Nervous System

Combining Forms Cerebr/o: cerebrum Gli/o: glue, neuroglial tissue Hydr/o: water Mening/o, meningi/o: meninges- membranes covering the brain and spinal cord Poli/o: gray, gray matter Scler/o: hardening Myel/o: bone marrow, spinal cord

Prefixes and Suffixes -lepsy: seizure -phasia: speech Quadri-: four

Overview Neurologist: doctor who specializes in nervous system function and diseases Parts: neurons, neuroglia, brain, spinal cord Functions: to control all of the body’s functions Central nervous system: (CNS) the control center: brain and spinal cord Peripheral nervous system: (PNS) connects the CNS to the rest of the body

Vocabulary Neurons: the basic functional unit of the nervous system (nerve cells) Neuroglia: support, nourish and protect the neurons Peripheral: pertaining to the outside surface of an organ or structure Cognition: the process of thought, reasoning, judgement and perception Neurotransmitter: chemicals in the brain that transmit messages between neurons

Diseases and Conditions Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a degenerative disorder that causes difficulty in swallowing, talking and breathing, muscle weakness and paralysis “Lou Gehrig disease” Dementia: progressive, irreversible deterioration of mental function Symptoms: Impairment in memory, reasoning, judgement, abstract thought, comprehension, learning, task execution and language Alzheimer disease: chronic dementia caused by death of neurons in the brain that get replaced by plaques Symptoms: complete loss of mental, emotional and physical functioning and personality changes

Diseases and Conditions Epilepsy: a disorder that results from random electrical signals being generated inside the brain causing seizures Huntington chorea: an inherited, disease causing the wasting away of brain cells Symptoms: uncontrolled bizarre movements, emotional disturbances and mental deterioration Hydrocephalus: excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain

Diseases and Conditions Multiple sclerosis: a progressive degenerative disease caused by inflammation and hardening of the myelin throughout the brain and spinal cord Neuroblastoma: a malignant tumor composed of cells resembling neuroblasts most commonly affecting infants and children Neurosis: a nonpsychotic mental illness that triggers feelings of distress and anxiety

Diseases and Conditions Palsy: partial or complete loss of motor function “paralysis” Bell palsy: facial paralysis on one side due to nerve inflammation Cerebral palsy: bilateral, non-progressive motor dysfunction and partial paralysis caused by trauma, injury or heredity

Diseases and Conditions Paralysis: loss of muscle function, sensation or both as a result of spinal injury Parkinson disease: a progressive neurological disorder caused by a dopamine deficiency that affects the motor cortex of the brain Symptoms: hand tremors, uncontrollable head nodding, shuffling, dysphasia, dysphagia, difficulty completing simple tasks

Diseases and Conditions Poliomyelitis: inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord caused by a virus Results in muscle deformity and paralysis “polio” Psychosis: a mental disorder with loss of contact with reality, delusions and hallucinations Sciatica: severe pain in the leg along the sciatic nerve (from the hip to the foot) Shingles: a chronic viral disease with painful blisters caused by the chicken pox virus

Diseases and Conditions Spina bifida: a congenital defect where the spinal cord does not develop properly Spina bifida occulta: most common, least severe form without spinal cord protrusion Spina bifida cystica: most severe type with protrusion of the spinal cord, meninges or both

Diseases and Conditions Stroke: inadequate supply of blood an oxygen to the brain due to a clot or hemorrhage which allows brain tissue to die “cerebrovascular accident” Transient ischemic attack: interruption in blood supply to the brain that may be a sign of a more serious conditions “ministroke”

Diseases and Conditions Trigeminal neuralgia: a neuropathic pain syndrome involving flashes of pain in the face Vertebral fractures: severe injuries to the spinal cord that result in paralysis Paraplegia: the loss of motor function and sensation in the lower extremities Quadriplegia: loss of motor function and sensation in all four extremities

Diagnostic Procedures Cerebrospinal fluid analysis: a laboratory test that examines CSF obtained from a LP Tests for the presence of blood, bacteria, protein, glucose, and malignant cells Electroencephalography: electrodes are placed on the scalp to record electrical of the brain Used to evaluate seizure and sleep disorders Lumbar puncture: insertion of a needle into the spinal column to withdraw a sample of CSF “spinal tap”

Medical and Surgical Procedures Craniotomy: creating an opening in the skull to gain access to the brain Thalamotomy: partial destruction of the thalamus to treat psychosis or pain Trephination: excision of a circular disk of bone to reveal brain tissue during neurosurgery or to relieve intracranial pressure

Pharmacology Anesthetics: produce partial or complete loss of sensation and sometimes consciousness General: produce complete loss of feeling with loss of consciousness Local: produce loss of feeling and affect only one area Anticonvulsants: prevent or control seizures Antiparkinsonian agents: reduce signs and symptoms of Parkinson disease Antipsychotics: alter neurotransmitters to inhibit delusions and hallucinations Thrombolytics: dissolve blood clots

Abbreviations ALS: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis CNS: central nervous system CSF: cerebrospinal fluid EEG: electroencephalogram or –graphy TIA: transient ischemic attack TN: trigeminal neuralgia LP: lumbar puncture PNS: peripheral nervous system

Abbreviations C1, C2 and so on: cervical vertebra number L1, L2 and so on: lumbar vertebra number S1, S2 and so on: sacral vertebra number T1, T2 and so on: thoracic vertebra number CVA: cerebrovascular accident, costovertebral angle MS: multiple sclerosis, mental status, musculoskeletal