Health Sciences 1101

Medical Terminology

Module 9The Endocrine and Nervous Systems

Endocrine System Basics

Endocrine System Video

Basic Endocrine System Terms

Endo-: Inside

Exo-: Outside

-crine: secretions

Endocrinology: The study of the glands and secretions that control metabolism, reproduction, sexual growth and development

Endocrinologist: A specialist in the treatment of hormone imbalances, such as diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease, and osteoporosis.

Hormone: Chemical substance produced by specialized cells of the body and released slowlyinto the blood stream

Basic Endocrine System Anatomy Terms

Aden/o: gland

Adren/o or adrenal/o: adrenal glands

Pancreat/o: Pancreas

Parathyroid/o: parathyroid glands

Pituitar/o: Pituitary gland

Thym/o: Thymus gland

Thyr/o or throid/o: Thyroid gland

Basic Endocrine System Terms

Calc/o: calcium

Gluco/o or glyc/o: glucose

Gen or genesis: to create

Toxic/o: poison

-dipsia: thirst

-trophy: development or nourishment

Acr/o: extremities

-magaly: enlargement

Endocrine System Pathology – Pituitary Gland

Pituitarism: Any disorder of the pituitary glands and its functions

Panhypopituitarism: Total pituitary impairment that brings about a progressive and general loss of hormonal activity. Pituitary hormones control function of the adrenal and thyroid glands, the testes and ovaries

Gigantism or dwarfism: Overproduction or underproduction of growth hormone

Endocrine System Pathology- Adrenal Glands

Cushing syndrome: Hypersecretion by the adrenal cortex causes excessive production of glucocorticoids. Can be caused by an adrenal tumor.

Addison’s Disease: Damage to the adrenal glands resulting in a deficiency in the secretion of hormones from the adrenal cortex (adrenocortical hormones)

Pheochromocytoma: A rare tumor of adrenal gland tissue. It results in the release of too much epinephrine and norepinephrine, hormones that control heart rate, metabolism, and blood pressure

Endocrine System Pathology – Thyroid Gland

Hypothyroidism: The thyroid undersecretes hormones:

Myxedema: advanced hypothyroidism in adults. causes edema and increased blood volume, thereby increasing blood pressure

Hyperthyroidism: The thyroid oversecretes hormones

Grave’s disease: hypersecretion of thyroxine. Can result in exopthalmos and toxic goiter.

Endocrine System Pathology - Pancreas

Insulinoma: Tumor of the Islet of Langerhans cells of the pancreas that secretes insulin causing low blood sugar.

Type I diabetes: Abrupt onset in children and young adults due to failure of pancreas’ islet cells to produce insulin

Type II diabetes: Gradual onset usually seen in patients over age 40. Insulin is produced, but the body’s cells become insulin-resistant

Endocrine System Diagnosis and Treatment

Radioactive iodine uptake: Radioactive iodine is ingested to determine thyroid function. The thyroid’s ability to take up iodine from the blood is monitored

Lab Tests: Free T4, TSH, Catacholamines, etc.

Hormone Replacement Therapy: Use of synthetic hormones to compensate for hormone deficiencies

General Nervous System Terms

Neur/o: Nerve

Neurology: The branch of medicine that concerned with diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the nervous system which includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

Neurologist: Physician who provides evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders

Nervous System Anatomy Terms

Cerebr/o: Cerebrum

Encephal/o: Brain

Gli/o: glue or neurological tissue

Mening/o or meningi/o: meninges

Myel/o: bone marrow or spinal cord

Nervous System Physiology Terms

-paresis: partial paralysis

-phasia: speech

-plegia: paralysis

Deglutition: the act of swallowing

Pruritis: severe itching

Vertigo: the illusion of movement

Formication: the sensation that bugs are crawling on or under the skin

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Paralysis: loss of muscle function, loss of sensation or both. May be caused by trauma or disease.

Paraplegia: Paralysis of the lower portion of the body and both legs. Sensory and motor control are lost below the level of injury.

Quadraplegia: Paralysis of all four extremities and usually the trunk. Loss of function can extend to bladder, bowel and sexual response.

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Palsy: Partial or complete loss of motor function.

Cerebral palsy: bilateral, symmetrical, nonprogressive motor dysfunction. Usually caused by damage to the brain during gestation or from birth trauma

Bell palsy: Facial paralysis caused by damage to 7th cranial nerve. It may be unilateral, bilateral, transient, or permanent

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Transient ischemic attack: temporary lack of blood supply to the brain. Lasts a few minutes to a few hours.

Cerebrovascular accident (CVA): Brain tissue damage usually caused by formation of a clot or blood leaking from a ruptured blood vessel. The resulting functional deficit depends on the area of the brain affected. Also called stroke, brain attack

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Seizure: Convulsion or other clinically detectable even caused by a sudden discharge of electrical activity in the brain. Can be classified as partial or generalized.

Epilepsy: Disorder affecting the central nervous system, characterized by recurrent seizures

Epileptic Seizure

Grand mal seizure

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Huntington’s Disease: Hereditary nervous disorder caused by the progressive loss of brain cells, leading to bizarre, involuntary, dancelike movements

Parkinson’s Disease: A progressive, degenerative neurological disorder affecting the portion of the brain responsible for controlling movement. Shaking movements (tremor) often interfere with voluntary movement

Michael J. Fox Video

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Multiple sclerosis (MS): A progressive degenerative, autoimmune disease of the CNS characterized by a loss of myelin throughout the spinal cord and brain

Sciatica: Severe pain in the leg along the course of the sciatic nerve

Alzheimer Disease: A chronic organic mental disorder. A form of presenile dementia caused by atrophy of brain tissue

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Hydrocephalus: Cranial enlargement caused by accumulation of fluid within the ventricles of the brain

Neuroblastoma: A malignant tumor composed principally of cell resembling neuroblasts (nerve-forming cells). Occurs chiefly in infants and children

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Spina Bifida: Congenital defect -incomplete closure of the spinal canal. The spinal cord and meninges may or may not protrude. Usually occurs in the lumbosacral area.

Occulta: Most common and least severe form of this defect without protrusion of the spinal cord or meninges

Cystica: More severe form which involves protrusion of the meninges (meningocele), spinal cord (myelocele) or both (meningomyelocele)

Nervous System Pathology Terms

Poliomyelitis: Inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord caused by a virus, commonly resulting in spinal and muscle deformity and paralysis

Shingles: Eruption of painful, inflammatory vesicles on the trunk of the body along a peripheral nerve

Nervous System Diagnosis and Treatment Terms

Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis: Cerebrospinal fluid taken by a lumbar puncture is evaluated for presence of blood, bacteria, malignant cells, white blood cells, glucose, and protein

Radiologic Studies: PET scan, CT scan, MRI etc.

Craniotomy: Surgical procedure to create an opening in the skull to relieve intracranial pressure, to control bleeding, or to perform other surgical procedures on the brain

Thalamotomy: Partial destruction of the thalamus to treat psychosis or intractable pain. Drug therapy has replaced this procedure and it is now rarely performed, if ever

Nervous System Diagnosis and Treatment Terms