Module 10 - Word Origins

palsy

Fr. contraction of the word "paralysie". paralysis. Bell's palsy is paresis or paralysis of the facial muscles (usually unilateral).

-esthesia

Gr. aisthesis = sensation, perception feeling, sensation. Paresthesia is an abnormal feeling (in the extremities for example) of burning, pricking, tingling.

-asthenia

Gr. asthenes= weak, derived froma- = without + sthenos = strength weakness, debility. Neurasthenia is weakness and fatigue brought on by psychological factors. Myasthenia is muscular weakness.

gnos-

Gr. gnosis = knowledge agnosia is the impairment of the ability to comprehend auditory, visual or other sensory stimuli, not traceable to defects in the primary sensory receptors or in the general intellect, but caused by lesions in the cerebrum.

kinesi-

Gr. kinesis = movement, motion movement, motion. Akinesia/akinesis refers to the complete or partial loss of muscle movement.

lal-

Gr. lalein = to talk, chatter echolalia refers to the involuntary, parrot-like repetition of words or sentences just spoken by another individual, usually seen in catatonic schizophrenia. Also termed echo speech or echophrasia.

lex-

Gr. lexis = diction, speech, word, phrase dyslexia is a term usually applied to impaired reading ability with reduced comprehension.

meningitis

Gr. meninx = membrane + itis = inflammation of inflammation of the meninges of the brain or spinal cord.

meningocele

Gr. meninx = membrane + kele = hernia protrusion of the meninges of the brain or spinal cord through a (congenital) defect in the skull or spinal column.

neurofibroma

Gr. neuron = nerve + Lat. fibra = fiber + -oma = a tumor a benign encapsulated tumor caused by Schwann cell proliferation in a confused array that includes nerve fibers.

nystagm-

Gr. nystagmos = drowsiness, derived from nystazein = to take a nap Nystagmus refers to the condition characterized by the constant recurring involuntary twitching of the eye.

paresis

Gr. paresis = paralysis, loss of strength paralysis. Hemiparesis refers to a form of paralysis affecting only one side of the body (syn. hemiplegia)

-phasia

Gr. phasis = speech aphasia is the inability to understand speech or to express oneself through speech (from the Gr. a- = without + phasis (speech). dysphasia is the impairment of speech or comprehensible speech due to an acquired brain lesion.

-plegia

Gr. plege = stroke stroke. Paraplegia is a paralysis of both the lower extremities and also the trunk in some cases.

poliomyelitis

Gr. polios = gray + muelos = marrow + -itis = disease, inflammation an acute inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord often leading to paralysis.

syncope

Gr. synkope = a cutting short loss of consciousness caused by a reduction in cerebral blood flow.

tax-

Gr. taxis = order, arrangement coordination. Ataxia refers to the lack of coordination of voluntary muscular movement.

tomography

Gr. tomos = a cutting + graphe = writing the making of a radiographic image of a selected plane.

ton/o

Gr. tonos =,elasticity, firmness of muscle, derived from teinein = to stretch tone, tension, pressure. Dystonia refers to abnormal tonicity (especially in muscle tissue) that impairs voluntary movement.

tractotomy

Lat. tractus = a drawing out, an extension + Gr. tome = a cut, cutting the cutting of a nerve tract in the brainstem or spinal column.

vagotomy

Lat. vagus = ranging, wandering + Gr. tome = cut a cutting of (branches of) the vagus nerve, usually performed to reduce gastric acid secretion.

vertig-

Lat. vertigo = a turning around Vertigo is the sensation of spinning or whirling around in space that results in loss of equilibrium.

Parkinson's disease

Named after the physician, James Parkinson (1755-1824) a neurologic syndrome caused by a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine.

seizure

O. Fr. seiser = to grasp an epileptic attack (usually).