Dictionary of neurology

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

The human nervous system is a complex and intricate network that regulates everything from our senses to the control of movements. Neurology, the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, functions, and organic disorders of nerves and the nervous system, is a field that encompasses a vast array of terms, conditions, treatments, and research areas.

Understanding neurology and its numerous aspects can be a daunting task for students, healthcare professionals, and laypersons interested in this field. To address this need, WikiMD.com has developed this detailed and expansive Dictionary of Neurology. Our dictionary serves as an educational and reference tool to provide users with a comprehensive glossary of terms, conditions, procedures, and important figures related to neurology.

WikiMD's dictionary of neurology[edit | edit source]

The information contained within this dictionary is constantly updated and refined to reflect the latest research and clinical practices. Each term is linked to a dedicated page that offers a detailed explanation, which may include symptoms, causes, diagnostic methods, treatments, and prognoses where relevant.

As with all resources on WikiMD.com, the Dictionary of Neurology is a collaborative effort, and we encourage the contributions of our community to enhance and expand the knowledge base. We believe that an informed community is an empowered one, and our goal is to facilitate a deeper understanding of neurological disorders to aid in education, diagnosis, and treatment.

A[edit | edit source]

  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - A progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
  • Aphasia - A condition characterized by the loss of the ability to understand or express speech, caused by brain damage.
  • Ataxia - The lack of muscle control or coordination of voluntary movements, such as walking or picking up objects.

B[edit | edit source]

  • Bell's palsy - A condition that causes a temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles in the face.
  • Brain Aneurysm - A bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain.

C[edit | edit source]

  • Cerebral palsy - A group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture.
  • Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) - Also known as a stroke, it occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients.
  • Cognitive Rehabilitation - A program to help brain-injured or otherwise cognitively impaired individuals to restore normal functioning or to compensate for cognitive deficits.

D[edit | edit source]

  • Dementia - A group of conditions characterized by impairment of at least two brain functions, such as memory loss and judgment.
  • Dystonia - A movement disorder in which a person's muscles contract uncontrollably.

E[edit | edit source]

  • Electroencephalogram (EEG) - A test that detects electrical activity in your brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to your scalp.
  • Encephalitis - Inflammation of the brain often caused by an infection.

F[edit | edit source]

  • Fasciculation - A brief, spontaneous contraction affecting a small number of muscle fibers, often causing a flicker of movement under the skin.
  • Fibromyalgia - A disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues.
  • Focal seizure - Seizures that appear to result from abnormal activity in just one area of your brain.

G[edit | edit source]

  • Gait disturbance - Any deviation from normal walking (gait). Examples include limping, unsteadiness, and the lack of coordination.
  • Glioblastoma multiforme - An aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord.
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome - A rare disorder in which your body's immune system attacks your nerves.

H[edit | edit source]

  • Hemiparesis - Weakness on one side of the body.
  • Hemiplegia - Paralysis of one side of the body.
  • Hydrocephalus - A condition in which an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid occurs within the brain, typically causing increased pressure inside the skull.

I[edit | edit source]

  • Ischemic stroke - A type of stroke that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients.
  • Intracranial pressure - The pressure inside the skull and thus in the brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
  • Idiopathic intracranial hypertension - A condition characterized by high pressure in the spaces around the brain and spinal cord (cerebrospinal fluid) without a detectable cause.

J[edit | edit source]

  • Jacksonian seizure - A type of seizure involving a series of involuntary movements that typically start in one part of the body and may progress to other parts.

K[edit | edit source]

  • Kernig's sign - A clinical sign that is used to diagnose meningitis.
  • Klüver-Bucy syndrome - A syndrome resulting from bilateral lesions of the medial temporal lobe that involves hyperphagia, hypersexuality, disinhibited behavior, and visual agnosia.

L[edit | edit source]

  • Lumbar puncture - A medical procedure in which a needle is inserted into the spinal canal to collect cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic testing.
  • Leukoencephalopathy - A type of encephalopathy that affects the white matter of the brain.
  • Locked-in syndrome - A condition characterized by complete paralysis of voluntary muscles in all parts of the body except for those that control eye movement.

M[edit | edit source]

  • Meningitis - Inflammation of the fluid and membranes (meninges) surrounding your brain and spinal cord.
  • Multiple sclerosis - A disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves.
  • Myasthenia gravis - A chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in the skeletal muscles, which are responsible for breathing and moving parts of the body.

N[edit | edit source]

  • Neurodegeneration - The progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including the death of neurons.
  • Neuropathy - Weakness, numbness, and pain from nerve damage, usually in the hands and feet.
  • Neurofibromatosis - A set of genetic disorders that cause tumors to form on nerve tissue.
  • Neurology - The branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the nervous system.
  • Neuromodulation - The physiological process by which a given neuron uses one or more neurotransmitters to regulate diverse populations of neurons.
  • Neuron - A specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.
  • Neuroplasticity - The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
  • Neuropsychology - The study of the structure and function of the brain as they relate to specific psychological processes and behaviors.
  • Neurotransmitter - Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another 'target' neuron.

O[edit | edit source]

  • Occipital lobe - The visual processing center of the mammalian brain.
  • Oligodendroglioma - A type of brain tumor arising from oligodendrocytes, cells that produce the myelin that protects the nerve cells.
  • Optic neuritis - Inflammation that damages the optic nerve, often associated with multiple sclerosis.

P[edit | edit source]

  • Parkinson's disease - A progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement.
  • Peripheral neuropathy - A result of damage to the nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord (peripheral nerves).
  • Petit mal seizure - Also known as an absence seizure; a brief, sudden lapse of consciousness.
  • Phantom limb syndrome - The sensation that an amputated or missing limb is still attached.

Q[edit | edit source]

R[edit | edit source]

  • Radiculopathy - A disease of the root of a nerve, such as from a pinched nerve or a tumor.
  • Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) - A condition characterized by chronic, severe pain and progressive changes in the skin, muscles, and bones.
  • Restless legs syndrome (RLS) - A disorder that causes a strong urge to move one's legs.

S[edit | edit source]

  • Sciatica - Pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve.
  • Seizure - Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, which may produce a physical convulsion.
  • Spina bifida - A birth defect where there is incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord.
  • Stroke - Damage to the brain from interruption of its blood supply.

T[edit | edit source]

  • Temporal lobe epilepsy - A chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked epileptic seizures originating from the temporal lobe of the brain.
  • Transverse myelitis - An inflammation of both sides of one section of the spinal cord.

U[edit | edit source]

  • Ulnar nerve entrapment - A condition where the ulnar nerve becomes physically trapped or pinched, resulting in pain or numbness.

V[edit | edit source]

  • Vagal nerve stimulation - A treatment for epilepsy where a device is implanted under the skin to send electrical pulses to the vagus nerve.
  • Vertigo - A sensation of whirling and loss of balance, often caused by looking down from a great height.

W[edit | edit source]

X[edit | edit source]

Y[edit | edit source]

  • Yawning - An involuntary action to take a deep breath.

Z[edit | edit source]

  • Zellweger syndrome - A rare congenital disorder characterized by the reduction or absence of peroxisomes in the cells of the liver, kidneys, and brain.
  • Zika virus - A virus that can cause neurological disorders such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.

List of neurology terms[edit | edit source]

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

Glossaries, dictionaries, and lists in WikiMD[edit source]

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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD