Term | Definition |
epilepsy | a disorder characterized by seizures |
coma | abnormal, deep unconsciousness |
microcephaly | abnormally small head |
anorexia nervosa | all-consuming desire to remain thin |
bulimia nervosa | binging and purging |
concussion | brain injury causing transient loss of consciousness |
ventricle | cavity of an organ |
trephination | circular opening made in the skull to relieve ICP |
somatic nervous system | conveys impulses for voluntary functions |
autonomic nervous system | conveys impulses to glands, smooth muscles and cardiac muscles |
hypnotics | depress CNS function to induce sleep |
multiple sclerosis | disease of the myelin sheath |
myelopathy | disease of the spinal cord |
cerebrum | functions include sensory, perception, and interpretation muscular movement and emotional aspects of behaviour and memory |
agnosia | inability to comprehend auditory, visual, spatial, olfactory, and other sensations |
catatonic | inability to move or talk |
aphasia | inability to speak |
craniotomy | incision of the skull |
peripheral nervous system | includes all nervous tissue of the body found outside the CNS |
encephalitis | inflammation of the brain |
pia mater | innermost membrane of the brain and spinal cord |
tremor | involuntary tremble or shake |
tics | involuntary, spasmodic muscular contractions |
ataxia | lack of muscle coordination |
lethargy | lack of response; sluggish |
psychosis | major mental disorder |
nerve conduction velocity | measures the speed impulses travel through a nerve |
arachnoid membrane | middle layer covering the brain and spinal cord |
efferent | moves away from the central structure |
afferent | moves towards a central structure |
lumbar puncture | needle puncture of the spinal cavity |
CNS-central nervous system | network of nervous tissue found in the brain and spinal cord |
neurosis | nonpsychotic mental illness |
idiopathic | occurring without a known cause |
dura mater | outermost layer covering the brain and spinal cord |
myelangia | pain in the spinal cord |
herpes zoster | painful, acute infectious disease; aka shingles |
dystrophy | poor development |
aura | premonitory awareness of an approaching physical or mental disorder |
anesthetics | produce a loss of sensation |
anxiety | psychological "worry" disorder |
EEG-electroencephalography | records electrical activity of brain patterns |
cerebellum | refines muscular movement; aids in equilibrium |
analgesics | relieve pain |
convulsions | sudden and violent contraction of the muscles |
neurons | the functional cell of the nervous system |
meninges | three membranes that cover and protect the spinal cord and brain |
neurotransmitter | transmits impulses across synapses |
asthenia | weakness or debility |
myelin sheath | what fat-like sheath |