-
Define
brain
- contained within the cranium
- the center for coordinating body activities
- **weighs about three pounds
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Define
cerebrum
- largest portion of the brain
- divided into left and right hemispheres
- the cerebrum controls the skeletal muscles
- interprets general senses such as temperature, pain and touch
- and contains centers for sight and hearing
- intellect, memory and emotional reactions also take place in the cerebrum
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Define
ventricles
- spaces within the brain that contain a fluid called cerebrospinal fluid
- the cerebrospinal fluid flows through the subarachnoid space around the brain and spinal cord
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Define
cerebellum
- located under the posterior portion of the cerebrum
- its function is to assist in the coordination of skeletal muscles and to maintain balance
- also called the hindbrain
- **named in the third century by Erasistratus, who also named the cerebrum. Cerebellum literally means little brain and is the diminutive of cerebrum
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Define
brainstem
- stem-like portion of the brain that connects with the spinal cord
- ten of the 12 cranial nerves originate in the brainstem
- *the olfactory nerve (I) and optic nerve (II) do not originate in the brainstem
-
Define
pons
- literally means bridge
- it connects the cerebrum with the cerebellum and brainstem
-
Define
medulla oblongata
- located between the pons and spinal cord
- it contains centers that control respiration, heart rate, and the mucles in the blood vessel walls, which assist in determining blood pressure
-
Define
midbrain
most superior portion of the brainstem
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Define
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- clear, colorless fluid contained in the ventricles that flows through the subarachnoid space around the brain and spinal cord
- it cushions the brain and spinal cord from shock, transports nutrients, and clears metabolic waste
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Define
spinal cord
- passes through the vertebral canal extending from the medulla oblongata to the level of the second lumbar vertebra
- the spinal cord conducts nerve impulses to and from the brain and initiates reflex action to sensory information without input from the brain
- *its important to remember the spinal cord ends at about L2 because thats why lumbar punctures are done between L3 and L4
- *at the end of the spinal card are the finger-like projections called cauda equina or horses tail
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Define and name
meninges
- three layers of membrane that cover the brain and spinal cord
- dura mater
- arachnoid
- pia mater
-
Define
dura mater
- tough outer layer of the meninges
- *means 'hard mother' because it is a tough emebrane
-
Define
arachnoid
- delicate middle layer of the meninges
- the arachnoid membrane is loosely attached to the pia mater by weblike fibers, which allow for the subarachnoid space
-
Define
pia mater
- thin inner layer of the meninges
- *means 'soft mother' because it is a delicate membrane
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Name the brain parts
- cerebrum
- ventricles
- cerebellum
- brainstem
- pons
- medulla oblongata
- midbrain
- spinal cord
- meninges
- dura mater
- arachnoid
- pia mater
-
Define
nerve
- cord-like structure made up of fibers that carries impulses from one part of the body to another
- there are 12 pairs of cranial nerves (10 originate in the brainstem)
- and 31 pairs of spinal nerves
-
Define
ganglion
plural: ganglia
group of nerve cell bodies located outside the central nervous system
-
Define
glia
- specialized cells that support and nourish nervous tissue
- some cells assist in the secretion of cerebrospinal fluid
- others assist with phagocytosis
- they do not conduct impulses
- three types of glia are
- astroglia
- oligodendroglia
- microglia (also called neuroglia)
-
Define
neuron
- a nerve cell that conducts nerve impulses to carry out the function of the nervous system
- destroyed neurons cannot be replaced
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cerebell/o
combining form
cerebellum
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-
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encephal/o
combining form
brain
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gangli/o
ganglion/o
combining form
ganglion
-
-
mening/o
meningi/o
combining form
meninges
-
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neur/o
combining form
nerve
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radic/o
radicul/o
rhiz/o
combining form
- nerve root
- proximal end of a peripheral nerve, closes to the spinal cord
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ethesi/o
combining form
- sensation
- sensitivity
- feeling
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ment/o
psych/o
combining form
mind
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-
phas/o
combining form
speech
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poli/o
combining form
gray matter
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quadr/i
**remember that the letter 'i' is the combining vowel, pay attention for correct spelling
combining form
four
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-iatrist
suffix
- specialist
- physician
- **remember -logist also means specialist
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-
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-paresis
suffix
slight paralysis
*compare with -plegia meaning paralysis
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cerebell/itis
inflammation of the cerebellum
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cerebr/al thromb/osis
- pertaining to the cerebrum
- abnormal condition of a clot
- blood clot in a blood vessel of the brain
- onset of symptoms may appers from minues to days after an obstruction occurs
- a cause of ischemic stroke
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dur/itis
inflammation of the dura mater
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encephal/itis
inflammation of the brain
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encephal/o/malacia
softening of the brain
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encephal/o/myel/o/radicul/itis
inflammation of the brain, spinal cord, and nerve roots
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gangli/itis
*yes, there are two "i"s, pay attention to correct spelling
inflammation of a ganglion
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gli/o/blast/oma
- tumor composed of developing glial tissue
- the most malignant and most common primary tumor of the brain
*do not confuse with glioma
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gli/oma
- tumor composed of the glial tissue
- glioma is used to describe all primary neoplasms of the brain and spinal cord
**do not confuse with glioblastoma
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mening/i/oma
- tumor of the meninges
- benign and slow growing
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mening/itis
inflammation of the meninges
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mening/o/cele
- protrusion of the meninges
- through a defect in the skull or vertebral arch
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mening/o/myel/o/cele
myel/o/mening/o/cele
*only word in book where the word roots are interchangeable
- protrusion of the meninges and spinal cord (through a neural arch defect in the vertebral column)
- **can be spina bifida
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mon/o/neur/o/pathy
disease affecting a single nerve (such as carpal tunnel syndrome)
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neur/algia
pain in a nerve
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neur/asthenia
nerve weakness
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neur/itis
inflammation of a nerve
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neur/o/arthr/o/pathy
disease of nerves and joints
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neur/oma
tumor made up of nerve cells
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neur/o/pathy
disease of the nerves (peripheral)
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poli/o/myel/itis
- inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord
- this infection disease, commonly referred to as polio, is caused by one of three polio viruses
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poly/neur/itis
inflammation of many nerves
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poly/neur/o/pathy
- disease of many nerves
- most often occurs as a side effect of diabetes mellitus
- but may also occur as a result of drug therapy
- critical illness such as sepsis or carcinoma
- exhibiting symptoms of weakness, distal sensory loss, and burning
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radicul/itis
inflammation of the nerve roots
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radicul/o/pathy
disease of the nerve roots
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rhiz/o/mening/o/myel/itis
inflammation of the nerve root, meninges, and spinal cord
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sub/dur/al hemat/oma
- pertaining to below the dura mater, tumor of blood
- hematoma translated literally means blood tumor; however, a hematoma is a collection (pooling) of blood resulting from a broken blood vessel
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Alzheimer disease (AD)
- disease characterized by early dimentia
- confusion
- loss of recognition of persons or failiar surroundings
- restlessness, and
- impaired memory
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amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS)
Lou Gehrig disease
progressive muscle atrophy caused by degeneration and scarring of neurons along the lateral columns of the spinal cord that control muscles
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Bell palsy
- paralysis of muscles on one side of the face
- usually a temporary condition
- signs include a sagging mouth on the affected side and non-closure of the eyellid
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cerebral aneurysm
aneurysm in the cerebrum
- *aneurysm = Circumscribed dilation of an artery or a cardiac chamber, in direct
- communication with the lumen, usually resulting from an acquired or
- congenital weakness of the wall of the artery or chamber.
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cerebral embolism
- an embolus (usually a blood clot or a piece of atherosclerotic plaque arising from a distant site) lodges in a cerebral artery
- causing sudden blockage of blood supply to the brain tissue
- a common cause of cerebral embolism, a type of ischemic stroke, is atrial fibrillation
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cerebral palsy (CP)
- condition characterized by lack of muscle control and partial paralysis
- caused by a brain defect or lesion present at birth or shortly after
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dementia
- cognitive impairment characterized by a loss of intellectual brain function
- patients have difficulty in various ways, in cluding
- difficulty in performing complex tasks
- reasing
- learning and retaining new information
- orientation
- word finding
- behavior
- dementia has several causes and is not considered part of normal aging
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epilepsy
- condition characterized by recurrent seizures
- a general term given to a group of neurologic disorders
- all characterized by abnormal electrical activity in the brain
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hydrocephalus
- increased amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain
- which can cause enlargement of the cranium in infants
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intracerebral hemorrhage
- bleeding into the brain as a result of a ruptured blood vessel within the brain
- symptoms vary depending on the location of the hemorrhage
- acute symptoms include dyspnea (difficult breathing), aphasia (absence of speech), diminished level of consciousness, and hemiparesis
- the symptoms often develop sddenly
- intracerebral hemorrhage, a cause of hemorrhagic stroke, is frequently associated with high blood pressure
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multiple sclerosis (MS)
- degenerative disease characterized by sclerotic (plaques) patches along the brain and spinal cord.
- signs and symptoms are variable and fluctuate [clinically the symptoms show exacerbations and remissions] over the course of the disease
- more common symptoms include fatigue, balance and coordination impairments, numbness and vision problems
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Parkinson disease (PD)
- chronic degenerative disease of the central nervous system
- signs and symptoms include resting tremors of the hands and feet,
- rigidity
- expressionless face
- and shuffling gait
- it usually occurs after the age of 50 years
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sciatica
- inflammation of the sciatic nerve
- causing pain that travels from the thigh through the leg to the foot and toes
- can be caused by injury
- infection
- athritis
- herniated disk
- or from prolonged pressure on the nerve from sitting for long periods
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shingles
also called herpes zoster
viral disease that affects peripheral nerves and causes blisters on the skin that follow the course of the affected nerves
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stroke
also called cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
or brain attack
- occurs when there is an interruption of blood supply to a region of the brain, depriving nerve cells in the affected area of oxygen and nutrients
- the cells cannot perform and may be damaged or die within minutes
- the arts of the body controlled by the involved cells will experience dysfnction
- speech, movement, memory and other CNS functions may be affected in varying degrees
- ischemic stroke is a result of a blocked blood vessel
- hemorrhagic stroke is a result of bleeding
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subarachnoid hemorrhage
- bleeding caused by a ruptured blood vessel just outside the brain (usually a ruptured cerebral aneurysm) that rapidly fills the space between the brain and skull (subarachnoid space) with blood
- the patient may experience in intense sudden headache accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and neck pain (a cause of hemorrhagic stroke)
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transient ischemic ttack (TIA)
mini-stroke
- sudden deficient supply of blood to the brain lasting a short time
- the symptoms may be similar to those of stroke, but with TIA the symptoms are temporary and the usual outcome is compete recovery
- TIAs are often warning signs for eventual occurrence of a stroke
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ganglion/ectomy
also called gangli/ectomy
excision of a ganglion
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neur/ectomy
excision of a nerve
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neur/o/lysis
separating a nerve (from adhesions)
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neur/o/plasty
surgical repair of a nerve
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neur/o/rrhaphy
suture of a nerve
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neur/o/tomy
incision into a nerve
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radic/o/tomy
rhiz/o/tomy
incision into a nerve root
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cerebr/al angi/o/graphy
radiographic imaging of the blood vessels in the brain (after an injection of contrast medium)
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CT myel/o/graphy
- process of recording (scan) the spinal cord (after an injection of a contrast agent into the subarachnoid space by lumbar puncture)
- size, shape, and nerve roots are demonstrated
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electr/o/encephal/o/gram
record of the electrical impulses of the brain
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electr/o/encephal/o/graph
instrument used to record the electrical impulses of the brain
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electr/o/encephal/o/graphy
process of recording the electrical impulses of the brain
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computed tomography of the brain
(CT scan)
- process that includes the use of a computer to produce a series of brain tissue images at any desired depth
- the procedure is painless and particularly useful in diagnosing brain tumors
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magnetic resonance imaging of the brain or spine
(MRI scan)
- a non-invasive technique that produces sectional images of soft tissues of the brain or spine through a strong magnetic field
- unlike a CT scan, MRI produces images without the use of radiation
- it is used to visualize tumors, edema, multiple sclerosis, and herniated disks
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positron emission tomography of the brain
(PET) scan
- nuclear medicine imaging technique with a radioactive substance that produces sectional imaging of the brain to examine blood flow and metabolic activity
- images are projected on a viewing screen
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evoked potential studies
(EP studies)
a group of diagnostic tests that measure changes and responses in brain waves elicited by visual, auditory, or somatosensory stimuli
- *somatosensory evoked potential = the computer-averaged cortical and subcortical responses to repetitive stimulation of peripheral nerve sensory fibers
- *somatosensory = Sensation relating to the body's superficial and deep parts as contrasted to specialized senses such as sight
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lumbar puncture (LP)
also called spinal tap
- insertion of a needle into the subarachnoid space usually between the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae
- it is performed for many reasons, including the removal of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic purposes
*remember it is done between L3 and L4 because the spinal cord ends about L2
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an/esthes/ia
without (loss of) feeling or sensation
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a/phas/ia
- condition of without speaking
- los or impairment of the ability to speak
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cephal/algia
also called ceph/algia
pain in the head (headache)
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cerebr/al
pertaining to the cerebrum
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crani/o/cerebr/al
pertaining to the cranium and cerebrum
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dys/phas/ia
condition of difficulty speaking
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encephal/o/sclerosis
hardening of the brain
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hemi/paresis
- slight paralysis of half
- right or left side of the body
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hemi/plegia
- paralysis of half
- right or left side of the body
- stroke is the most common cause of hemiplegia
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hyper/esthesi/a
excessive sensitivity (to stimuli)
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inter/ictal
(occurring) between seizures or attacks
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intra/cerebr/al
pertaining to within the cerebrum
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ment/al
pertaining to the mind
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mono/paresis
slight paralysis of one (limb)
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mono/plegia
paralysis of one (limb)
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myel/o/malacia
softening of the spinal cord
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neur/oid
resembling a nerve
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neur/o/logist
physician who studies and treats diseases of the nerves (nervous system)
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neur/o/logy
- study of nerves
- ranch of medicine dealing with diseases of the nervous system
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pan/plegia
also spelled pamplegia
total paralysis
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par/esthesi/a
- abnormal sensation
- such as burning, prickling, or tingling sensation, often in the extremities
- may be caused by nerve damage or peripheral neuropathy
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post/ictal
(occurring) after a seizure or attack
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pre/ictal
(occurring) before a seizure or attack
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quadr/i/plegia
paralysis of four (limbs)
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sub/dur/al
pertaining to below the dura mater
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afferent
- conveying toward a center
- for example, afferent nerves carry impulses to the central nervous system
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ataxia
lack of muscle coordination
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cognitive
pertaining to the mental processes of comprehension, judgment, memory, and reason
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coma
state of profound unconsciousness
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concussion
- injury to the brain caused by major or minor head trauma
- symptoms include vertigo,
- headache,
- and possible loss of consciousness
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conscious
- awake,
- alert,
- aware of one's surroundings
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convulsion
- sudden, involuntary contraction of a group of muscvles
- may be present during a seizure
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disorientation
a state of mental confusion as to time, place, or identity
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dysarthria
the inability to use speech that is distinct and connected because of a loss of muscle control after damage to the peripheral or central nervous system
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efferent
- conveying away from the center
- for example, efferent nerves carry information away from the centrel nervous system
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gait
a manner or style of walking
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incoherent
unable to express one's thoughts or ideas in an orderly, intelligible manner
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paraplegia
- paralysis from the waist down caused by damage to the lower level of the spinal cord
- *the person will be paralyzed at and below the point of spinal injury. the higher the injury the higher the paralysis, the converse is true too. the lower the injury, the lower the paralysis begins.
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seizure
- sudden surge of abnormal electrical activity in the brain
- resulting in involuntary body movements or behaviors
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shunt
tube implanted in the body to redirect the flow of a fluid
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syncope
SINK-oh-pay
fainting or sudden loss of consciousness caused by lack of blood supply to the cerebrum
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unconsciousness
state of being unaware of surroundings and incapable of responding to stimuli as a result of injury, shock, illness, or drugs
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psych/iatrist
a physician who studies and treats disorders of the mind
**remember, this is a medical doctor (MD) and can write prescriptions
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psych/iatry
- specialty of the mind
- branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of mental disorders
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psych/o/genic
originating in the mind
-
psych/o/logist
specialist of the mind (not physician)
**this is not a medical doctor (MD) it is a PhD, and unable to write prescriptions
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psych/o/logy
- study of the mind
- a profession (not branch of medicine) that involves dealing with the ind and mental processes in relation to human behavior
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psych/o/pathy
(any) disease of the mind
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psych/osis
plural psychoses
- abnormal condition of the mind
- major mental disorder characterized by extreme derangement, often with delusions and hallucinations
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psych/o/somat/ic
pertaining to the mind and body (interrelations of)
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anorexia nervosa
- an eating disorder characterized by a disturbed perception of body image resulting in failure to maintain body weight
- intensive fear of gaining weight
- pronounced desire for thinness
- and, in females, amenorrhea
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anxiety disorder
an emotional disorder characterized by feelings of apprehension, tension, or uneasiness arising typically from the anticipation of unreal or imagined danger
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attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
a disorder of learning and behavioral problems characterized by market inattention, distractability, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity
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autism
also referred to as
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
or
Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD)
- a spectrum of mental disorders
- the features of which include onset during infancy or childhood
- preoccupation with subjective mental activity
- inability to interact socially
- and impaird communication
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bipolar disorder
- a major psychological disorder typified by a disturbance in mood
- the disorder is manifested by manic and depressive episodes that may alternate
- or elements of both may occur simultaneously
-
bulimia nervosa
an eating disorder characterized by uncontrolled binge eating followed by purging (induced vomiting)
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major depression
also referred to as
clinical depression
or
mood disorder
- a mood disturbance characterized by feelings of sadness, despair, discouragement, hopelessness, lack of joy, altered sleep patterns, and difficulty with decision making and daily function
- depression ranges from normal feelings of sadness (resulting from and proportional to personal loss or tragedy) through dysthymia (chronic depressive neurosis) to major depression
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obsessive-compulsive disorder
a disorder characterized by intrusive, unwanted thoughts that result in the tendency to perform repetitive acts or rituals (compulsions) usually as a means of releasing tension or anxiety
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panic attack
an episode of sudden onset of acute anxiety, occurring unpredictably, with feelings of acute apprehension, dyspnea, dizziness, sweating, and/or chest pain, depersonalization, paresthesia, and fear of dying, loss of mind or control
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phobia
- a marked and persistent fear that is excessive or unreasonable cued by the presence or anticipation of a specific situation or object
- such as claustrophobia, the abnormal fear of being in enclosed spaces
-
pica
- compulsive eating of non-nutritive substances such as clay or ice
- this condition is often a result of an iron deficiency
- when iron deficiency is the cause of pica the condition will disappear in 1-2 weeks when threated with iron therapy
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posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- a disorder characterized by an acute emotional response to traumatic event perceived as life threatening or severe emotional stress such as an airplane crash, repeated physical or emotional trauma, or military combat
- symptoms include anxiety, sleep disturbance, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, and depression
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schizophrenia
- any one of a large group of psychotic disorders characterized by gross distortions of reality,
- disturbance of language and communication
- withdrawal from social interaction
- and the disorganization and fragmentation of thought, perceptions, and emotional reaction
-
somatoform disorders
disorders characterized by physical symptoms for which no know physical cause exists
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