1. Nervous System

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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”

15. 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

16. 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”

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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