Vol 03 Chap 03 - Neurology

Front 1

The brain and the spinal cord.

Back 1

Central nervous system (CNS)

Front 2

Part of the nervous system controlling voluntary bodily functions.

Back 2

Somatic nervous system

Front 3

Part of the nervous system that extends throughout the body and is composed of the cranial nerves arising from the brain and the peripheral nerves arising from the spinal cord. Its subdivisions are the somatic and the autonomic nervous systems.

Back 3

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

Front 4

Part of the nervous system controlling involuntary bodily functions. It is divided into the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems.

Back 4

Autonomic nervous system

Front 5

Division of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for stressful situations. Sympathetic nervous system actions include increased heart rate and dilation of the bronchioles and pupils. Its actions are mediated by the neurotransmitters epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Back 5

Sympathetic nervous system

Front 6

Division of the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for controlling vegetative functions. Parasympathetic nervous system actions include decreased heart rate and constriction of the bronchioles and pupils. Its actions are mediated by the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.

Back 6

Parasympathetic nervous system

Front 7

Central Nervous System

Back 7

- Brain
- Spinal Cord

Front 8

Nerve cell; the fundamental component of the nervous system.

Back 8

Neuron

Front 9

A substance that is released from the axon terminal of a presynaptic neuron upon excitation and that travels across the synaptic cleft to either excite or inhibit the target cell. Examples include acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Back 9

Neurotransmitter

Front 10

Membranes covering and protecting the brain and spinal cord. They consist of the pia mater, arachnoid membrane, and dura mater.

Back 10

Meninges

Front 11

Tough outermost layer of the meninges.

Back 11

Dura mater

Front 12

Middle layer of the meninges.

Back 12

Arachnoid membrane

Front 13

Delicate innermost layer of the meninges.

Back 13

Pia mater

Front 14

Watery, clear fluid that acts as a cushion, protecting the brain and spinal cord from physical impact. The cerebrospinal fluid also serves as an accessory circulatory system for the central nervous system.

Back 14

Cerebrospinal fluid

Front 15

Largest part of the brain, consisting of two hemispheres. The cerebrum is the seat of consciousness and the center of the higher metal functions such as memory, learning, reasoning, judgment, intelligence, and the emotions.

Back 15

Cerebrum

Front 16

Portion of the brain lying beneath the cerebrum and above the brainstem. It contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, and limbic system.

Back 16

Diencephalon

Front 17

Part of the brain connecting the cerebral hemispheres with the spinal cord. It consists of the mesencephalon (midbrain), pons, and medulla oblongata.

Back 17

Brainstem

Front 18

Portion of the brain containing the pons and cerebellum with the cerebral hemispheres; also called the midbrain. It controls motor coordination and eye movement.

Back 18

Mesencephalon

Front 19

Process of tissue connecting the medulla oblongata and cerebellum with upper portions of the brain.

Back 19

Pons

Front 20

Lower portion of the brainstem, connecting the pons and the spinal cord. It contains major centers for control of respiratory, cardiac, and vasomotor activity.

Back 20

Medulla oblongata

Front 21

Portion of the brain located dorsally to the pons and medulla oblongata. It plays an important role in the fine motor movement, posture, equilibrium, and muscle tone.

Back 21

Cerebellum

Front 22

The system responsible for consciousness. A series of nervous tissues keeping the human system in a state of consciousness.

Back 22

Reticular activating system

Front 23

Carrying impulses toward the central nervous system. Sensory nerves are afferent nerves.

Back 23

Afferent

Front 24

Carrying impulses away form the brain or spinal cord to the periphery. Motor nerves are efferent nerves.

Back 24

Efferent

Front 25

Area of the skin innervated by spinal nerves.

Back 25

Dermatomes

Front 26

Twelve (12) pairs of nerves that extend from the lower surface of the brain.

Back 26

Cranial nerves

Front 27

Peripheral Nervous System

Back 27

- Voluntary (somatic)
- Involuntary (autonomic)
- Sympathetic
- Parasympathetic

Front 28

A state of unconsciousness from which the patient cannot be aroused.

Back 28

Coma

Front 29

Any malfunction or damage of the peripheral nerves. Results may include muscle weakness, loss of sensation, impaired reflexes, and internal organ malfunctions.

Back 29

Peripheral neuropathy

Front 30

A breathing pattern characterized by a period of apnea lasting 10-60 seconds, followed by gradually increasing depth and frequency of respirations.

Back 30

Cheyne-Stokes respiration

Front 31

Rapid deep respirations caused by severe metabolic and CNS problems.

Back 31

Kussmaul's respiration

Front 32

Hyperventilation caused by a lesion in the central nervous system, often characterized by rapid , deep, noisy respirations.

Back 32

Central neurogenic hyperventilation

Front 33

Poor respirations due to CNS damage, causing ineffective thoracic muscular coordination.

Back 33

Ataxic respiration

Front 34

Breathing characterized by a prolonged inspiration unrelieved by expiration attempts, seen in patients with damage to the upper part of the pons.

Back 34

Apneustic respiration

Front 35

Characteristic posture associated with a lesion at or above the upper brainstem. The patient presents with stiff and extended extremities and retracted head.

Back 35

Decerebrate posture

Front 36

Tool used in evaluating and quantifying the degree of coma by determining the best motor, verbal, and eye-opening response to standardized stimuli.

Back 36

Glasgow coma scale (GCS)

Front 37

A collective change in vital signs (increased blood pressure, decreased pulse rate, and irregular respirations) associated with increasing intracranial pressure.

Back 37

Cushing's triad

Front 38

Condition characterized by loss of memory and disorientation, associated with chronic alcohol intake and a diet deficient in thiamine.

Back 38

Wernicke's syndrome

Front 39

Psychosis characterized by disorentation, muttering delirium, insomnia, delusions, and hallucinations. Symptoms include painful extremities, bilateral wrist drop (rarely), bilateral foot drop (frequently), and pain on pressure over the long nerves.

Back 39

Korsakoff's psychosis

Front 40

Caused by either ischemic or hemorrhagic lesions to a portion of the brain, resulting in damage or destruction of brain tissue. Also called a brain attack. Previously called cerebrovascular accident.

Back 40

Stroke

Front 41

Temporary interruption of blood supply to the brain.

Back 41

Transient ischemic attack (TIA)

Front 42

A temporary alteration in behavior due to the massive electrical discharge of one or more groups of neurons in the brain. Seizures can be clinically classified as generalized or partial.

Back 42

Seizure

Front 43

Types of Seizures

Back 43

- Generalized seizures
+ Tonic-clonic
+ Absence
- Partial seizures
+ Simple partial seizures
+ Complex partial seizures

Front 44

Seizures that begin as an electrical discharge in a small area of the brain but spread to involve the entire cerebral cortex, causing widespread malfunction.

Back 44

Generalized seizures

Front 45

Seizures that remain confined to a limited portion of the brain, causing localized malfunction. Partial seizures may spread and become generalized.

Back 45

Partial seizures

Front 46

Type of generalized seizure characterized by rapid loss of consciousness and motor coordination, muscle spasms, and jerking motions.

Back 46

Tonic-clonic seizure

Front 47

Phase of a seizure characterized by tension or contraction of muscles.

Back 47

Tonic phase

Front 48

Phase of a seizure characterized by alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles.

Back 48

Clonic phase

Front 49

Phases of a Generalized Seizure

Back 49

- Aura
- Loss of consciousness
- Tonic phase
- Hyperclonic phase
- Clonic phase
- Post seizure
- Postictal

Front 50

Type of generalized seizure with sudden onset, characterized by a brief loss of awareness and rapid recovery.

Back 50

Absence seizure

Front 51

Type of partial seizure that involves local motor, sensory, or autonomic dysfunction of one area of the body. There is no loss of consciousness.

Back 51

Simple partial seizure

Front 52

Type of partial seizure usually originating in the temporal lobe characterized by an aura and focal findings such as alterations in mental status or mood.

Back 52

Complex partial seizure

Front 53

Series of two or more generalized motor seizures without any intervening periods of consciousness.

Back 53

Status epilepticus

Front 54

Transient loss of consciousness due to inadequate flow of blood to the brain with rapid recovery of consciousness upon becoming supine; fainting.

Back 54

Syncope

Front 55

Literally meaning "new form"; a new or abnormal formation; a tumor.

Back 55

Neoplasm

Front 56

A collection of pus localized in an area of the brain.

Back 56

Brain abscess

Front 57

A collection of diseases that selectively affect one or more functional systems of the central nervous system.

Back 57

Degenerative neurological disorders

Front 58

A degenerative brain disorder; the most common cause of dementia in the elderly.

Back 58

Alzheimer's disease

Front 59

A group of genetic diseases characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration of the skeletal or voluntary muscle fibers.

Back 59

Muscular dystrophy

Front 60

Disease that involves inflammation of certain nerve cells followed by demyelination, or the destruction of the myelin sheath, which is the fatty insulation surrounding nerve fibers.

Back 60

Multiple sclerosis

Front 61

A group of disorders characterized by muscle contractions that cause twisting and repetitive movements, abnormal postures, or freezing in the middle of an action.

Back 61

Dystonias

Front 62

Chronic and progressive motor system disorder characterized by tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability.

Back 62

Parkinson's disease

Front 63

Condition resulting from damage or injury to the brain, brainstem, or spinal cord characterized by intense, steady pain described as burning, aching, tingling, or a "pins and needles" sensation.

Back 63

Central pain syndrome

Front 64

One-sided facial paralysis with an unknown cause characterized by the inability to close the eye, pain, tearing of the eyes, drooling, hypersensitivity to sound, and impairment of taste.

Back 64

Bell's palsy

Front 65

Progressive degeneration of specific nerve cells that control voluntary movement characterized by weakness, loss of motor control, difficulty speaking, and cramping. Also called Lou Gehrig's disease.

Back 65

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

Front 66

Temporary, involuntary twitching or spasm of a muscle or group of muscles.

Back 66

Myoclonus

Front 67

Infectious, inflammatory viral disease of the central nervous system that sometimes results in permanent paralysis.

Back 67

Poliomyelitis (polio)