Medical Definitions Chap.10

Front 1

Acetylcholine

Back 1

Neurotransmitter chemical released at the ends of nerve cells

Front 2

Afferent nerve

Back 2

Carries messages toward the brain and spinal cord (sensory nerve) afferent comes from af- (a form of ad-, meaning toward) and -ferent (meaning carrying)

Front 3

Arachnoid membrane

Back 3

Middle layer of the three membranes (meninges) that surround the brain and spinal cord

Front 4

Astrocyte

Back 4

Type of glial (neurological) cell that transports water and salts from capillaries in the nervous system

Front 5

Autonomic nervous system

Back 5

Nerves that control involuntary body functions of muscles, glands, and internal organs

Front 6

Axon

Back 6

Microscopic fiber that is part of a neuron and Carries nervous impulse along a nerve cell

Front 7

Blood-brain barrier

Back 7

Protective separation between the blood and brain cells. This makes it difficult for substances (such as anticancer drugs) to penetrate capillary walls and enter the brain

Front 8

Brain stem

Back 8

Posterior portion of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord; includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata

Front 9

Cauda equina

Back 9

Collection of spinal nerves below the end of the spinal cord

Front 10

Cell body

Back 10

Part of a nerve cell that contains a nucleus

Front 11

Central nervous system

Back 11

Brain and spinal cord

Front 12

Cerebellum

Back 12

Posterior part of the brain that coordinates muscle movement and maintains balance

Front 13

Cerebral cortex

Back 13

Outer region of the cerebrum, containing sheets of nerve cells; the grey matter of the brain

Front 14

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Back 14

Circulates throughout the brain and spinal cord

Front 15

Cerebrum

Back 15

Largest part of the brain; responsible for voluntary muscular activity, Vision, speech, taste, hearing, thought, and memory

Front 16

Cranial nerves

Back 16

Nerves carry messages to and from the brain to all parts of the head and neck and also (in the case of the vagus nerve) to other parts of the body

Front 17

Dendrite

Back 17

Microscopic branching fiber of a nerve cell (neuron) that is the first part to receive the nervous impulse

Front 18

Dura mater

Back 18

Thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord

Front 19

Efferent nerve

Back 19

Carries messages away from the brain and spinal cord; motor nerve. Efferent comes from ef- (meaning away from) and -ferent (meaning carry)

Front 20

Ependymal cell

Back 20

Glial cell that lines membranes within the brain and spinal cord and helps form cerebrospinal fluid

Front 21

Ganglion

Back 21

Collection of nerve cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system

Front 22

Glial cell

Back 22

Supportive in connective nerve cell that does not carry nervous impulses. Examples are astrocytes, microglial cells, epididymal cells, oligodendrocytes.

Front 23

Gyrus

Back 23

Sheet of nerve cells that produces a rounded Ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex; convolution

Front 24

Hypothalamus

Back 24

Portion of the brain beneath the thalamus; controls sleep, appetite, body temperature, and secretions from the pituitary gland

Front 25

Medulla oblongata

Back 25

Part of the brain just above the spinal cord; controls breathing, heartbeat, and the size of blood vessels; nerve fibers cross over here

Front 26

Meninges

Back 26

Three protective membranes that surround the brain and the spinal cord

Front 27

Microglial cell

Back 27

Phagocytic glial cell that removes waste products from the central nervous system

Front 28

Midbrain

Back 28

Uppermost portion of the brain stem

Front 29

Motor nerve

Back 29

Carries messages away from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and organs; efferent nerve

Front 30

Myelin sheath

Back 30

Covering of white fatty tissue that surrounds and insulates the axon of a nerve cell. Myelin speeds impulse conduction along axons

Front 31

Nerve

Back 31

Macroscopic cord-like collection of fibers (axons) that carry electrical impulses

Front 32

Neurotransmitter

Back 32

Chemical messenger released at the end of a nerve cell. It stimulates or inhibits another cell, which can be a nerve cell, muscle cell, or gland cell.

Front 33

Oligodendroglial cell

Back 33

Glial cell that forms the myelin sheath covering axons. Also called an oligodendrocyte

Front 34

Parasympathetic nerves

Back 34

Involuntary autonomic nerves that regulate normal body functions such as heart rate, breathing, and muscles of the gastrointestinal tract

Front 35

Parenchyma

Back 35

Essential, distinguish tissue of any organ or system. The parenchyma of the nervous system includes the neurons and nerves that carry nervous impulses. Parenchyma cells of the liver are hepatocytes, and parenchyma tissue of the kidney includes the nephrons, where urine is formed

Front 36

Peripheral nervous system

Back 36

Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord: cranial, spinal, and automatic nerves

Front 37

Pia Mater

Back 37

Thin, delicate inner membrane of the meninges

Front 38

Plexus

Back 38

Large, interlacing network of nerves. A tablet examples are lumbosacral, cervical and brachial plexuses

Front 39

Pons

Back 39

Part of the brain anterior to the cerebellum and between the medulla and the rest of the midbrain. It is a bridge connecting various parts of the brain

Front 40

Receptor

Back 40

Organ that receives and transmits a stimulus to sensory nerves

Front 41

Sciatic nerve

Back 41

Nerve extending from the base of the spine down the thigh, lower leg, and foot. Sciatica is pain or inflammation along the course of a nerve

Front 42

Sensory nerve

Back 42

Carries messages toward the brain and spinal cord from a receptor; afferent nerve

Front 43

Spinal nerves

Back 43

Pair of nerves, arising one on each side of the spinal column. They transmit messages to and from the spinal cord

Front 44

Stimulus

Back 44

Agent of Change in the internal or external environment that evokes a response. It may be light, sound, touch, pressure, or pain

Front 45

Sulcus

Back 45

Depression or Groove in the surface of the cerebral cortex; fissure.

Front 46

Sympathetic nerves

Back 46

Autonomic nerves that influence bodily functions involuntarily in times of stress

Front 47

Synapse

Back 47

Space through which a nervous impulse travels between nerve cells or between nerve and muscle or glandular cells

Front 48

Thalamus

Back 48

Main relay centre of the brain. It conducts impulses between the spinal cord and the cerebrum; incoming sensory messages are relayed through the thalamus to appropriate centres in the cerebrum

Front 49

Vagus nerve

Back 49

Tenth cranial nerve (cranial nerve X). It's branches reach to the larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs, aorta, esophagus, and stomach.

Front 50

Ventricles of the brain

Back 50

Canals in the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid. Ventricles are also found in the heart they are the two lower chambers of the heart

Front 51

Cerebell/o

Back 51

Cerebellum

Front 52

Cerebr/o

Back 52

Cerebrum

Front 53

Dur/o

Back 53

Dura mater

Front 54

Encephal/o

Back 54

Brain

Front 55

Gli/o

Back 55

Glial cells

Front 56

Lept/o

Back 56

Thin, slender

Front 57

Mening/o Meningi/o

Back 57

Membranes, meninges

Front 58

My/o

Back 58

Muscle

Front 59

Myel/o

Back 59

Spinal cord (means bone marrow in other contexts)

Front 60

Neur/o

Back 60

Nerve

Front 61

Pont/o

Back 61

Pons

Front 62

Radicul/o

Back 62

Nerve root (of spinal nerves)

Front 63

Thalam/o

Back 63

Thalamus

Front 64

Thec/o

Back 64

Sheath (refers to the meninges)

Front 65

Vag/o

Back 65

Vagus nerve (10th cranial nerve)

Front 66

Alges/o -algesia

Back 66

Sensitivity to pain

Front 67

-algia

Back 67

Pain

Front 68

Caus/o

Back 68

Burning

Front 69

Comat/o

Back 69

Deep sleep (coma)

Front 70

Esthesi/o, -esthesia

Back 70

Stealing, nervous sensation

Front 71

Kines/o kinesi/o -kenesia -kinesis -kinetic

Back 71

Movement

Front 72

-lepsy

Back 72

Seizure

Front 73

Lex/o

Back 73

Word, phrase

Front 74

-paresis

Back 74

Weakness

Front 75

-phasia

Back 75

Speech

Front 76

-plegia

Back 76

Paralysis (loss or impairment of the ability to move parts of the body)

Front 77

-praxia

Back 77

Action

Front 78

-sthenia

Back 78

Strength

Front 79

Syncop/o

Back 79

To cut off, cut short

Front 80

Tax/o

Back 80

Order, combination

Front 81

Spina bifida

Back 81

Congenital defects in the lumbar spinal column caused by inperfect union of vertebral Parts (neural tube defect)

Front 82

Alzheimer's disease

Back 82

Brain disorder marked by gradual and Progressive mental deterioration (dementia), personality changes, and impairment of daily functioning

Front 83

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Back 83

Degenerative disorder of motor neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem

Front 84

Epilepsy

Back 84

Chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent seizure activity

Front 85

Huntington disease

Back 85

Hereditary disorder marked by degenerative changes in the cerebrum leading to abrupt involuntary movements and mental deterioration

Front 86

Multiple sclerosis

Back 86

Destruction of the myelin sheath on neurons in the CNS and its replacement by plaques of sclerotic (hard) tissue

Front 87

Myasthenia gravis

Back 87

Autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness of voluntary muscles

Front 88

Palsy

Back 88

Paralysis (partial or complete loss of motor function)

Front 89

Parkinson's disease

Back 89

Degeneration of neurons in the basal ganglia, occurring in later life and leading to Tremors, weakness of muscles, and slowness of movement

Front 90

Tourette syndrome

Back 90

Involuntary spasmodic, twitching movements; uncontrollable vocal sounds; and inappropriate words

Front 91

Herpes zoster (shingles)

Back 91

Viral infection affecting peripheral nerves

Front 92

Meningitis

Back 92

Inflammation of the meninges; leptomeningitis

Front 93

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) encephalopathy

Back 93

Brain disease and dementia occurring with AIDS

Front 94

Brain tumour

Back 94

Abnormal growth of brain tissue and meninges

Front 95

Cerebral concussion

Back 95

Type of traumatic brain injury caused by a Blow To The Head

Front 96

Cerebral contusion

Back 96

Bruising of brain tissue resulting from direct trauma to the Head

Front 97

Cerebrovascular accident

Back 97

Disruption in the normal blood supply to the brain; stroke

Front 98

Migraine

Back 98

Severe, recurring, unilateral, vascular headache

Front 99

Cerebral spinal fluid analysis

Back 99

Samples of CSF are examined

Front 100

Cerebral angiography

Back 100

X-ray Imaging of the anterior blood vessels in the brain after injection of contrast material

Front 101

Computed tomography of the brain

Back 101

Computerized x-ray technique that generates multiple images of the brain and spinal cord

Front 102

Magnetic resonance imaging

Back 102

Magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy create images of the brain and spinal cord

Front 103

Position emission tomography (PET) scan

Back 103

Radioactive glucose is injected and then detected in the brain to image the metabolic activity of cells

Front 104

Doppler ultrasound studies

Back 104

Sound waves detect blood flow in the Carotid and intracranial arteries

Front 105

Electroencephalography

Back 105

Recording of the electrical activity in the brain

Front 106

Lumbar puncture

Back 106

CFS is withdrawn from between two lumbar vertebrae for analysis

Front 107

Stereotactic radiosurgery

Back 107

Use of a specialized instrument to locate and treat Targets in the brain