disaster; symptoms include feelings of fear, detachment, exaggerated startle response, restlessness, nightmares, and avoidance of anything or any one who triggers painful recollections
- Migraine headache
- paroxysmal (sudden, periodic) attacks of mostly unilateral headache often accompanied by disordered vision, nausea, or vomiting, lasting hours/days, and caused by dilation of arteries
- Antianxiety agents/anxiolytic agents
- drugs used to reduce anxiety
- Cerebral palsy (CP)
- condition of motor dysfunction caused by damage to cerebrum during development/injury at birth; characterized by partial paralysis and lack of muscle coordination
- Top/o
- place
- Stere/o
- three dimensional or solid
- Somat/o
- body
- Antidepressant
- agent that counteracts depression
- Huntington chorea/ Huntington disease (HD)
- hereditary disease of CNS characterized by bizarre involuntary body movements and progressive dementia
- Reflex testing
- test performed to observe body's response to stimulus
- Schizophrenia
- disease of brain chemistry causing distorted cognitive and emotional perception of one's environment; symptoms include distortions of normal function such as disorganized thought, delusions, hallucinations, and catatonic behavior; negative symptoms (normal rxns missing in persons w/ schizophrenia) include flat affect, apathy, and w/drawal from reality
- Sensory nerves
- nerves that conduct impulses from body parts and carry sensory info to brain; also called afferent nerves
- Hypnotic
- agent that induces sleep
- Parasympathetic nervous system
- division of ANS that is most active in ordinary conditions; it counterbalances effects of sympathetic system by restoring body to restful state after stressful experience
- Flaccid paralysis
- defective (flabby) or absent muscle control caused by nerve lesion
- Hemiparesis
- partial paralysis of R/L half of body
- Seizure
- sudden, transient disturbances in brain function resulting from abnormal firing of nerve impulses (may/may not be associated w/ convulsion)
- Computed tomography
- computed tomographic x-ray images of head used to visualize abnormalities, such as brain tumors and malformations
- Phas/o
- speech
- Intracranial MRA
- magnetic resonance image of head to visualize vessels of circulation of Willis (common site of cerebral aneurysm, stenosis, or occlusion)
- Craniectomy
- excision of part of skull to approach brain
- Cerebral aneurysm
- dilation of blood vessel in brain
- Mening/o,meningi/o
- meninges (membrane)
- Lumbar puncture (LP)
- introduction of specialized needle into spine in lumbar region for diagnostic or therapeutic purpose, such as to obtain cerebrospinal fluid for testing; also called spinal tap
- Cerebral arteriosclerosis
- hardening of arteries of brain
- Persecutory delusion
- person's false belief that someone is plotting against him/her w/ intent to harm
- Hemiplegia
- paralysis on one side of body
- Motor nerves
- nerves that conduct motor impulses from brain to muscles and glands; also called efferent nerves
- Positron emission tomography (PET)
- technique combining nuclear medicine and computed tomography to produce images of brain anatomy and corresponding physiology; used to study stroke, Alzheimer disease, epilepsy, metabolic brain disorders, chemistry of nerve transmissions in brain, and so on; provides greater accuracy than SPECT but is used less often b/c of cost and limited availability of radioisotopes
- Anticonvulsant
- agent that prevents/lessens convulsions
- Paraplegia
- paralysis from waist down
- Motor deficit
- loss or impairment of muscle function
- Thalam/o
- thalamus (a room)
- Stereotactic (stereotaxic) frame
- mechanical device used to localize a point in space targeting a precise site
- Absence
- seizure involving brief loss of consciousness w/o motor involvement; previously termed petit mal (little bad) seizure
- Analgesic
- agent that relieves pain
- Meningioma
- benign tumor of coverings of brain (meninges)
- Craniotomy
- incision into skull to approach brain
- Chemotherapy
- treatment of malignancies, infections, and other diseases with chemical agents to destroy selected cells or impair their ability to reproduce
- -mania
- abnormal impulse (attraction) toward
- Neurosis
- psychologic condition in which anxiety is prominent
- Somn/o, somn/i, hypn/o
- sleep
- Narcolepsy
- sleep disorder characterized by sudden, uncontrollable need to sleep, attack of paralysis (cataplexy), and dreams intruding while awake (hypnagogic hallucinations)
- Gnos/o
- knowing
- Partial
- seizure involving only limited areas of brain w/ localized symptoms
- Sedative
- agent that quiets nervousness
- Evoked potentials
- minute electrical waves that are sorted out of ongoing EEG activity to diagnose auditory, visual, and sensory pathway disorders
- Spastic paralysis
- stiff and awkward muscle control caused by CNS disorder
- Myelitis
- inflammation of spinal cord
- Plegia
- paralysis
- Sympathetic nervous system
- division of ANS concerned primarily w/ preparing body in stressful or emergency situations
- Glioma
- tumor of glial cells graded by degree of malignancy
- Neuralgia
- pain along course of nerve
- Lex/o
- word/phrase
- frontal lobe
- anterior section of ea. cerebral hemisphere responsible for voluntary muscle movement and personality
- Hydrocephalus
- abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in ventricles of brain as result of developmental anomalies, infection, injury/tumor
- Convulsion
- to pull together; type of seizure that causes series of sudden, involuntary contractions of muscles
- Deep tendon reflexes (DTR)
- involuntary muscle contraction after percussion at a tendon (eg, patella, Achilles) indicating function; pos. findings are either no reflex reponse or an exaggerated response to stimulus; numbers are often used to record responses: no response; 1+ diminished response; 2+ normal response; 3+ more brisk than average response; 4+ hyperactive response
- Panic disorder (PD)
- disorder of sudden, recurrent attacks of intense feelings, including physical symptoms that mimic heart attack (rapid heart rate, chest pain, shortness of breath, chills, sweating, and dizziness), w/ general sense of loss of control/feeling that death is imminent; often progresses to agoraphobia
- Spondyl/o, vertebr/o
- vertebra
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- nonionizing imaging technique using magnetic fields (MRI) and radio frequency waves to visualize anatomic structures (esp.ly soft tissue) such as tissues of brain and spinal cord
- Cranial nerves
- 12 pairs of nerves arising from brain
- -plegia
- paralysis
- Gangli/o
- ganglion (knot)
- Poliomyelitis
- inflammation of gray matter of spinal cord caused by virus, often resulting in spinal and muscle deformity and paralysis
- cerebrum
- lg.est portion of brain; divided into R and L halves, known as cerebral hemispheres, that are connected by bridge of nerve fibers called corpus callosum; lobes of cerebrum are named after skull bones they underlie
- -paresis
- slight paralysis
- Alzheimer disease
- disease of structural changes in brain resulting in irreversible deterioration that progresses from forgetfulness and disorientation to loss of all intellectual functions, total disability, and death
- Manic depression bipolar disorder (BD)
- affective disorder characterized by mood swings of mania and depression (extreme up and down states)
- Herpes zoster
- viral disease affecting peripheral nerves characterized by painful blisters that spread over skin following affected nerves, usu.ly unilateral; aka shingles
- Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
- nerves that carry involuntary impulses to smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and various glands
- Ventricul/o
- ventricle (belly/pouch)
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- most common anxiety disorder, characterized by chronic, excessive, uncontrollable worry about everyday problems; affects ability to relax/concentrate but does not usu.ly interfere w/ social interactions/employment; physical symptoms include muscle tension, trembling, twitching, fatigue, headaches, nausea, and insomnia
- Crani/o
- skull
- Apathy
- lack of interest/display of emotion
- Coma
- deep sleep; general term referring to levels of decreased consciousness w/ varying responsiveness; common method of assessment is Glasgow coma scale
- parietal lobe
- portion posterior to frontal lobe, responsible for sensations such as pain, temperature, and touch
- brain
- portion of CNS contained w/in cranium
- Babinski sign/reflex
- pathologic response to stimulation of plantar surface of foot; pos. sign is indicated when toes dorsiflex (curl upward)
- Cognitive therapy
- treatment to change unwanted patterns of thinking
- Spin/o
- spine (thorn)
- Cerebral angiogram
- x-ray of blood vessels in brain after intracarotid injection of contrast medium
- Cata-
- down
- Psychotropic drugs
- medications used to treat mental illnesses
- Cerebrovascular disease
- disorder resulting from change w/in one/more blood vessels of brain
- Attentive-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- dysfunction characterized by consistent hyperactivity, distractibility, and lack of control over impulses, which interferes w/ ability to function normally at school, home or work
- Catatonia
- st. of unresponsiveness to one's outside environment, usu.ly including muscle rigidity, staring, and inability to communicate
- Cerebrovascualr accident (CVA)/stroke
- damage to brain caused by cerebrovascular disease; eg, occlusion of blood vessel by embolus or thrombus or intracranial hemorrhage after rupture of aneurysm
- cerebral cortex
- outer layer of cerebrum consisting of gray matter, responsible for higher mental functions
- Kinesi/o
- movement
- Sciatica
- pain that follows pathway of sciatic nerve caused by compression/trauma of nerve or its roots
- Light therapy
- use of specialized illuminating light boxes and visors to treat seasonal affective disorder
- Cerebell/o
- cerebellum (little brain)
- Delusion
- persistent belief that has no basis in reality
- Hyperesthesia
- increased sensitivity to stimulation such as touch/pain
- Stereotactic (stereotaxi) radiosurgery
- radiation treatment to inactivate malignant lesions, using multiple, precise external radiation beams focused on target w/ aid of stereotactic frame and imaging such as CT, MRI, or angiography; used to treat inoperable brain tumors and other lesions
- Gli/o
- glue
- Atopognosis
- inability to locate a sensation properly, such as to locate a point touched on body
- Flat affect
- significantly dulled emotional tone or outward reaction
- Anorexia nervosa
- sever disturbance in eating behavior caused by abnormal perceptions about one's body weight, evidenced by overwhelming fear of becoming fat that results in refusal to eat and body weight well below normal
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- anxiety disorder featuring unwanted, senseless obsessions accompanied by repeated compulsions; can interfere w/ all aspects of person's daily life, for example, thought that door is not locked w/ repetitive checking to make sure it is locked, or thoughts that one's body has been contaminated cuasing repetitive washing
- Neuroplasty
- surgical repair of a nerve
- Sensory deficit
- loss or impairment of sensation
- Meningitis
- inflammation of meninges
- Agnosia
- any of many types of loss of neurologic function involving interpretation of sensory information
- Herniated disk
- protrusion of degenerated/fragmented intervertebral disk so that nucleus pulposus protrudes, causing compression on nerve root
- Spondylosyndesis
- spinal fusion
- Astereognosis
- inability to judge form of obj. by touch
- Aphasia
- inability to speak
- Ton/o
- tone,tension
- -asthenia
- weakness
- Parkinson disease/parkinsonism
- slowly progressive degeneration of nerves in brain characterized by tremor, rigidity of muscles, and slow movements (bradykinesia), usu.ly occurring later in life
- Transcranial sonogram
- image made by sending ultrasound beams through skull to assess blood flow in intracranial vessels; used in diagnosis and management of stroke and head trauma
- Ideation
- formation of thoughts/ideas; for example, suicidal ideation (thoughts of suicide)
- Radiography
- x-ray imaging
- central nervous system (CNS)
- brain and spinal cord
- Quadriplegia
- paralysis of all four limbs
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- brief episode of loss of blood flow to brain; usu.ly caused by partial occlusion that results in temporary neurologic deficit (impairment); often precedes a CVA
- Substance abuse disorders
- mental disorders resulting from abuse of substances such as drugs, alcohol, or other toxins, causing personal and social dysfunction; identified by abused substance, such as alcohol abuse, amphetamine abuse, opioid (narcotic) abuse, and polysubstance abuse
- occipital lobe
- portion posterior to parietal and temporal lobes, responsible for vision
- -lepsy
- seizure
- Ventricles
- series of interconnected cavities w/in cerebral hemispheres and brainstem filled w/ cerebrospinal fluid
- Major depression/major depressive illness/clinical depression/major affective disorder/unipolar disorder
- disorder causing periodic disturbances in mood that affect concentration, sleep, activity, appetite, and social behavior; characterized by feelings of worthlessness, fatigue, and loss of interest
- Vertebral lamina
- flattened posterior portion of vertebral arch
- Hallucination
- false perception of senses for which there is no reality, most commonly hearing/seeing things
- Dyslexia
- developmental disability characterized by difficulty understanding written or spoken words, sent.s, or paragraphs, affecting reading, spelling, and self-expression
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- plasmalike clear fluid circulating in and around brain and spinal cord
- Dysthymia
- milder affective disorder characterized by chronic depression
- Paralysis
- temporary or permanent loss of motor control
- Cerebral thrombosis
- presence of stationary clot in blood vessel of brain
- Schiz/o
- plit
- Meninges
- three membranes that cover brain and spinal cord, consisting of dura mater, pia mater, and arachnoid mater
- Sleep apnea
- periods of breathing cessation (10 seconds or more) that occur during sleep, often causing snoring
- Laminectomy
- excision of one or more laminae of vertebrae to approach spinal cord
- Affect
- emotional feeling/mood
- Thalamus (diencephalon)
- each of two gray matter nuclei deep w/in brain responsible for relaying sensory info to cortex
- Hypochondriasis
- preoccupation w/ thoughts of disease and concern that one is suffering from serious condition that persists despite medical reassurance to contrary
- Spinal cord
- column of nervous tissue from brainstem through vertebrae, responsible for nerve conduction to and from brain and body
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
- electrical shock applied to brain to induce convulsions; used to treat severely depressed patients
- Autism
- developmental disability commonly appearing during first three years of life, resulting from neurologic disorder affecting brain function, evidenced by difficulties w/ verbal and nonverbal communication, and inability to relate to anything beyond oneself in social interactions; persons w/ autism often exhibit body movements such as rocking and repetitive hand movements; they commonly become preoccupied w/ observing parts of small obj.s/moving parts/performing meaningless rituals
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- affective disorder marked by episodes of depression that most often occur during fall and winter and remit in spring
- Sulci
- shallow grooves that separate gyri
- Phren/o, psych/o, thym/o
- mind
- Cerebellum
- portion of brain located below occipital lobes of cerebrum, responsible for control and coordination of skeletal muscles
- Phobia
- exaggerated fear of specific obj./circumstance that causes anxiety and panic; named for obj./circumstance, such as agoraphobia (marketplace), claustrophobia (confinement), and acrophobia (high places)
- Polyneuritis
- inflammation involving two or more nerves, often caused by nutritional deficiency such as lack thiamine
- Phor/o
- carry,bear
- Radiation therapy
- treatment of neoplastic disease using ionizing radiation to impede proliferation of malignant cells
- Nuclear medicine imaging
- radionuclide organ imaging
- Mania
- st. of abnormal elation and increased activity
- Dysphasia
- difficulty speaking
- Encephalitis
- inflammation of brain
- Cerebral atherosclerosis
- condition of lipid (fat) buildup w/in blood vessels of brain