Combining Forms/Word Roots
neur/o
nerve
Small gap between the axon of one neuron and the dendrites of the next.
Synapse
The clear, watery fluid located in the anterior chancery of the eye.
Aqueous humor
An assessment tool used to describe the level of consciousness.
Glasgow Coma Scale
An incision made through the skull to access the brain.
Craniotomy
Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining of the eye, commonly called pink eye.
Conjunctivitis
bleeding from the nose
Epistaxis
What are the 2 main divisions of the Nervous system?
Central Nervous System CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
The most common form of dementia worldwide.
Alzheimer’s disease
encephal/o
brain
How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?
12 pairs
Another word for finger or toe
digit
Test using a tuning fork placed behind each ear to check for conductive hearing loss.
Rinne test
Surgical repair of the ear.
Tympanoplasty
Affects the 7th cranial nerve; symptoms include facial weakness/paralysis on one side.
Bell's Palsy
Progressive, fatal disease affecting the motor neurons; symptoms include weakness, stiffness, aphasia, dysphagia and dyspnea.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's Disease
Consists of the nerves that connect the CNS to every organ and area of the body.
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
What type of headache is a migrant classified as?
a vascular headache
myel/o
spinal cord
The type of spinal cord injury that results in quadriplegia.
A severe cervical (neck) spine injury.
The 3 protective layers that make up the meninges.
the pia mater, arachnoid, and dura mater
A card printed with a number or shape, used to screen for color blindness.
Ishihara plate
Catheter inserted into an artery and threaded up to the carotid artery using a dye to show cerebral blood vessels when x-rays are taken.
Arteriography
Acute inflammation of the brain causing edema and nerve cell damage; symptoms include fever, stiff neck, headache, vomiting.
Encephalitis
Gradually developing opacity of the lens, occurring mostly over age 70.
cataract
This system consist of the brain and spinal cord.
Central Nervous System (CNS)
The major symptoms that characterize Parkinson’s disease.
tremors, muscle rigidity and postural instability
acoust/o
sound
What side of the body is paralyzed if damage occurs on the right side of the brain?
the left side
What is the primary role of the central nervous system?
receiving, processing, interpreting, and storing sensory information.
An imaging test that uses a radioactive substance injected into the patient's vein to view a detailed section of the body's organs.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Magnet machine used when images of the spine and brain are needed.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Condition known as lazy eye.
amblyopia
Results from juvenile or adult diabetes; symptoms include blurred vision floaters and decreased peripheral visual field.
Diabetic Retinopathy
What are the 2 divisions of the peripheral nervous system and in the autonomic nervous system?
sympathetic and parasympathetic
The age range when Multiple Sclerosis is usually first diagnosed?
between the ages of 20 and 40 years of age
aur/o
ear
How many pairs of spinal nerves are in the PNS?
31 pairs
Another word for an arm or leg
extrimity
A recording of the electrical activity of the brain using electrodes placed on the scalp.
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Electrical impulses are sent along a nerve pathway and its speed is measured.
Nerve conduction study
Autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the nerves ;tingling/weakness starting in the arms and legs.
Asked before taking the flu shot.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS)
Disease associated w/intraocular pressure and atrophy of the optic nerve.
Glaucoma
Controls blood pressure by regulating the heartbeat and blood vessel constriction and dilation.
Hypothalamus
The eye condition affecting roughly 19.8 million Americans with 1.49 million in advanced stages.
Macular degeneration
-plegia
paralysis or stroke
conjunctiv/o
conjunctiva
surrounding membranes of the brain are known as
meninges
Used to measure the intraocular pressure or amount of pressure within the eye.
Tonometry
May be performed to take a specimen of CSF for analysis.
lumbar puncture
Acute childhood illness characterized by fatty infiltration of the liver and increased cranial pressure.
Associated w/ aspirin and chickenpox
Reye's Syndrome
Disorder of the inner ear usually affecting one ear; symptoms include vertigo and tinnitus.
Meniere's Disease
Acts as a watery cushion or shock absorber to provide additional protection for the CNS.
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
The disease caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani.
Tetanus