NEUROLOGIC AND MUSCLE-SKELETAL DEFINITIONS.docx

7/29/2019 NEUROLOGIC AND MUSCLE-SKELETAL DEFINITIONS.docx

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NEUROLOGICagnosia: loss of ability to recognizeobjects through a particular sensorysystem; may be visual, auditory, ortactile

ataxia: inability to coordinate musclemovements, resulting in difficulty inwalking, talking, and performing self-care activitiesautonomic nervous system: divisionof the nervous system that regulates theinvoluntary body functionsaxon: portion of the neuron thatconducts impulses away from the cellbodyBabinski reflex (sign): a reflex action

of the toes,indicative of abnormalities inthe motor control pathways leading fromthe cerebral cortexclonus: abnormal movement marked byalternating contraction and relaxation ofa muscle occurring in rapid successiondelirium: transient loss of intellectualfunction, usually due to systemicproblemsdendrite: portion of the neuron thatconducts impulses toward the cell bodyflaccidity: displaying lack of muscletone; limp, floppyparasympathetic nervous system:division of the autonomic nervoussystem active primarily duringnonstressful conditions, controllingmostly visceral functionsphotophobia: inability to tolerate lightposition (postural) sense: awarenessof position of parts of the body withoutlooking at them; also referred to asproprioceptionreflex: an automatic response to stimulirigidity: increase in muscle tone at restcharacterized by increased resistance topassive stretchRomberg test: test for cerebellardysfunction requiring the

patient to stand with feet together, eyesclosed and arms extended; inability tomaintain the position, with eithersignificant stagger or sway, is a positivetest

spasticity: sustained increase intension of a muscle whenit is passively lengthened or stretchedsympathetic nervous system: divisionof the autonomic nervous system withpredominantly excitatoryresponses; the fight-or-flight systemvertigo: an illusion of movement,usually rotationakinetic mutism: unresponsiveness tothe environment; the patient makes no

movement or sound but sometimesopens the eyesaltered level of consciousness:condition of being lessresponsive to and aware ofenvironmental stimuliautoregulation: ability of cerebral bloodvessels to dilate or constrict to maintainstable cerebral blood flow despitechanges in systemic arterial bloodpressurebrain death: irreversible loss of allfunctions of the entire brain, includingthe brain stemcoma: prolonged state ofunconsciousnesscraniectomy: a surgical procedure thatinvolves removal of a portion of the skullcraniotomy: a surgical procedure thatinvolves entry into the cranial vaultCushings response: the brainsattempt to restore blood flowby increasing arterial pressure toovercome the increasedintracranial pressureCushings triad: three classic signsbradycardia, hypertension, andbradypneaseen with pressure on themedulla as a result of brain stemherniation


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decerebration: an abnormal bodyposture associated with a severe braininjury, characterized by extremeextension of the upper and lowerextremities

decortication: an abnormal postureassociated with severe brain injury,characterized by abnormal flexion of theupper extremities and extension of thelower extremitiesepidural monitor: a sensor placedbetween the skull and thedura to monitor intracranial pressureepilepsy: a group of syndromescharacterized by paroxysmaltransient disturbances of brain function

fiberoptic monitor: a system that useslight refraction to determine intracranialpressureherniation: abnormal protrusion oftissue through a defect or naturalopeningintracranial pressure: pressureexerted by the volume of theintracranial contents within the cranialvaultlocked-in syndrome: conditionresulting from a lesion in thepons in which the patient lacks all distalmotor activity (paralysis) but cognition isintactmicrodialysis: procedure in which anintracranial catheter is inserted near aninjured area of brain to measure lactate,pyruvate, glutamate, and glucose levelsmigraine headache: a severe,unrelenting headache oftenaccompanied by symptoms such asnausea, vomiting, and visualdisturbancesMonro-Kellie hypothesis: theory thatstates that due to limited space forexpansion within the skull, an increasein any one of the cranial contentsbraintissue, blood, or

cerebrospinal fluidcauses a change inthe volume of the otherspersistent vegetative state: conditionin which the patient is wakeful butdevoid of conscious content, without

cognitive or affective mental functionprimary headache: a headache forwhich no specific organic cause can befoundsecondary headache: headacheidentified as a symptom ofanother organic disorder (eg, braintumor, hypertension)seizures: paroxysmal transientdisturbance of the brain resultingfrom a discharge of abnormal electrical

activitystatus epilepticus: episode in whichthe patient experiences multiple seizurebursts with no recovery time in betweensubarachnoid screw or bolt: deviceplaced into the subarachnoidspace to measure intracranial pressuretranssphenoidal: surgical approach tothe pituitary via the sphenoid sinusesventriculostomy: a catheter placed inone of the lateral ventricles of the brainto measure intracranial pressure andallow for drainage of fluidagnosia: failure to recognize familiarobjects perceived by the sensesaneurysm: a weakening or bulge in anarterial wallaphasia: inability to express oneself orto understand languageapraxia: inability to perform previouslylearned purposeful motor acts on avoluntary basisdysarthria: defects of articulation due toneurologic causesexpressive aphasia: inability toexpress oneself; often associatedwith damage to the left frontal lobe areahemianopsia: blindness of half of thefield of vision in one or both eyes


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hemiplegia/hemiparesis:weakness/paralysis of one side ofthe body, or part of it, due to an injury inthe motor areaof the braininfarction: a zone of tissue deprived of

blood supplyKorsakoffs syndrome: disordercharacterized by psychosis,disorientation, delirium, insomnia, andhallucinationspenumbra region: area of low cerebralblood flowreceptive aphasia: inability tounderstand what someoneelse is saying; often associated withdamage to the temporal lobe area

autonomic dysreflexia: a life-threatening emergency inspinal cord injury patients that causes ahypertensive emergency; also calledautonomic hyperreflexiabrain injury: an injury to the skull orbrain that is severe enough to interferewith normal functioningbrain injury, closed (blunt): occurswhen the head accelerates and thenrapidly decelerates or collides withanother object and brain tissue isdamaged, but there is noopening through the skull and durabrain injury, open: occurs when anobject penetrates the skull, enters thebrain, and damages the soft braintissue in its path (penetrating injury), orwhen blunt trauma to the head is sosevere that it opens the scalp,skull, and dura to expose the braincomplete spinal cord lesion: acondition that involves totalloss of sensation and voluntary musclecontrol below the lesionconcussion: a temporary loss ofneurologic function withno apparent structural damage to thebraincontusion: bruising of the brain surface

halo vest: a lightweight vest with anattached halo that stabilizes the cervicalspinehead injury: an injury to the scalp, skull,and/or brain

incomplete spinal cord lesion: acondition in which there is preservationof the sensory or motor fibers, or both,below the lesionneurogenic bladder: bladderdysfunction that results froma disorder or dysfunction of the nervoussystem; may result in either urinaryretention or bladder overactivityparaplegia: paralysis of the lowerextremities with dysfunction of the bowel

and bladder from a lesion inthe thoracic, lumbar, or sacral region ofthe spinal cordprimary injury: initial damage to thebrain that results from the traumaticeventsecondary injury: an insult to the brainsubsequent to the original traumaticeventspinal cord injury: an injury to thespinal cord, vertebral column,supporting soft tissue, or intervertebraldisks caused by traumatetraplegia (quadriplegia): paralysis ofboth arms and legs, with dysfunction ofbowel and bladder from a lesion of thecervical segments of the spinal cordtransection: severing of the spinal corditself; transection can be complete (allthe way through the cord) orincomplete (partially through)ataxia: impaired coordination ofmovementsbulbar paralysis: immobility of musclesinnervated by cranial nerves with theircell bodies in the lower portion ofthe brain stemdiplopia: double vision, or theawareness of two images of


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the same object occurring in one or botheyesdyskinesia: impaired ability to executevoluntary movementsdysphagia: difficulty swallowing,

causing the patient to beat risk for aspirationdysphonia: voice impairment or alteredvoice productionneuropathy: general term indicating adisorder of the nervous systemparesthesia: a sensation of numbnessor tingling or a pins and needlessensationprion: a particle smaller than a virusthat is resistant to standard sterilization

proceduresspasticity: muscular hypertonicity withincreased resistance to stretch oftenassociated with weakness, increaseddeep tendon reflexes, and diminishedsuperficial reflexesspongiform: having the appearance or

quality of a sponge

akathisia: restlessness, urgent need tomove around, and agitationbradykinesia: very slow voluntary

movements and speechchorea: rapid, jerky, involuntary,purposeless movements of theextremities or facial muscles, includingfacial grimacingdementia: a progressive organic mentaldisorder characterized by personalitychanges, confusion, disorientation,and deterioration of intellect associatedwith impaired memory and judgmentdyskinesia: impaired ability to execute

voluntary movementsdysphonia: abnormal voice qualitycaused by weakness and incoordinationof muscles responsible for speechmicrographia: small and often illegiblehandwritingneurodegenerative: a disease,process, or condition that

leads to deterioration of normal cells orfunction of the nervous systempapilledema: edema of the optic nerveparesthesia: a sensation of numbness,tingling, or a pins and needles

sensationradiculopathy: disease of a spinalnerve root, often resultingin pain and extreme sensitivity to touchsciatica: inflammation of the sciaticnerve, resulting in pain and tendernessalong the nerve through the thigh andlegspondylosis: ankylosis or stiffening ofthe cervical or lumbar vertebrae

MUSCLE -SKELETAL

fasciculation: involuntary twitch ofmuscle fibersflaccid: limp; without muscle tonehypertrophy: enlargement; increase insize of muscleisometric contraction: muscle tensionincreased, length unchanged, no jointmotionisotonic contraction: muscle tension

unchanged, muscle shortened, jointmoved

joint: area where bone ends meet;provides for motion and flexibility

joint capsule: fibrous tissue thatencloses bone ends andother joint surfaceskyphosis: increase in the convexcurvature of the spinelamellae: mature compact bonestructures that form concentric

rings of bone matrix; lamellar boneligament: fibrous band connectingboneslordosis: increase in lumbar curvatureof the spineossification: process in which minerals(calcium) are deposited in bone matrixosteoblast: bone-forming cell


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osteoclast: bone resorption cellosteocyte: mature bone cellosteogenesis: bone formationosteon: microscopic functional boneunit

paresthesia: abnormal sensation (eg,burning, tingling,numbness)periosteum: fibrous connective tissuecovering boneremodeling: process that ensures bonemaintenance through simultaneousbone resorption and formationresorption: removal/destruction oftissue, such as bonescoliosis: lateral curving of the spine

spastic: having greater-than-normalmuscle tonesynovium: membrane in joint thatsecretes lubricating fluidtendon: cord of fibrous tissueconnecting muscle to bonetone (tonus): normal tension(resistance to stretch) in restingmuscletrabeculae: latticelike bone structure;cancellous bone abduction: movementaway from the center or medianline of the bodyadduction: movement toward thecenter or median line of the bodyavascular necrosis: death of tissuedue to insufficient blood supplybrace: externally applied device tosupport the body or a body part, controlmovement, and prevent injurycast: rigid external immobilizing devicemolded to contours of body partcast syndrome: psychological(claustrophobic reaction) orphysiologic (superior mesenteric arterysyndrome) responses to confinement inbody castcontinuous passive motion (CPM)device: a device that

promotes range of motion, circulation,and healingedema: soft tissue swelling due to fluidaccumulationexternal fixator: external metal frame

attached to bonefragments to stabilize themfracture: a break in the continuity of theboneheterotopic ossification: misplacedformation of boneneurovascular status: neurologic(motor and sensory components) andcirculatory functioning of a body partopen reduction with internal fixation(ORIF): open surgical procedure to

repair and stabilize a fractureosteomyelitis: infection of the boneosteotomy: surgical cutting of bonesling: bandage used to support an armsplint: device designed specifically tosupport and immobilize a body part in adesired positiontraction: application of a pulling force toa part of the bodytrapeze: overhead assistive device topromote patient mobilityin bed

bursitis: inflammation of a fluid-filled

sac in a joint

contracture: abnormal shortening ofmuscle or fibrosis of

joint structuresinvolucrum: new bone growth around asequestrumradiculopathy: disease of a nerve rootsciatica: sciatic nerve pain; pain travelsdown back of thigh into footsequestrum: dead bone in abscesscavitytendinitis: inflammation of muscle

tendons

allograft: tissue harvested from a donorfor use in another


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personamputation: removal of a body part,usually a limb or part of a limbarthroscope: surgical scope injectedinto the joint to examine or repair

autograft: tissue harvested from onearea of the body and used fortransplantation to another area of thesame bodyavascular necrosis: death of tissuesecondary to a decrease or lack ofperfusioncontusion: blunt force injury to softtissuecrepitus: a grating sound or sensationby rubbing bony fragments together

dbridement: surgical removal ofcontaminated and devitalizedtissues and foreign materialdelayed union: prolongation ofexpected healing time for afracturedisarticulation: amputation through a

jointdislocation: complete separation of

joint surfacesfracture: a break in the continuity of abonefracture reduction: restoration offracture fragments into anatomicalignmentmalunion: healing of a fractured bonein a malalignedpositionnonunion: failure of fractured bones toheal togetherphantom limb pain: pain perceived inan amputated sectionRICE: acronym forrest, ice,compression, elevationsprain: an injury to ligaments andmuscles and other soft tissues at a jointstrain: a musculotendinous stress injurysubluxation: partial separation of joint

surfaces

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NEUROLOGIC AND MUSCLE-SKELETAL DEFINITIONS.docx