- abortive therapy
- therapy that aims to relieve symptoms through drug administration
- absence seizures
- seizures that cause rapid blinking or a few seconds of staring into space, also known as petit mal seizures
- alpha-adrenergic blockers
- a class of drugs that bind and inhibit alpha-adrenergic receptors, thereby inhibiting smooth muscle contraction
- anticonvulsant drugs
- drugs that are primarily used to treat seizures and epilepsy
- aura
- terminology used to describe the warning signs of an impending seizure
- brain herniation
- a life-threatening condition in which a portion of the brain is displaced due to increased intracranial pressure
- cerebral edema
- swelling of the brain
- cerebrospinal fluid
- a clear, colorless, watery fluid that flows in and around the brain and spinal cord
- complex focal seizures
- a type of focal seizure that makes a person confused or dazed and unresponsive to questions or directions for up to a few minutes.
- computed tomography (CT) scan
- a noninvasive imaging procedure that uses x-rays to produce horizontal and axial images of the brain
- convulsions
- an involuntary contraction of muscles that cause sudden irregular movements of the body
- electroencephalogram (EEG)
- a test that measures changes in the brain’s electrical patterns that relate to seizures or other neurological conditions
- epilepsy
- a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures
- focal seizures
- seizures that begin in a specific area of the brain and can cause a wide range of symptoms depending on the area of the brain that is affected; also known as partial seizures
- foramen of Monro
- a short communication channel between the paired lateral ventricles and the third ventricle of the brain
- fulminant hepatic necrosis
- terminology for acute liver failure
- gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)
- inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system
- generalized seizures
- seizures in which abnormal activity occurs in both sides of the brain from the beginning of the seizure
- gingival hyperplasia
- gum overgrowth
- grand mal seizures
- seizures that involve both tonic (muscle stiffness) and clonic (muscle jerking) phases, also known as tonic-clonic seizures
- headaches
- a prevalent medical condition that can cause pain or discomfort in the head or neck area
- idiopathic seizure
- a seizure in which the cause cannot be identified
- increased intracranial pressure
- a rise in the pressure within the skull that can cause various symptoms, such as headache, nausea, vomiting, visual changes, and altered mental status
- intracranial emergencies
- a range of sudden and serious medical conditions that affect the brain, its surrounding structures, or blood vessels within the skull
- intracranial hypertension
- an elevated pressure within the skull that may or may not cause symptoms
- intracranial pressure monitoring
- direct measurement of intracranial pressure by inserting a catheter into the skull and connecting it to a pressure transducer
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- an imaging procedure that uses large magnetic radio waves to produce clear images of the structures inside the skull
- migraine headaches
- a type of headache that can be recurring and are often associated with a range of symptoms that can greatly affect quality of life
- nephrolithiasis
- hard deposits of mineral and salts that form inside the kidney or urinary tract, also known as renal calculi or kidney stones
- partial seizures
- seizures that begin in a specific area of the brain and can cause a wide range of symptoms depending on the area of the brain that is affected; also known as focal seizures
- petit mal seizures
- seizures that cause rapid blinking or a few seconds of staring into space; also known as absence seizures
- positron emission tomography (PET) scan
- an imaging procedure that uses a radioactive tracer substance to detect disease or injury in the brain
- preventive therapy
- the use of drugs to prevent the occurrence of a condition
- secondary generalized seizures
- seizures that begin in one part of the brain but then spread to both sides of the brain; the person first has a focal seizure, followed by a generalized seizure
- seizure
- a sudden and temporary disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain that can cause changes in behavior, movement, or consciousness
- serotonin agonists
- drugs that bind to and activate serotonin receptors, often used in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and migraine headaches
- simple focal seizures
- seizures that affect a small part of the brain and cause twitching movements or a change in sensation, such as an odd taste or smell
- sodium and hydrogen antiporter
- a membrane protein that transports sodium into the cell and hydrogen out of the cell
- tonic-clonic seizures
- seizures that involve both tonic (muscle stiffness) and clonic (muscle jerking) phases, also known as grand mal seizures