afferent
carry or move inward or toward a structure
blood-brain barrier
protective mechanism that blocks specific substances found in the bloodstream from entering delicate brain tissue
efferent
to carry or move away from a central structure
limbic system
complex neural system located beneath the cerebrum that controls basic emotions and drives and plays important roles in memory
neurilemma
additional external myelin sheath that is formed by Schwann cells and found only on axons in the peripheral nervous system
ventricle
organ chamber or cavity that holds fluid
corpus callosum
structure that joins the two brain hemispheres together
gyri
folds in the brain
hypothalamus
portion of the brain that regulates involuntary activities such as heart rate and body temperature
thalamus
receives all sensory stimuli (except olfactory) and sends them to the cerebral cortex
meninges
name for the three covering membranes in the brain
dura mater
outermost covering of the brain and spinal cord. It’s tough, fibrous, and dense
arachnoid
the middle of the three coverings of the brain with a web-like appearance
pia mater
the innermost of the three membranes covering the brain
cerebr/o
combining form of “cerebrum”
crani/o
combining form of “cranium” or “skull”
encephal/o
combining form of “brain”
gangli/o
combining form of “ganglion” or “knot like mass”
gli/o
combining form of “neurological tissue”
kinesi/o
combining form of “movement”
lept/o
combining form of “thin” or “slender”
lex/o
combining form of “word” or “phrase”
mening/o
(1 of 2) combining form of “meninges” which are the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord
meningi/o
(2 of 2) combining form of “meninges” which are the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord
myel/o
combining form of “bone marrow” or “spinal cord”
narc/o
combining form of “stupor” or “numbness”
neur/o
combining form of “nerve”
radicul/o
combining form of “nerve root”
sthen/o
combining form of “strength”
thalam/o
combining form of “thalamus”
thec/o
combining form of “sheath” but also used to refer to the meninges
ton/o
combining form of “tension”
ventricul/o
combining form of “ventricle” either the heart or the brain
-algesia
(1 of 2) suffix for “pain”
-algia
(2 of 2) suffix for “pain”
-asthenia
suffix for “weakness” or “debility”
-esthesia
suffix for “feeling”
-kinesia
suffix for “movement”
-lepsy
suffix for “seizure”
-paresis
suffix for “partial paralysis”
-phasia
suffix for “speech”
-plegia
suffix for “full paralysis”
-taxia
suffix for “order” or “coordination”
pachy-
prefix for “thick”
para-
prefix for “near” or “beyond”
radiculitis
inflammation of the nerve root associated with the spinal column
dyskinesia
involuntary movement
ischemic stroke
stroke caused by the narrowing of the arteries in the brain or the neck
intracerebral hemorrhage
sudden rupture of an artery inside the brain
subarachnoid hemorrage
blood released into the space surrounding the brain
aphasia
inability to speak
ataxia
lack of muscle coordination
thrombolytic
a clot-busting medication given during a stroke
psychosis
mental disorder where there is a severe loss of contact with reality
neurosis
mental disorder caused by an emotion experienced in the past that overwhelmingly interferes with present emotion
agnosia
inability to comprehend visual, auditory, spacial, olfactory, or other sensations even through the sensory sphere is intact
asthenia
condition of weakness or loss of strength
ataxia
lack of muscle coordination or control
convulsion
any sudden or violent muscle contraction
dyslexia
inability to learn and process written language despite adequate intelligence and exposure
Guillan-Barre syndrome
autoimmune condition that causes acute inflammation fo the peripheral nerves in which myelin sheaths on the axons are destroyed. Weak nerve impulses and loss of reflex are sx
Huntington chorea
inherited disease of the CNS characterized by quick, involuntary movements and mental deterioration
anencephaly
congenital deformity where some or all of the fetal brain is missing
spina bifida
congenital deformity of the neural tube which fails to close during fetal development (lower spine issues)
paresthesia
sensation of numbness, prickling, tingling, or heightened sensitivity
poliomyelitis
The technical term for the condition of polio, causes the gray matter of the spinal chord to to enflame and paralysis
Reye syndrome
acute encephalopathy and fatty infiltration of the brain, liver, and possibly other organs
