Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
a progressive neurological disorder that affects motor neurons
anterior horn
gray-matter region of the spinal cord that contains multipolar motor neurons, sometimes referred to as the ventral horn
appendicular skeleton
consists of the limbs, which are attached to the axial skeleton
ascending tract
a column of nervous system fibers that carry sensory information up to the brain
aspiration
the process of food or other foreign particles entering the airway
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
component of the peripheral nervous system that regulates involuntary physiologic responses and includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
axial skeleton
consists of 80 bones that form the head and trunk of the body
bone
hard, dense connective tissue that form most of the adult skeleton, the primary support structure of the body
brain
contained within the cranial cavity of the skull is the central organ of the nervous system responsible for controlling bodily functions, processing sensory information, and enabling cognitive processes such as learning and memory
brain stem
region of the adult brain that includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata, which develops from the mesencephalon, metencephalon, and myelencephalon of the embryonic brain
cardiac muscle
muscle specifically related to cardiac tissue
cartilage
type of connective tissue that provides structural support and flexibility and helps reduce friction during joint movement
cauda equina
a bundle of nerve roots located at the end of the spinal cord that resembles a horse’s tail
central nervous system (CNS)
the primary processing center of the body; includes the brain and spinal cord
cerebellum
an area of the brain largely responsible for comparing information from the cerebrum with sensory feedback from the periphery through the spinal cord
cerebral cortex
the outer gray matter covering the forebrain, marked by wrinkles and grooves known as gyri and sulci
cerebral hemisphere
one half of the bilaterally symmetrical cerebrum
cerebral palsy (CP)
an umbrella term for a group of disorders caused by damage to the brain during pregnancy, childbirth, or in early infancy that affect the ability to move and stay balanced
cerebrum
the region of the brain responsible for higher neurological functions such as memory, emotion, consciousness, and voluntary muscle movement
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease
a progressive genetic neuromuscular disorder that affects the peripheral nerves, most often those of the arms, hands, legs, and feet
congenital myopathy
a genetic muscle deformity that is present from birth resulting in a lack of muscle tone and severe muscle weakness
connective tissue
cartilage, ligaments, and tendons that connect tissues and organs
corpus callosum
the large white matter structure that connects the cerebrum to the rest of the nervous system and provides the major pathway for communication between the right and left cerebral hemispheres
cranial nerve
one of twelve nerves connected to the brain that are responsible for sensory and motor functions of the head and neck
deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
the formation of a blood clot in the deep veins in the body, usually in the legs
descending tract
a column of nervous system fibers that carry motor commands from the brain
diencephalon
the region of the adult brain that retains its name from embryonic development and includes the thalamus and hypothalamus
diplopia
double vision
electromyography (EMG)
a diagnostic procedure involving small needles that record electrical activity in the muscles
excitability
the ability of muscle plasma membranes to change electrical states and send action potentials along the entire length of a membrane to cause contraction
gray matter
the butterfly-shaped structure consisting of neuronal cell bodies that is subdivided into regions called horns and is involved in processing information in the brain.
gyri
a wrinkle or fold formed by convolutions in the surface of the cerebral cortex
hypothalamus
a collection of nuclei that are largely involved in regulating homeostasis
hypotonia
decreased muscle tone
incontinence
the involuntary expulsion of urine or feces from the body
joint
a location where bones come into contact, allowing for movement
lateral horn
the region of the spinal cord gray matter in the thoracic, upper lumbar, and sacral regions that is the central component of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system
ligament
tough but flexible fibrous tissue that connects bones or holds joints together
longitudinal fissure
the separation of tissue in the cerebrum that divides the brain into two distinct halves (cerebral hemispheres)
medulla
the connection point between the brain stem and spinal cord
motor neuron
a nerve cell that receive signals from the brain and spinal cord to cause voluntary skeletal muscle movements and breathing
multiple sclerosis (MS)
a neurological disorder that causes immune system cells to attack myelin; subtypes of MS include relapsing-remitting, secondary-progressive, primary-progressive, and progressive-relapsing
muscle atrophy
the wasting and breakdown of muscle tissue
muscular dystrophy
a genetic muscular disorder that results in progressive muscle weakness
myasthenia gravis
an autoimmune disorder in which antibodies attack the neuromuscular junction of skeletal muscles, resulting in progressive muscle weakness (e.g., arms, hands, fingers, legs, neck) and fatigue
myelin
the protective coating on nerves
negative feedback
a mechanism that reverses a deviation from the set point
nerve conduction velocity (NCV) testing
a diagnostic procedure involving placement of electrodes over nerves to determine how fast nerve signals are sent to skeletal muscles
neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
the site where a motor neuron’s terminal meets the muscle fiber and responds to motor signals
paralysis
a complete loss of sensation and mobility
paraplegia
paralysis of the legs and portions of the trunk but not the arms
parasympathetic nervous system
the part of the ANS that results in involuntary “rest and digest” types of reactions
peripheral nervous system (PNS)
the portion of the nervous system located on the periphery of the central nervous system containing peripheral structures including ganglia and nerves
pons
the connection point between the medulla and the thalamus
posterior horn
the gray-matter region of the spinal cord in which sensory input arrives
ptosis
eyelid drooping
set point
the physiological value around which the normal range fluctuates
skeletal muscle
muscle that attaches to bone and creates intentional movement as it contracts and relaxes, causing the bones to move
skeletal system
the bones, joints, and other structures that allow for movement, form the body, make blood cells, and shield organs
smooth muscle
muscle in the walls of hollow organs such as the urinary bladder, uterus, stomach, and intestines
somatic nervous system
the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscle
spinal cord
a long, thin, tube-shaped bundle of nerves that extends from the base of the brain through the vertebral column; contained within the vertebral cavity of the vertebral column
spinal cord injury
damage to the spinal cord, often as a result of trauma (e.g., a motor vehicle accident, a fall) or cancer
spinal nerve
one of thirty-one peripheral nerves connected to the spinal cord; each is named for the level of the spinal cord at which it emerges
sulci
grooves formed by convolutions in the surface of the cerebral cortex
sympathetic nervous system
the part of the ANS that causes involuntary reactions in the body to help combat a perceived threat resulting in “fight or flight” types of reactions
tendon
a tough connective tissue located on each side of a joint that controls joint movement
tetraplegia
paralysis from the neck down
thalamus
a collection of nuclei that relay information between the cerebral cortex and the brain stem, spinal cord, and periphery
tracheostomy
an opening in the trachea into which a tube is placed that allows for mechanical ventilation to be delivered
white matter
myelinated nerve fibers that facilitate communication between different regions of the brain
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/fundamentals-nursing/pages/1-introduction
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/fundamentals-nursing/pages/1-introduction
Citation information

© Aug 20, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.