Term | Definition |
Peripheral nervous system | made up of all nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, responsible for bringing signals to the CNS for interpretation |
Somatic nervous system | controls intentional, voluntary movement |
Autonomic nervous system | controls involuntary and automatic body functions, such as heart rate, respiration, and digestion |
Sympathetic nervous system | uses adrenergic receptors and some cholinergic receptors |
Parasympathetic nervous system | uses cholinergic receptors only |
Cerebrum | performs higher cognitive functions, such as thinking and memory |
Cerebellum | coordinates movement and balance |
Pons and Medulla | regulates automatic and reflex functions of the body |
Thalamus and hypothalamus | controls various functions, including hormone regulation and body temperature |
Pituitary gland | helps regulate hormones and controls the growth cycle throughout life |
Acetylcholine(ACh) | used in the parasympathetic nervous system, acts on receptors in smooth muscle to control blood pressure and digestion, cardiac muscle to control heart rate, and in exocrine glands. |
Epilepsy | a chronic seizure disorder that cause a variety of different types of seizures. **All patients with epilepsy have seizures, but not all patients with seizures have epilepsy** |
Partial seizure | a localized area of the brain is affected. |
Generalized seizure | Occurs less often, loss of consciousness usually occurs. Afterward, patient experiences a period of memory loss, confusion, and tiredness that may last for a few minutes or up to a few hours. |
Status epilepticus | an emergency situation that treatment includes one of two benzodiazepines (diazepam or lorazepam) plus phenytoin or fosphenytoin. Phenobarbital may also be used. This combination may be stored in crash cart kits, which pharmacy techs often maintain. |
Parkinson’s Disease | characterized by tremors, muscle rigidity, difficulty moving, and balance problems. Most common among elderly patients, a CNS disorder of the central nervous system where cells are lost, the cells produce dopamine a neurotransmitter used in initiating an |
Levodopa | improves movement and significantly restores normal function, effects of this drug wears off over time and works without significant side effects is about five years. |
Bromocriptine | is associated with soft tissue fibrosis, which can affect the heart valves and lung function |
Apomorphine | can cause significant drops in blood pressure |
Adrenergic agonists | stimulate the autonomic nervous system to produce sympathetic activity, such as increased heart rate, bronchodilation, and elevated blood pressure. |
Epinephrine | is used as a sympathomimetic agent in severe allergic reactions. It open airways to assist in breathing and constricts blood vessels to treat swelling during anaphylactic reactions |