Neurology: brain structures and lesions
Terminology describing the central nervous system clearly distinguishes between anatomical structures and the localization of pathological processes.
The meninges are classified as follows:
- Pachymeninx — refers to the dura mater.
- Leptomeninges — combines the pia mater and arachnoid mater.
Inflammatory processes and pathologies of the brain and spinal cord have specific names depending on the affected matter. For example, inflammation exclusively of the gray matter of the spinal cord is called poliomyelitis. If the inflammatory process involves the gray matter of both the brain and the spinal cord, a more complex term is used — polioencephalomyelitis.
Other pathological conditions of the nervous system include:
- Myelomalacia — the process of softening of the spinal cord.
- Hemiplegia — a severe neurological condition manifested as paralysis of one half of the body.
- Rachiotomy — a surgical intervention consisting of the dissection of the spine.
- Xanthochromia — a specific diagnostic sign meaning yellow coloration (typically referring to cerebrospinal fluid).
Also, in the field of higher nervous activity and mental health, the terms hypermnesia are distinguished, meaning memory enhancement (supermemory), and psychopathy — literally "disease of the soul", describing a personality disorder.
Oncology and developmental disorders
Oncological terminology describes the processes of origin and development of neoplasms, as well as their origin.
The basic concept here is oncogenesis — the actual process of tumor development. Malignant neoplasms are named to reflect the tissue from which they originate. Thus, a malignant tumor of vascular origin is called angiosarcoma. The term leukosis (or leukemia) is used to denote blood cancer.
Tissue formation and alteration processes are described by the following terms:
- Morphogenesis — the general concept of shaping and form development.
- Heteromorphosis — distortion of form, in which tissue develops that is completely atypical for the given organ.
- Heterotopic — a term indicating that an object or tissue is located in another, unusual place for them.
General pathology and body reactivity
Conditions associated with tissue damage, death, and the body's reaction to various factors form a broad group of clinical terms.
When structures die, autolysis may occur — the process of self-dissolution or self-digestion of tissues. In surgical practice, necrotomy is used to remove such areas, which means the dissection of necrotic tissues.
Body reactivity is described through the lens of sensitivity:
- Allergy — an altered body reaction manifested as hypersensitivity.
- Normergic — a term to describe a state with normal reactivity.
- Hyperergic (or hyperergic) — a state with increased body reactivity.
Factors affecting the body can be of external origin — exogenous, and if they are capable of causing disease, they are called pathogenic (factor). Total vascular damage characterized by inflammation of all layers of the vascular wall is defined as panvasculitis.
Local pathologies and anatomical anomalies
Many terms describe changes in the shape or size of specific body parts and organs.
Anatomical features and anomalies include:
- Dolichocephaly — long-headedness.
- Dolichocolon — an elongated colon.
- Macrocheiria — abnormally or excessively large hands.
- Microcheiria — conversely, abnormally small hands.
Specific local diseases and conditions include:
- Hemiglossitis — an inflammatory process involving only half of the tongue.
- Proctorrhagia — bleeding originating from the rectum.
- Mesogastralgia — pain syndrome in the middle part of the abdomen (celiac region).
- Onychochisis — pathological splitting of the nails.
- Mastopathy — a disease of the mammary gland (a specialist dealing with such problems is called a mammologist).
Briefly: answers to topical questions
What are the clinical manifestations of hemiplegia and xanthochromia?
The clinical manifestations of these conditions consist of unilateral paralysis and pathological coloration of the cerebrospinal fluid.
- Hemiplegia — paralysis of one half of the body (involvement of limbs on one side). Characterized as the complete impossibility of voluntary muscle contractions. It may manifest as spastic (central) paralysis or paralysis without spasticity, with a positive pathological Babinski reflex.
- Xanthochromia — yellow coloration (usually of the CSF). Manifests as a yellow, yellow-gray, yellow-brown, or green color of the cerebrospinal fluid. It acts as a consequence of hemoglobin degradation from disintegrated erythrocytes in intracranial hemorrhages; a yellowish tinge is also characteristic of tuberculous meningitis.
To easily remember the meninges, associate "pachymeninx" with the word "pachyderm" (thick-skinned) — this is the dura mater. And "leptomeninges" starts with "l" — light, soft (arachnoid) mater.
Class and exam questions
What is the difference between the terms poliomyelitis and polioencephalomyelitis?
Both terms denote inflammation of the gray matter, but poliomyelitis affects only the spinal cord, whereas polioencephalomyelitis affects the gray matter of both the brain and the spinal cord.
How is the term heteromorphosis translated?
Heteromorphosis means distortion of form, i.e., the development in an organ of tissue that is not normally characteristic of it.
What does the term panvasculitis mean?
The term panvasculitis describes a severe condition in which inflammation of absolutely all layers of the vascular wall occurs.
What else to study on this topic
- Methods of cardiac activity research: cardiotachometry and rheocardiography.
- Effects on body systems: somatotropic and gonadotropic factors.
- Processes of formation in the body: lactogenesis and lymphocytopoiesis.
- Specific types of therapy and correction: oxygen therapy, orthopedics, and phonopedics.
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