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Chapter 17, MedTerms
The Nervous System and Behavioral Disorders
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| olfactory, I | The cranial nerve that carries impulses for the sense of smell |
| optic, II | The cranial nerve that carries impulses for the sense of vision |
| oculomotor, III | The cranial nerve that controls movement of eye muscles |
| trochlear, IV | The cranial nerve that controls a muscle of the eyeball |
| trigeminal, V | The cranial nerve that carries sensory impulses from the face; controls chewing muscles |
| abducens, VI | The cranial nerve that controls a muscle of the eyeball |
| facial, VII | The cranial nerve that controls muscles of facial expression, salivary glands, and tear glands; conducts some impulses for taste |
| vestibulocochlear, VIII | The cranial nerve that conducts impulses for hearing and equilibrium; also called auditory or acoustic nerve |
| glossopharyngeal, IX | The cranial nerve that conducts sensory impulses from tongue and pharynx; stimulates parotid salivary gland and partly controls swallowing |
| vagus, X | The cranial nerve that supplies most organs of thorax and abdomen; controls digestive secretions |
| spinal accessory, XI | The cranial nerve that controls muscles of the neck |
| hypoglossal, XII | The cranial nerve that controls muscles of the tongue |
| afferent | Carrying toward a given point, such as the sensory neurons and nerves that carry impulses toward the CNS (root fer means "to carry") |
| arachnoid mater | The middle layer of the meninges (from the Greek word for spider, because this tissue resembles a spider web) |
| autonomic nervous system (ANS) | The division of the nervous system that regulates involuntary activities, controlling smooth muscles, cardiac muscle, and glands; the visceral nervous system |
| axon | The fiber of a neuron that conducts impulses away from the cell body |
| brain | The nervous tissue contained within the cranium; consists of the cerebrum, diencephalon, brainstem, and cerebellum (root: encephal/o) |
| brainstem | The part of the brain that consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata |
| central nervous system (CNS) | The brain and spinal cord |
| cerebellum | The posterior portion of the brain dorsal to the pons and medulla; helps to coordinate movement and to maintain balance and posture (cerebellum means "little brain") (root: cerebell/o) |
| cerebral cortex | The cerebrum's thin surface layer of gray matter (the cortex is the outer region of an organ) (root: cortic/o) |
| cerebrum | The large upper portion of the brain; it is divided into two hemispheres by the longitudinal fissure (root: cerebr/o) |
| cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) | The watery fluid that circulates in and around the brain and spinal cord for protection |
| cranial nerves | The 12 pairs of nerves that are connected to the brain |
| dendrite | A fiber of a neuron that conducts impulses toward the cell body |
| diencephalon | The part of the brain that contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland; located between the cerebrum and the brainstem |
| dura mater | The strong, fibrous outermost layer of the meninges |
| efferent | Carrying away from a given point, such as the motor neurons and nerves that carry impulses away from the CNS (root fer means "to carry") |
| ganglion | A collection of neuron cell bodies outside the CNS (plural: ganglia) (roots: gangli/o, ganglion/o) |
| gray matter | Unmyelinated tissue of the nervous system |
| gyrus | A raised convolution of the surface of the cerebrum (plural: gyri) |
| hypothalamus | The part of the brain that controls the pituitary gland and maintains homeostasis |
| interneuron | Any neuron located between a sensory and a motor neuron in a neural pathway, such as the neurons that transmit impulses within the CNS |
| medulla oblongata | The portion of the brain that connects with the spinal cord; it has vital centers for control of respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure (root: medull/o); often called simply medulla |
| meninges | The three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (singular: meninx) (roots: mening/o, meninge/o) |
| midbrain | The part of the brainstem between the diencephalon and the pons; contains centers for coordination of reflexes for vision and hearing |
| motor | Producing movement; describes efferent neurons and nerves that carry impulses away from the CNS |
| myelin | A whitish, fatty substance that surrounds certain axons of the nervous system |
| neuroglia | The support cells of the nervous system; also called glial cells (from glia meaning "glue") (root: gli/o) |
| neuron | The basic unit of the nervous system; a nerve cell |
| neurotransmitter | A chemical that transmits energy across a synapse; examples are norepinephrine, acetylcholine, serotonin, and dopamine |
| nerve | A bundle of neuron fibers outside the CNS (root: neur/o) |
| parasympathetic nervous system | The part of the autonomic nervous system that reverses the response to stress and restores homeostasis; it slows heart rate and respiration rate and stimulates digestive, urinary, and reproductive activities |
| peripheral nervous system (PNS) | The portion of the nervous system outside the CNS |
| pia mater | The innermost layer of the meninges |
| pons | A rounded area on the ventral surface of the brainstem; contains fibers that connect brain regions (adjective: pontine) |
| reflex | A simple, rapid, and automatic response to a stimulus |
| root | A branch of a spinal nerve that connects with the spinal cord; the dorsal (posterior) root joins the spinal cord's dorsal gray horn; the ventral (anterior) root joins the spinal cord's ventral gray horn (root: radicul/o) |
| sensory | Pertaining to the senses or sensation; describing afferent neurons and nerves that carry impulses toward the CNS |
| somatic nervous system | The division of the nervous system that controls skeletal (voluntary) muscles |
| spinal cord | The nervous tissue contained within the spinal column; extends from the medulla oblongata to the second lumbar vertebra (root: myel/o) |
| spinal nerves | The 31 pairs of nerves that connect with the spinal cord |
| sulcus | A shallow furrow or groove, as on the surface of the cerebrum (plural: sulci) |
| sympathetic nervous system | The part of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes a response to stress, increases heart rate and respiration rate, and delivers more blood to skeletal muscles |
| synapse | The junction between two neurons; also the junction between a motor neuron and a muscle or gland |
| thalamus | The part of the brain that receives all sensory impulses, except those for the sense of smell, and directs them to the proper portion of the cerebral cortex (root: thalam/o) |
| tract | A bundle of neuron fibers within the CNS |
| ventricle | A small cavity, such as one of the cavities in the brain in which CSF is formed (root: ventricul/o) |
| visceral nervous system | The autonomic nervous system |
| white matter | Myelinated tissue of the nervous system |
| neur/o, neur/i | nervous system, nervous tissue, nerve |
| gli/o | neuroglia |
| gangli/o, ganglion/o | ganglion |
| mening/o, meninge/o | meninges |
| myel/o | spinal cord (also bone marrow) |
| radicul/o | spinal nerve root |
| encephal/o | brain |
| cerebr/o | cerebrum (loosely, brain) |
| cortic/o | cerebral cortex, outer portion |
| cerebell/o | cerebellum |
| thalam/o | thalamus |
| ventricul/o | cavity, ventricle |
| medull/o | medulla oblongata (also spinal cord) |
| psych/o | mind |
| narc/o | stupor, unconsciousness |
| somn/o, somn/i | sleep |
| -phasia | speech |
| -lalia | speech, babble |
| -lexia | reading |
| -plegia | paralysis |
| -paresis | partial paralysis, weakness |
| -lepsy | seizure |
| -phobia | persistent, irrational fear |
| -mania | excited state, obsession |
| Alzheimer disease (AD) | A form of dementia caused by atrophy of the cerebral cortex; presenile dementia |
| amyloid | A starch-like substance of unknown composition that accumulates in the brain in Alzheimer and other diseases |
| aneurysm | A localized abnormal dilation of a blood vessel that results from weakness of the vessel wall; an aneurysm may eventually burst |
| aphasia | Specifically, loss or defect in speech communication (from Greek phasis, meaning "speech") |
| astrocytoma | A neuroglial tumor composed of astrocytes |
| cerebral contusion | A bruise to the surface of the brain following a blow to the head |
| cerebrovascular accident (CVA) | Sudden damage to the brain resulting from reduction of cerebral blood flow; possible causes are atherosclerosis, thrombosis, or a ruptured aneurysm; commonly called stroke |
| coma | State of deep unconsciousness from which one cannot be roused |
| concussion | Injury resulting from a violent blow or shock; a brain concussion usually results in loss of consciousness |
| confusion | A state of reduced comprehension, coherence, and reasoning ability resulting in inappropriate responses to environmental stimuli |
| contrecoup injury | Damage to the brain on the side opposite the point of a blow as a result of the brain hitting the skull (from French, meaning "counterblow") |
| convulsion | A series of violent, involuntary muscle contractions; a tonic convulsion involves prolonged muscle contraction; in a clonic convulsion, there is alternation of contraction and relaxation; both forms appear in grand mal epilepsy |
| dementia | A gradual and usually irreversible loss of intellectual function |
| embolism | Obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot or other material carried in the circulation |
| encephalitis | Inflammation of the brain |
| epidural hematoma | Accumulation of blood in the epidural space (between the dura mater and the skull) |
| epilepsy | A chronic disease involving periodic sudden bursts of electric activity from the brain, resulting in seizures |
| glioma | A tumor of neuroglial cells |
| hemiparesis | Partial paralysis or weakness of one side of the body |
| hemiplegia | Paralysis of one side of the body |
| hydrocephalus | Increased accumulation of CSF in or around the brain as a result of obstructed flow; may be caused by tumor, inflammation, hemorrhage, or congenital abnormality |
| insomnia | Insufficient or nonrestorative sleep despite ample opportunity to sleep |
| meningioma | Tumor of the meninges |
| meningitis | Inflammation of the meninges |
| multi-infarct dementia (MID) | Dementia caused by chronic cerebral ischemia (lack of blood supply) as a result of multiple small strokes; there is progressive loss of cognitive function, memory, and judgment as well as altered motor and sensory function |
| multiple sclerosis (MS) | A chronic, progressive disease involving loss of myelin in the CNS |
| narcolepsy | Brief, uncontrollable episodes of sleep during the day |
| neurilemmoma | A tumor of a peripheral nerve sheath (neurilemma); schwannoma |
| paralysis | Temporary or permanent loss of function; flaccid paralysis involves loss of muscle tone and reflexes and muscular degeneration; spastic paralysis involves excess muscle tone and reflexes but no degeneration |
| parkinsonism | A disorder originating in the brain's basal ganglia (nuclei) and characterized by slow movements, tremor, rigidity, and mask-like face; also called Parkinson disease |
| seizure | A sudden attack, as seen in epilepsy; the most common forms of seizure are tonic-clonic, or grand mal (from French, meaning "great illness"); absence seizure, or petit mal, meaning "small illness;" and psychomotor seizure |
| shingles | An acute viral infection that follows nerve pathways causing small lesions on the skin; caused by reactivation of the virus that also causes chickenpox (varicella-zoster virus); also called herpes zoster |
| sleep apnea | Brief periods of breathing cessation during sleep |
| stroke, cerebrovascular accident (CVA) | Sudden interference with blood flow in one or more cerebral vessels leading to oxygen deprivation and necrosis of brain tissue; caused by a blood clot in a vessel (ischemic stroke) or rupture of a vessel (hemorrhagic stroke) |
| subdural hematoma | Accumulation of blood beneath the dura mater |
| thrombosis | Development of a blood clot within a vessel |
| tremor | A shaking or involuntary movement |
| carotid endarterectomy | Surgical removal of the lining of the carotid artery, the large artery in the neck that supplies blood to the brain |
| cerebral angiography | Radiographic study of the brain's blood vessels after injection of a contrast medium |
| electroencephalography (EEG) | Amplification, recording, and interpretation of the brain's electric activity |
| L-dopa | A drug used in the treatment of parkinsonism; levodopa |
| lumbar puncture | Puncture of the subarachnoid space in the lumbar region of the spinal cord to remove spinal fluid for diagnosis or to inject anesthesia; spinal tap |
| polysomnography | Simultaneous monitoring of a variety of physiologic functions during sleep to diagnose sleep disorders |
| anxiety | A feeling of fear, worry, uneasiness, or dread |
| attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | A condition that begins in childhood and is characterized by attention problems, easy boredom, impulsive behavior, and hyperactivity |
| autism | A disorder of unknown cause consisting of self-absorption, lack of response to social contact and affection, preoccupations, stereotyped behavior, and resistance to change (from auto-, "self," and -ism, "condition of") |
| autism spectrum disorder (ASD) | A disability that falls within a range of neurodevelopmental impairments that appears early in life and affects social interactions and communications skills |
| bipolar disorder | A form of depression with episodes of mania (a state of elation); manic depressive illness |
| delusion | A false belief inconsistent with knowledge and experience |
| depression | A mental state characterized by profound feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, and lack of interest or pleasure in activities |
| dysthymia | A mild form of depression that usually develops in response to a serious life event (from dys- and Greek thymos, meaning "mind, emotion") |
| hallucination | A false perception unrelated to reality or external stimuli |
| mania | A state of elation, which may include agitation, hyperexcitability, or hyperactivity (adjective: manic) |
| obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) | A condition associated with recurrent and intrusive thoughts, images, and repetitive behaviors performed to relieve anxiety |
| panic disorder | A form of anxiety disorder marked by episodes of intense fear |
| paranoia | A mental state characterized by jealousy, delusions of persecution, or perceptions of threat or harm |
| phobia | An extreme, persistent fear of a specific object or situation |
| posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | Persistent emotional disturbances that follow exposure to life-threatening, catastrophic events, such as trauma, abuse, natural disasters, and warfare |
| psychosis | A mental disorder extreme enough to cause gross misperception of reality with delusions and hallucinations |
| schizophrenia | A poorly understood group of severe mental disorders with features of psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, and withdrawn or bizarre behavior (schizo means "split," and phren/o means "mind") |
| acetylcholine (ACh) | A neurotransmitter; activity involving acetylcholine is described as cholinergic |
| basal ganglia | Four masses of gray matter in the cerebrum and upper brainstem that are involved in movement and coordination; basal nuclei |
| blood-brain barrier | A special membrane between circulating blood and the brain that prevents certain damaging substances from reaching brain tissue |
| Broca area | An area in the left frontal lobe of the cerebrum that controls speech production |
| cerebral arterial circle | An interconnection (anastomosis) of several arteries supplying the brain; located at the base of the cerebrum; circle of Willis |
| contralateral | Affecting the opposite side of the body |
| corpus callosum | A large band of connecting fibers between the cerebral hemispheres |
| dermatome | The area of the skin supplied by a spinal nerve; term also refers to an instrument used to cut skin for grafting |
| ipsilateral | On the same side; unilateral |
| leptomeninges | The pia mater and arachnoid together |
| norepinephrine | A neurotransmitter very similar in chemical composition and function to the hormone epinephrine; also called noradrenaline |
| nucleus | A collection of nerve cells within the central nervous system |
| plexus | A network, as of nerves or blood vessels |
| pyramidal tracts | A group of motor tracts involved in fine coordination; most of the fibers in these tracts cross in the medulla to the opposite side of the spinal cord and affect the opposite side of the body |
| reticular activating system (RAS) | A widespread system in the brain that maintains wakefulness |
| Schwann cells | Cells that produce the myelin sheath around peripheral axons |
| Wernicke area | An area in the temporal lobe concerned with speech comprehension |
| amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) | A disorder marked by muscular weakness, spasticity, and exaggerated reflexes caused by degeneration of motor neurons; Lou Gehrig disease |
| amnesia | Loss of memory (from Greek word mneme meaning "memory" and the negative prefix a-) |
| apraxia | Inability to move with purpose or to use objects properly |
| ataxia | Lack of muscle coordination; dyssynergia |
| athetosis | Involuntary, slow, twisting movements in the arms, especially the hands and fingers |
| Bell palsy | Paralysis of the facial nerve |
| berry aneurysm | A small sac-like aneurysm of a cerebral artery |
| catatonia | A phrase of schizophrenia in which the patient is unresponsive; there is a tendency to remain in a fixed position without moving or talking |
| cerebral palsy | A nonprogressive neuromuscular disorder usually caused by damage to the CNS near the time of birth; may include spasticity, involuntary movements, or ataxia |
| chorea | A nervous condition marked by involuntary twitching of the limbs or facial muscles |
| claustrophobia | Fear of being shut in or enclosed (from Latin claudere, "to shut") |
| compulsion | A repetitive, stereotyped act performed to relieve tension |
| Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) | A slow-growing degenerative brain disease caused by a prion, an infectious protein; related to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, "mad cow disease") in cattle |
| delirium | A sudden and temporary state of confusion marked by excitement, physical restlessness, and incoherence |
| dysarthria | Defect in speech articulation caused by lack of control over the required muscles |
| dysmetria | Disturbance in the path or placement of a limb during active movement; in hypometria, the limb falls short; in hypermetria, the limb extends beyond the target |
| euphoria | An exaggerated feeling of well-being; elation |
| glioblastoma | A malignant astrocytoma |
| Guillain-Barré syndrome | An acute polyneuritis with progressive muscular weakness that usually occurs after a viral infection; in most cases recovery is complete, but it may take several months to years |
| hematomyelia | Hemorrhage of blood into the spinal cord, as from an injury |
| hemiballism | Jerking, twitching movements of one side of the body |
| Huntington disease | A hereditary disease of the CNS that usually appears between ages 30 and 50; the patient shows progressive dementia and chorea, and death occurs within 10 to 15 years |
| hypochondriasis | Abnormal anxiety about one's health |
| ictus | A blow or sudden attack, such as an epileptic seizure |
| lethargy | A state of sluggishness or stupor |
| migraine | Chronic intense, throbbing headache that may result from vascular changes in cerebral arteries; possible causes include genetic factors, stress, trauma, and hormonal fluctuations |
| neurofibromatosis | A condition involving multiple tumors of peripheral nerves |
| neurosis | An emotional disorder caused by unresolved conflicts, with anxiety as a main characteristic |
| paraplegia | Paralysis of the legs and lower part of the body |
| parasomnia | Condition of having undesirable phenomena, such as nightmares, occur during sleep or become worse during sleep |
| quadriplegia | Paralysis of all four limbs; tetraplegia |
| Reye syndrome | A rare acute encephalopathy occurring in children after viral infections; the liver, kidney, and heart may be involved; linked to administration of aspirin during a viral illness |
| sciatica | Neuritis characterized by severe pain along the sciatic nerve and its branches |
| somatoform disorders | Conditions associated with symptoms of physical disease, such as pain, hypertension, or chronic fatigue, with no physical basis |
| somnambulism | Walking or performing other motor functions while asleep and out of bed; sleepwalking |
| stupor | A state of unconsciousness or lethargy with loss of responsiveness |
| syringomyelia | A progressive disease marked by formation of fluid-filled cavities in the spinal cord |
| tic | Involuntary, spasmodic, recurrent, and purposeless motor movements or vocalizations |
| tic douloureux | Episodes of extreme pain in the area supplied by the trigeminal nerve; also called trigeminal neuralgia |
| tabes dorsalis | Destruction of the dorsal (posterior) portion of the spinal cord with loss of sensation and awareness of body position, as seen in advanced cases of syphilis |
| Tourette syndrome | A tic disorder with intermittent motor and vocal manifestations that begins in childhood; there also may be obsessive and compulsive behavior, hyperactivity, and distractibility |
| transient ischemic attack (TIA) | A sudden, brief, and temporary cerebral dysfunction usually caused by interruption of blood flow to the brain |
| Wallerian degeneration | Degeneration of a nerve distal to an injury |
| whiplash | Cervical injury caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration, resulting in damage to muscles, ligaments, disks, and nerves |
| Babinski reflex | A spreading of the outer toes and extension of the big toe over the others when the sole of the foot is stroked; this response is normal in infants but indicates a lesion of specific motor tracts in adults |
| evoked potentials | Record of the brain's electric activity after sensory stimulation; included are visual evoked potentials (VEPs), brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs), and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), obtained by stimulating the hand or leg |
| Glasgow Coma Scale | A system for assessing level of consciousness by assigning a score to each of three responses: eye opening, motor responses, and verbal responses |
| positron emission tomography (PET) | Use of radioactive glucose or other metabolically active substance to produce images of biochemical activity in tissues; used for study of the living brain, both healthy and diseased, and also in cardiology |
| Romberg sign | Inability to maintain balance when the eyes are shut and the feet are close together |
| sympathectomy | Interruption of sympathetic nerve transmission either surgically or chemically |
| trephination | Cutting a piece of bone out of the skull; the instrument used is a trepan or trephine |
| antianxiety agent | Relieves anxiety by means of a calming, sedative effect on the CNS; examples are chlordiazepoxide (Librium), diazepam (Valium), alprazolam (Xanax); anxiolytic |
| antidepressant | Blocks the reuptake of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, alone or in combination; examples are bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), venlafaxine (Effexor XR), atomoxetine (Strattera) |
| monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) | Blocks an enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine and serotonin, thus prolonging their action; examples are phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), isocarboxazid (Marplan) |
| neuroleptic | Drug used to treat psychosis, including schizophrenia; examples are clozapine (Clozaril), haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa); antipsychotic; action mechanism unknown, but may interfere with neurotransmitters |
| selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) | Blocks the reuptake of serotonin in the brain, thus increasing levels; examples are fluoxetine (Prozac), citalopram (Celexa), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft) |
| stimulant | Promotes activity and a sense of well-being; examples are methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), amphetamine + dextroamphetamine (Adderall) |
| tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) | Blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine, serotonin, or both; examples are amitriptyline (Elavil), clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Tofranil), doxepin (Sinequan), trimipramine (Surmontil) |
| Ach | Acetylcholine |
| AD | Alzheimer disease |
| ADHD | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder |
| ALS | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis |
| ANS | Autonomic nervous system |
| ASD | Autism spectrum disorder |
| BAEP | Brainstem auditory evoked potentials |
| CBF | Cerebral blood flow |
| CJD | Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease |
| CNS | Central nervous system |
| CP | Cerebral palsy |
| CSF | Cerebrospinal fluid |
| CTE | Chronic traumatic encephalopathy |
| CVA | Cerebrovascular accident |
| CVD | Cerebrovascular disease; also cardiovascular disease |
| DSM | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders |
| DTR | Deep tendon reflexes |
| EEG | Electroencephalogram; electroencephalograph(y) |
| GAD | Generalized anxiety disorder |
| ICP | Intracranial pressure |
| LMN | Lower motor neuron |
| LOC | Level of consciousness |
| LP | Lumbar puncture |
| MAOI | Monoamine oxidase inhibitor |
| MID | Mutli-infarct dementia |
| MS | Multiple sclerosis |
| NICU | Neurologic intensive care unit; also neonatal intensive care unit |
| NPH | Normal pressure hydrocephalus |
| NREM | Nonrapid eye movement (sleep) |
| OCD | Obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| PDD | Pervasive developmental disorder |
| PET | Positron emission tomography |
| PNS | Peripheral nervous system |
| PTSD | Posttraumatic stress disorder |
| RAS | Reticular activating system |
| REM | Rapid eye movement (sleep) |
| SSEP | Somatosensory evoked potentials |
| SSRI | Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor |
| TBI | Traumatic brain injury, thrombotic brain infarction |
| TCAV | Tricyclic antidepressant |
| TIA | Transient ischemic attack |
| UMN | Upper motor neuron |
| VEP | Visual evoked potentials |
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