Nervous System

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
AnatomyAnatomy
and Physiology
&Physiology

⚫ Coordinates all activity of body

⚫ Receives information from both external and
internal sensory receptors
⚫ Uses that information to adjust activity of muscles
and glands to match needs of body
⚫ Nervous system is divided into:
⚫ Central nervous system (CNS)
⚫ Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
AnatomyAnatomy
and Physiology
&Physiology

⚫ Central nervous system consists of:

⚫ Brain
⚫ Spinal cord
⚫ Peripheral nervous system consists of:
⚫ Cranial nerves
⚫ Spinal nerves

Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Figure 12.1A – The structure of a neuron.

Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
CentralCentral
NervousNervous
Systemsystem

⚫ Combination of the brain and spinal cord

⚫ Function
⚫ Receives impulses from all over body
⚫ Processes this information
⚫ Responds with action
⚫ Bundles of nerve fibers interconnecting
different parts of CNS are called tracts

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
The Brain The Brain

⚫ One of the largest organs in body

⚫ Coordinates most body activities
⚫ It is center for:
⚫ Thoughts
⚫ Memory
⚫ Judgment
⚫ Emotion

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
The Brain

⚫ Four sections:
⚫ Cerebrum
⚫ Cerebellum
⚫ Diencephalon
⚫ Brain stem

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Lobes of Lobes
Cerebrum
of Cerebrum

⚫ Subdivided into left and right halves called

cerebral hemispheres
⚫ Each hemisphere has four lobes:
⚫ Frontal lobe
⚫ Parietal lobe
⚫ Occipital lobe
⚫ Temporal lobe

Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Lobes of Lobes
Cerebrum
of Cerebrum

⚫ Frontal lobe
⚫ Most anterior lobe
⚫ Controls motor function,
personality, and speech
⚫ Parietal lobe
⚫ Most superior portion
⚫ Receives & interprets
nerve impulses
⚫ Interprets language

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Lobes of Lobes
Cerebrum
of Cerebrum

⚫ Occipital lobe
⚫ Most posterior
⚫ Controls vision
⚫ Temporal lobe
⚫ Left and right lateral
portion
⚫ Controls hearing and
smell

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Figure 12.4 – The functional regions of the cerebrum.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Spinal Cord Spinal Cord

⚫ Extends from medulla

oblongata to second
lumbar vertebra
⚫ Within vertebral
column
⚫ 33 vertebrae of back
bone
⚫ Line up to form
continuous canal
⚫ Called spinal cavity
or vertebral canal
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Figure 12.5A – The levels of the spinal cord and spinal nerves.

Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Spinal Cord Spinal Cord

⚫ Protected by cerebrospinal fluid

⚫ Flows through central canal down through spinal
cord
⚫ Outer portion of spinal cord is myelinated
white matter
⚫ Ascending tracts carry sensory information up to
brain
⚫ Descending tracts carry motor commands down
from brain to peripheral nerve

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Meninges Meninges

⚫ Protective
membrane sac
⚫ Encases entire CNS
⚫ Consists of three
layers:
⚫ Dura mater
⚫ Arachnoid layer
⚫ Pia mater

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Figure 12.6 – The meninges.

Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Peripheral
PeripheralNervous
NervousSystem
System
(PNS)
(PNS)

⚫ Consists of:
⚫ 12 pairs of cranial nerves
⚫ 31 pairs of spinal nerves
⚫ Cranial nerves
⚫ Arise from brain
⚫ Spinal nerves
⚫ Split off from spinal cord
⚫ One pair (left and right) exit between each pair of
vertebrae

Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Table 12.1 Cranial
Cranial Nerves
Nerves

I Olfactory sense of smell

II Optic sense of sight

II Oculomotor controls eye muscles and pupil of eye

IV Trochlear controls oblique muscles of eye

facial sensation and controls muscles

V Trigeminal for chewing
controls eyeball muscles to turn eye to
VI Abducens side

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Table 12.1 Cranial
Cranial Nerves
Nerves

controls facial muscles for

VII Facial expression, salivation, and taste on
two-thirds of tongue (anterior)
VIII Vestibulocochlear sense of equilibrium and hearing
sensation from pharynx and taste on
IX Glossopharyngeal one-third of tongue
supplies most organs in abdominal
X Vagus and thoracic cavities
XI Accessory controls neck and shoulder muscles

XII Hypoglossal controls tongue muscles

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Divisions
Peripheralof PNS
Nervous System (PNS)

⚫ Nerves of PNS are subdivided into two

divisions
⚫ Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
⚫ Somatic nerves
⚫ Each division serves different area of body

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Autonomic
AutonomicNervous
NervousSystem
System(ANS)
(ANS)

⚫ Control of involuntary or unconscious bodily

functions
⚫ It may increase or decrease the activity of:
⚫ Smooth muscle found in viscera and blood vessels
⚫ Cardiac muscle of heart
⚫ Glands
⚫ ANS divided into 2 branches:
⚫ Sympathetic branch
⚫ Parasympathetic branch

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Autonomic
Peripheral
AutonomicNervous
NervousSystem
NervousSystem(ANS)
System (PNS)
(ANS)
⚫ Sympathetic branch
⚫ Stimulates body in times of stress and crisis
⚫ Increases heart rate, dilates airways, increases
blood pressure, inhibits digestion, and stimulates
production of adrenaline
⚫ Parasympathetic branch
⚫ Serves as counterbalance for sympathetic nerves
⚫ Causes heart rate to slow down, lowers blood
pressure, and stimulates digestion

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Nervous System Combining Forms

⚫ cephal/o head
⚫ cerebell/o cerebellum
⚫ cerebr/o cerebrum
⚫ encephal/o brain

⚫ medull/o medulla

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Nervous
NervousSystem
SystemCombining
CombiningForms
Forms

⚫ mening/o meninges
⚫ meningi/o meninges
⚫ myel/o spinal cord
⚫ neur/o nerve
⚫ poli/o gray matter

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Word Building with cephal/o, cerebell/o
and cerebr/o
–itis encephalitis brain inflammation

–ar cerebellar pertaining to cerebellum

–itis cerebellitis inflammation of cerebellum

–al cerebral pertaining to cerebrum

spin/o pertaining to cerebrum and
cerebrospinal
–al spine

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Word Building with neur/o

–al neural pertaining to nerve

–algia neuralgia nerve pain
–ologist neurologist nerve specialist
–oma neuroma nerve tumor
–oma meningioma meninges tumor
–eal meningeal pertaining to meninges
–itis meningitis meninges inflammation
–itis myelitis inflammation of spinal cord

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Nervous System Vocabulary
the use of anesthesia for surgical
anesthesiology procedures, resuscitation, and pain
management
diagnosis and treatment of diseases of
neurology
nervous system
treating nervous system disease by
neurosurgery
surgical means
syncope fainting
sudden, uncontrollable onset of
seizure
symptoms; such as in epileptic seizure

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Nervous System
Nervous Vocabulary
System Vocabulary
conscious awake and aware of surroundings
unaware of surroundings; unable to
unconscious
respond to stimuli
coma state of profound unconsciousness
abnormal sensations such as burning or
paresthesia
tingling
involuntary repetitive alternating
tremor
movements

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Nervous System
Nervous Vocabulary
System Vocabulary
dementia impaired intellectual function
hemiparesis weakness on one side of body
temporary or permanent loss of voluntary
paralysis
movement
hemiplegia paralysis on one side of body
paraplegia paralysis of lower portion of body
palsy loss of ability to control movements

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Brain Pathology
Brain Pathology
brain injury from impact; symptoms last
concussion
less than 24 hrs
cerebral brain damage results from defect, trauma,
palsy (CP) or oxygen deprivation at time of birth
seizures and loss of consciousness
epilepsy caused by uncontrolled electrical activity
of brain
accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid
hydrocephalus
within brain ventricles

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Brain Pathology
Brain Pathology
infarct due to loss of blood supply to
cerebrovascular brain; may be due to hemorrhage,
accident (CVA) thrombus, embolus, or compression;
commonly called a stroke
transient ischemic temporary interference with blood
attack (TIA) supply to brain; may lead to a CVA
specific type of headache with
migraine severe pain, light sensitivity,
dizziness, and nausea

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Spinal Spinal
Cord Pathology
Cord Pathology
viral infection affecting spinal cord;
poliomyelitis paralysis may be mild and temporary or
severe and permanent
congenital defect where lamina of
spina bifida vertebra do not meet or close to form
spinal canal
protrusion of meninges sac through
meningocele
opening left by spina bifida defect
protrusion of meninges and spinal cord
myelomeningoc
through opening left by spina bifida
ele
defect
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Figure 12.13 – Spina bifida.
Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Meninges Pathology
Nerve and Meninges Pathology
epidural
mass of blood in space outside dura mater
hematoma
mass of blood forming inside subdural
subdural
space; due to torn meningeal blood
hematoma
vessel; space occupying lesion
one-sided facial paralysis due to
Bell’s palsy inflammation of facial nerve caused by
virus

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
 Figure 12.15 – A subdural hematoma.

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Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.
Additional Diagnostic Tests

electroencephalography records the electrical activity of

(EEG) brain
puncture to remove CSF for
lumbar puncture
examination
examination of CSF; may
cerebrospinal fluid
detect infections and blood in
analysis
the fluid

Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Medical Terminology: A Living Language, Fourth Edition Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Bonnie F. Fremgen and Suzanne S. Frucht All rights reserved.