Nervous System Terms

Front 1

brain

Back 1

portion of the central nervous system contained within the cranium

Front 2

cerebrum

Back 2

largest portion of the brain; it is divided into right and left halves known as cerebral hemispheres that are connected by a bridge of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum; lobes of the cerebrum are named after the skull bones they underlie

Front 3

frontal lobe

Back 3

anterior section of each cerebral hemisphere responsible for voluntary muscle movement and personality

Front 4

parietal lobe

Back 4

portion posterior to the frontal lobe, responsible for sensations such as pain, temperature, and touch

Front 5

temporal lobe

Back 5

portion that lies below the frontal lobe, responsible for hearing, taste, and smell

Front 6

occipital lobe

Back 6

portion posterior to the parietal and temporal lobes, responsible for vision

Front 7

cerebral cortex

Back 7

outer layer of the cerebrum consisting of gray matter, responsible for higher mental functions

Front 8

thalamus

Back 8

two gray matter nuclei deep within the brain, responsible for relaying sensory information to the cortex

Front 9

gyri

Back 9

ring or circle; convolutions (mounds) of the cerebral hemispheres

Front 10

sulci

Back 10

ditch; shallow grooves that separate gyri

Front 11

fissures

Back 11

splitting crack; deep grooves in the brain

Front 12

cerebellum

Back 12

portion of the brain located below the occipital lobes of the cerebrum, responsible for control and coordination of skeletal muscles

Front 13

brainstem

Back 13

region of the brain that serves as a relay between the cerebrum, cerebellum, and spinal cord, responsible for breathing, heart rate, and body temperature; there are three levels: mesencephalon (midbrain), pons, and medulla oblongata

Front 14

ventricles

Back 14

series of interconnected cavities within the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem filled with cerebrospinal fluid

Front 15

spinal cord

Back 15

column of nervous tissue from the brainstem through the vertebrae, responsible for nerve conduction to and from the brain and the body

Front 16

meninges

Back 16

three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, consisting of the dura mater, pia mater, and arachnoid

Front 17

aphasia

Back 17

condition without speech; impairment due to localized brain injury that affects understanding, retrieving, and formulating meaningful and sequential elements of language

Front 18

dysphasia

Back 18

difficulty speaking

Front 19

coma

Back 19

general term referring to levels of decreased consciousness with varying responsiveness; a common method of assessment is the Glasgow coma scale

Front 20

delirium

Back 20

state of mental confusion due to disturbances in cerebral function--there are many causes, including fever, shock, or drug overdose

Front 21

dementia

Back 21

impairment of intellectual function characterized by memory loss, disorientation, and confusion

Front 22

neuralgia

Back 22

pain along the course of a nerve

Front 23

paralysis

Back 23

temporary or permanent loss of motor control

Front 24

sciatica

Back 24

pain that follows the pathway of the sciatic nerve caused by compression or trauma of the nerve or its roots

Front 25

seizure

Back 25

sudden, transient disturbances in brain function resulting from abnormal firing of nerve impulses

Front 26

syncope

Back 26

fainting

Front 27

Alzheimer disease

Back 27

disease of structural changes in the brain resulting in an irreversible deterioration that progresses from forgetfulness and disorientation to loss of all intellectual functions, total disability, and death

Front 28

encephalitis

Back 28

inflammation of the brain

Front 29

epilepsy

Back 29

disorder affecting the central nervous system characterized by recurrent seizures

Front 30

Huntington disease

Back 30

hereditary disease of the central nervous system characterized by bizarre involuntary body movements and progressive dementia

Front 31

meningitis

Back 31

inflammation of the meninges

Front 32

narcolepsy

Back 32

sleep disorder characterized by a sudden, uncontrollable need to sleep, attacks of paralysis, and dreams intruding while awake

Front 33

Parkinson disease

Back 33

condition of slowly progressive degeneration of an area of the brainstem resulting in a decrease of dopamine; characterized by tremors, rigidity of muscles, and slow movements, usually occurring later in life

Front 34

plegia

Back 34

paralysis

Front 35

sleep apnea

Back 35

periods of breathing cessation that occur during sleep often causing snoring

Front 36

analgesic

Back 36

agent that relieves pain

Front 37

anticoagulant

Back 37

drug that prevents clotting of the blood; commonly used to prevent heart attack and ischemic stroke

Front 38

anticonvulsant

Back 38

agent that prevents or lessens convulsion

Front 39

hypnotic

Back 39

agent that induces sleep

Front 40

sedative

Back 40

agent that has a calming effect

Front 41

affect

Back 41

emotional feeling or mood

Front 42

apathy

Back 42

lack of interest or display of emotion

Front 43

catatonia

Back 43

state of unresponsiveness to one's outside environment, usually including muscle rigidity, staring, and inability to communicate

Front 44

delusion

Back 44

persistent belief that has no basis in reality

Front 45

dysphoria

Back 45

restless, dissatisfied mood

Front 46

euphoria

Back 46

exaggerated, unfounded feeling of well-being

Front 47

hallucination

Back 47

false perception of the senses for which there is no reality, most commonly hearing or seeing things

Front 48

ideation

Back 48

formation of thoughts or ideas

Front 49

mania

Back 49

state of abnormal elation and increased activity

Front 50

psychosis

Back 50

mental condition characterized by distortion of reality, resulting in the inability to communicate or function within one's environment

Front 51

major depression

Back 51

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

Front 52

phobia

Back 52

exaggerated fear of a specific object or circumstance that causes anxiety and panic

Front 53

autism

Back 53

developmental disability commonly appearing during the first 3 years of life, resulting from a neurological disorder affecting brain function, evidenced by difficulties with verbal and nonverbal communication, and an inability to relate to anything beyond oneself in social interactions; individuals with autism often exhibit body movements such as rocking, repetitive hand movements, and commonly become preoccupied with observing parts of small objects or moving parts or performing meaningless rituals

Front 54

dyslexia

Back 54

developmental disability characterized by a difficulty understanding written or spoken words, sentences, or paragraphs, affecting reading, spelling, and self-expression

Front 55

mental retardation

Back 55

condition of subaverage intelligence characterized by an IQ of 70 or below, resulting in the inability to adapt to normal social activities

Front 56

anorexia nervosa

Back 56

severe disturbance in eating behavior caused by abnormal perceptions about one's body weight, evidenced by an overwhelming fear of becoming fat that results in a refusal to eat and body weight well below normal

Front 57

bulimia nervosa

Back 57

eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by efforts to limit digestion through induced vomiting, use of laxatives, or excessive exercise

Front 58

substance abuse disorders

Back 58

mental disorders resulting from abuse of substances such as drugs, alcohol, or other toxins causing personal and social dysfunction; identified by the abused substance, such as alcohol abuse, amphetamine abuse, opioid abuse, or polysubstance abuse

Front 59

schizophrenia

Back 59

disease of brain chemistry causing a distorted cognitive and emotional perception of one's environment characterized by a broad range of "positive" and "negative" symptoms

positive symptoms include distortions of normal function

negative symptoms including flat affect, apathy, and withdrawal from reality

Front 60

psychotropic drugs

Back 60

medications used to treat mental illnesses

Front 61

anxiolytic agents

Back 61

drugs used to reduce anxiety

Front 62

antidepressant

Back 62

agent that counteracts depression

Front 63

neuroleptic agents

Back 63

drugs used to treat psychosis, especially schizophrenia