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Medical terms 5
Term | Definition |
---|---|
cerebr/o, encephal/o | roots for brian |
cerebell/o | root for cerebellum |
lob/o | root for lobe |
cephal/o | root for head |
crani/o | root for head/skull |
mening/o, meningi/o | root meaning meninges |
dur/o | root for dura |
neur/o | root for nerve |
gangli/o | root for nerve bundle |
myel/o | root for spinal cord, bone marrow |
esthesi/o | root for feeling, sensation |
phas/o | root for speech |
phren/o, phych/o | root for mind |
somn/o, somn/i, hypn/o | roots for sleep |
gnosi/o | root for know |
-mania | suffix for excessive desire |
-phobia | excessive fear or sensitivity |
-paresis | suffix for slight or partial paralysis |
ton/o | root for muscle tone, tension, pressure |
tax/o | root for arrangement, order, coordination |
-plegia | suffix for paralysis |
-asthenia | suffix for weakness |
aphasia | inability to speak |
ataxia | lack of coordination |
catatonia | condition characterized by reduced muscle tone |
delirium | brief loss of mental function |
dementia | loss/decline in mental function |
dyskinesia | difficulty moving |
dyslexia | difficulty reading |
dysphasia | difficulty speaking |
dystonia | condition characterized by involuntary muscle movements |
insomnia | inability to sleep |
myoclonus | muscle twitching |
myospasm | involuntary muscle contraction |
neurasthenia | nerve weakness |
somnambulism | sleep walking |
syncope | fainting, losing consciousness due to temporary loss of blood flow to brain |
cephalalgia | head pain |
cephalodynia | head pain |
encephalalgia | brain pain |
neuralgia | nerve pain |
neurodynia | nerve pain |
hemiparesis | partial paralysis on half the body |
hemiplegia | paralysis on half the body |
monoparesis | partial paralysis of one limb |
monoplegia | paralysis of one limb |
paralysis | complete loss of sensation and motor function |
paresis | partial paralysis characterized by varying degrees of sensation and motor function |
causalgia | painful sensation of burning |
dysesthesia | bad feeling |
hyperesthesia | increased sensation |
paresthesia | abnormal sensation (usually numbness or tingling in the skin |
pseudesthesia | false sensation |
synesthesia | condition where one sensation is experienced as another |
acrophobia | fear of heights |
agoraphobia | fear of outdoor spaces |
hydrophobia | fear of water |
kleptomania | desire to steal |
photophobia | excessive sensitivity to light |
pyromania | desire to set fire |
lumbar puncture | a needle is gently inserted between vertebrae of lower spine and small amount of fluid is drawn and evaluated for signs of infection and other types of inflammation |
echoencephalography | procedure used to examine the brain using sound waves |
electroencephalography (EEG) | procedure used to examine the electrical activity of the brain |
spinal tap | inserting needle into lumbar region of spine in order to collect spinal fluid, aka lumbar puncture (LP) |
cerebral angiography | procedure used to examine blood vessels in the brain |
magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) | procedure used to examine blood vessels |
myelogram | image of the spinal cord, usually done via xray |
positron emission tomography scan (PET scan) | imaging procedure that uses radiation to produce cross sections of the brain |
transcranial doppler sonography | an imaging technique that produces an image of the brain using sound waves sent through the skull |
cerebellitis | inflammation of the cerebellum |
cerebral atrophy | wasting away of brain tissue |
duritis | inflammation of the dura |
encephalocele | hernia of the brain |
hematoma | tumorlike mass made up of blood |
cranial hematoma | hematoma beneath the skull |
epidural hematoma | a hematoma located on top of the dura |
intracerebral hematoma | a hematoma located inside the brain |
subdural hematoma | hematoma located under the dura |
macrocephaly | abnormally large head |
microcephaly | abnormally small head |
meningocele | a hernia of the meninges |
myelocele | hernia of the spinal cord |
myelomalacia | abnormal softening of the spinal cord |
myelomeningocele | hernia of the spinal cord and meninges |
neuritis | nerve inflammation |
neuroma | nerve tumor |
neurosclerosis | hardening of the nerves |
polyneuritis | inflammation of multiple nerves |
agnosia | inability to comprehend |
apathy | lack of emotion |
hyperkinesia | increase in muscle movement of activity |
neurathenia | nerve weakness |
neuroglycopenia | deficiency of sugar that interferes with normal brain activity |
nystagmus | involuntary back and forth eye movements |
prosopagnosia | inability to recognize faces |
anesthesiologist | doctor who specializes in anesthesiology |
afferent nerve | nerve that carries impulses toward the CNS |
efferent nerve | nerve that carries impulses away from the CNS |
neurogenic | originating from/created by nerves |
physchiatrist | doctor who specializes in the treatment of the mind |
psychiatry | branch of medicine that focuses on the treatment of the mind |
psychogenic | originating in/created by the mind |
psychologist | doctor who specializes in the study of the mind |
psychology | branch of medicine that focuses on the study of the mind |
psychosomatic | pertaining to the relationship between the body and mind |
idiopathic | having no known cause or origin |
interictal | time between seizures |
posticial | time after a seizure |
preictal | time before a seizure |
tonic | pertaining to muscle tone |
clonus | muscle spasm of twitching |
tonic-clonic seizure | seizure characterized by both a tonic and clonic phase |
cerebrovascular accident (CVA) | an accident involving the blood vessels of the brain |
stroke | loss of brain function caused by interruption of bloodflow/supply to the brain |
hemorrhagic stroke | stroke where the blood loss is caused by rupture of a blood vessel |
ischemic stroke | stroke where blood loss is caused by a blockage |
transient ischemic attack (TIA) | a mini-stroke caused by blockage of a blood vessel, which resolves within 24 hours |
cerebrovascular disease | disease of the blood vessels of the brain |
cerebral aneurysm | widening or abnormal dilation of a blood vessel in the brain |
cerebral arteriosclerosis | hardening of an artery in the brain |
cerebral atherosclerosis | hardening of an artery in the brain caused by the buildup of fatty plaque |
cerebral embolism | blockage of a blood vessel in the brain caused by a foreign object such as fat or bacteria |
cerebral thrombosis | blockage of a blood vessel in the brain caused by a blood clot |
craniomalacia | abnormal softening of the skull |
craniosclerosis | abnormal hardening of the skull |
craniostenosis | abnormal narrowing of the skull |
craniosynostosis | premature fusing of the skull bones |
hydrocrphaly | abnormal accumulation of spinal fluid in the brain |
astrocytoma | tumor arising from astrocyte glial cells |
ganglioma | ganglion tumor |
glioblastoma | brain tumor arising from glioblast cells |
meningioma | tumor of the meninges |
cerebellitis | inflammation of the cerebellum |
cerebromeningitis | inflammation of the brain and meninges |
encephalitis | inflammation of the brain |
encephalomyelitis | inflammation of the brain and spinal cord |
encephalomyeloneuropathy | disease of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves |
encephalopathy | disease of the brain |
encephalopyosis | a pus-filled abscess in the brain |
ganglitis | inflammation of a ganglion |
intracerebral hemorrhage | excessive bleeding inside the brain |
meningopathy | disease of the meninges |
meningitis | inflammation of the meninges |
meningoencephalitis | inflammation of the meninges and brain |
myelitis | inflammation of the spinal cord |
myelodysplagia | defective formation of the spinal cord |
myelopathy | disease of the spinal cord |
neuroarthropathy | disease of the joint associated with nerves |
neuroencephalomyelopathy | disease of the nerves, brain, and spinal cord |
neuropathy | disease of the nervous system |
poliomyelitis | inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord |
polyneuropathy | disease affecting multiple nerves |
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ACL) | degenerative disease of the CNS causing loss of muscle control, hardening of the nerve cells on the sides of the spine leading to loss of muscle tissue from disease |
anorexia | eating disorder characterized by patient's restricting food or refusing to eat |
autism | psychiatric disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication and interaction, as well as repetitive and/or restrictive patterns of behavior or interests |
bulimia | an eating disorder characterized by overeating and usually followed by forced purging or getting rid of food |
cerebral palsy | paralysis caused by damage to the area of the brain responsible for movement |
dysphoria | negative emotional state |
epilepsy | a disease marked by seizures |
euphoria | a positive emotional state |
hypomania | mental state just below mania |
manic depression (bipolar disorder) | psychiatric disorder characterized by alternating bouts of excitement and depression |
myasthenia | muscle weakness |
narcolepsy | a disease characterized by sudden, uncontrolled sleepiness |
psychopathy | a mental illness |
schozophrenia | mental illness characterized by delusions, hallucinations, and disordered speech |
anesthetic | drug that causes loss of sensation |
general anesthetic | anesthetic that causes complete loss of consciousness |
local anesthetic | anesthetic that does not affect consciousness |
regional anesthetic | anesthetic that is injected into a nerve causing loss of sensation over a particular area |
topical anesthetic | local anesthesia applied to the surface of the area to be anesthetized |
epidural anesthetic | anesthetic applied in the dural region of the spinal cord |
analgesic | drug that relieves pain |
antocovulsant | drug that opposes convulsions |
antidepressant | drug that opposed depression |
antipsychotic | drug that opposes psychoses |
anxiolytic | drug that lessens anxiety |
hypnotic | drug that aids sleep |
neuropharmacology | study of the effects of drugs on the nervous system |
psychopharmacology | study of the effects of drugs on mental processes |
psychotropic | drugs that are able to turn the mind |
thrombolytic | drug that dissolves clots |
cerebrotomy | incision into the brain |
chemotherapy | treatment using chemicals |
craniectomy | removal of a piece of the skull |
craniotomy | incision into the skull |
endarectomy | removal of the inside of an artery |
endovascular neurosurgery | surgery on the nervous system performed by entering the body through blood vessels |
lobectomy | removal of a lobe |
lobotomy | incision into a lobe |
neurectomy | removal of a nerve |
neurolysis | destruction of nerve tissue |
neuroplasty | reconstruction of a nerve |
neurrhaphy | suturing of a nerve |
neurotomy | incision into a nerve |
ADHD | attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder |
ALS | amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou gehrig's disease) |
CNS | central nervous system |
CP | cerebral palsy |
CSF | cerebrospinal fluid |
CVA | cerebrovascular accident |
EEG | electroencephalogram |
EMG | electromyogram |
ICP | intracranial pressure |
LOC | level of consciousness |
LP | lumbar puncture |
MRA | magnetic resonance angiography |
MS | multiple sclerosis |
OCD | obsessive compulsive disorder |
PET | positron emission tomography |
PNS | peripheral nervous system |
TIA | transient ischemic attack |