Key Terms
- accommodation
- the ability to adjust from near to far vision
- anosmia
- inability to identify odors
- aphasia
- difficulty with all forms of communication
- arachnoid
- middle layer of the meninges between dura and pia mater
- autonomic nervous system
- the division of the nervous system that regulates the involuntary body functions to maintain and restore homeostasis
- basal ganglia
- masses of nuclei located in the deep cerebral hemispheres
- bradykinesia
- slow voluntary movements and speech
- brain lateralization
- communication between the left and right hemispheres
- central nervous system (CNS)
- includes the brain and spinal cord
- cephalalgia
- headache
- cerebral cortex
- a wrinkled outer layer of gray matter
- chorea
- rapid, jerky, involuntary movements
- contralateral
- occurs on opposite side of body
- convergence
- the action of the eyes moving inward to focus with near vision
- corpus callosum
- major communication pathway between the two brain hemispheres
- delirium
- acute, reversible confusion that may be due to an infection, fever, or lack of oxygen
- dementia
- chronic, irreversible confusion
- demyelination
- the destruction of the protective myelin that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord that results in impairment of nerve impulse transmissions
- dermatome
- an area of the skin supplied by a single spinal nerve that sends information to the brain for processing
- diencephalon
- the interbrain, which contains the hypothalamus and thalamus
- dura mater
- outermost layer of the meninges
- dysphagia
- difficulty swallowing
- dysphasia
- difficulty speaking
- dysphonia
- voice impairment
- epilepsy
- a chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent (two or more) seizures that are not related to a reversible stressor and occur more than 24 hours apart
- hypertonia
- increased muscle tone
- hypokinesia
- diminished movement
- hypotonia
- decreased muscle tone
- innervated
- supplying or being supplied with nerves
- ipsilateral
- occurs on same side of body
- mydriasis
- pupil dilation
- myoclonus
- involuntary muscle jerks
- nuchal rigidity
- stiff, painful neck
- nystagmus
- an involuntary, rhythmic, back-and-forth movement of the eyes
- paraplegia
- lower body paralysis
- parasympathetic nervous system
- the part of the autonomic nervous system that opposes the sympathetic nervous system and regulates automatic bodily functions in times of rest and relaxation
- peripheral nervous system (PNS)
- includes the cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and autonomic nervous system
- peripheral neuropathy
- weakness, numbness, or pain from nerve damage to the peripheral nervous system
- photophobia
- sensitivity to light
- pia mater
- innermost layer of the meninges
- postictal state
- phase that often follows a seizure and can include deep sleep, confusion, headache, and muscle soreness
- primary headache
- occurs independently and is not caused by another medical condition
- proprioception
- the body’s ability to sense movement, action, and location of parts of the body
- reflex
- involuntary movement
- response
- actions or changes triggered by sensory stimuli or input
- secondary headache
- symptom of another health disorder that causes pain-sensitive nerve endings to be pressed on or pulled out of place
- sensation
- receiving information about the environment
- stereognosis
- the ability to perceive the physical form and identity of a familiar object, such as a key or paper clip, on the basis of tactile stimuli alone; often referred to as monofilament testing
- sympathetic nervous system
- the part of the autonomic nervous system that responds to perceived stressful or dangerous situations
- tetraplegia
- paralysis of all extremities
- transection
- severing
- transient ischemic attack (TIA)
- stroke symptom that lasts less than 1 hour without evidence of cerebral infarction
- trigeminal neuralgia
- severe facial pain