neuro terminology

Question 1

hyperacute

Answer 1

• instantaneous, seconds

- think vascular pathology

Question 2

acute

Answer 2

• minute to days

- infective or inflammatory causes

Question 3

subacute

Answer 3

• weeks to months

- think neoplasia

Question 4

chronic

Answer 4

• years

- genetic or degenerative

Question 5

spastic

Answer 5

• denotes the velocity-dependent increase in tone that follows upper motor
  neurone pathology.
• It has been likened to a clasp knife because of the ‘spastic catch’
• noted by the examiner on rapid passive limb movements

Question 6

flaccid

Answer 6

– floppy as seen with lower motor neurone pathology, but that also may
occur acutely with severe upper motor neurone pathology

Question 7

hemiparesis

Answer 7

weakness on one side of the body

Question 8

Hemiplegia

Answer 8

paralysis ( no meaningful function on one side of the body)

Question 9

Paraperesis/plegia

Answer 9

weakness or paralysis of the legs

Question 10

Quadriparesis/plegia

Answer 10

weakness/paralysis of all four limbs

Question 11

Diplegia

Answer 11

paralysis on both sides of the body

- facial diplegia

Question 12

Encephalopathy

Answer 12

a pathological process involving the brain, usually diffuse

Question 13

Encephalitis

Answer 13

infection and/or inflammation of the brain

Question 14

Meningitis

Answer 14

infection and/or inflammation of the meninges

Question 15

Myelopathy

Answer 15

– pathology of the spinal cord: cervical and/or thoracic

Question 16

Radiculopathy

Answer 16

– pathology of the nerve roots

Question 17

Plexopathy

Answer 17

a pathological process involving the plexus (cervical or lumbosacral)

Question 18

Neuropathy

Answer 18

pathology of the nerve

Question 19

Myopathy

Answer 19

pathology of the muscle

Question 20

Aphasia

Answer 20

– loss of the ability to effectively communicate verbally due to a cognitive
communication deficit.

• May be expressive, receptive or both

Question 21

Dysphasia

Answer 21

• cognitive communication impairment that does not prohibit verbal
  communication.
• May be expressive or receptive

Question 22

Anarthria/dysarthria

Answer 22

loss of/difficulty with verbal communication due to problems

articulating words, for example, due to bulbar palsy or cerebellar disease

Question 23

Apraxia/Dyspraxia

Answer 23

– loss of/difficulty planning to reach a given motor endpoint or
perform sequenced activity.

• May be ideational, unable to sequence an imagined act
  e. g. ‘turn a key’, or ideomotor, unable to mimic an observed posture or movement

Question 24

Ataxia

Answer 24

loss of ability to co-ordinate movements

Question 25

Chorea

Answer 25

– dance-like movements, generally due to basal ganglia pathology. They may
- range from very fast (ballism) to very slow (athetosis). Described as ‘dyskinesia’
when induced by drugs, e.g. L-dopa, neuroleptics.