Diseases and Disorders
Disease and Disorder Terms Built from Word Parts
amnesia: without memory; a sudden loss of memory
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: hardening and breakdown of neurons supplying skeletal muscles causing muscle wasting
aphasia: condition of without speaking; inability to speak
astrocytoma: tumor of the star-shaped glial cells; can be in the brain or spinal cord
cephalalgia: pain in the head
cerebellitis: inflammation of the cerebellum
cerebral thrombosis: abnormal condition of blood clotting in the brain
cerebrovascular accident: a clot or bleeding in the vessels of the brain; a stroke
dementia: impairment in thinking; can affect memory, personality, reasoning, and processing
duritis: inflammation of the dura mater
dysphasia: difficult speech; impaired ability to speak
encephalitis: inflammation of the brain
encephalomalacia: softening of the brain
encephalomyeloradiculitis: inflammation of the brain, spinal cord, and nerve roots
encephalosclerosis: hardening of the brain tissue
epidural hematoma: collection of blood between the skull and the dura mater
gangliitis: inflammation of the ganglion
glioblastoma: tumor of developing glial tissue
glioma: tumor of the glial tissue
hemiparesis: partial paralysis of one side of the body
hemiplegia: paralysis of one side of the body
hydrocephalus: “water on the brain”; excessive cerebrospinal fluid in and around the brain
hyperesthesia: excessive sensitivity to stimuli
ictal: pertaining to between seizures
interictal: pertaining to during a seizure
meningioma: noncancerous tumor of the meninges
meningitis: inflammation of the meninges
meningomyelocele: protrusion of the meninges and spinal cord
microcephaly: small head; congenital condition where the brain and skull are too small
monoparesis: mild paralysis of one (limb)
mononeuropathy: disease affecting a single nerve
multiple sclerosis: disease of plaques (hardened areas) in the brain and demyelination
myelitis: inflammation of the spinal cord
myelomalacia: softening of the spinal cord
myelomeningocele: protrusion (herniation) of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord through a hole in the skull or vertebrae
neuralgia: pain in a nerve
neuritis: inflammation of the nerves
neuroarthropathy: disease of the nerves and joints
neuroma: tumor of nerve tissue
neuropathy: disease of nerve fibers
panplegia: total paralysis
paralysis: destruction of nerves in the spinal cord; loss of muscle functions
paraplegia: paralysis of the lower extremities and often the lower body trunk
paresthesia: loss of sensation, numbness
plegia: paralysis
polyneuritis: inflammation of many nerves
polyneuropathy: disease of many nerves
poliomyelitis: inflammation of the gray matter in the spinal cord and brain
preictal: occurs before a seizure or attack
psychopathy: disease of the mind
psychosis: abnormal condition of the mind
psychosomatic: pertaining to the mind and body
psychotic disorder: a disorder pertaining to the mind
quadriplegia: paralysis of four limbs; can also include the trunk
radicotomy: incision into a nerve root
radiculitis: inflammation of the nerve roots
radiculopathy: disease of the nerve roots
ryizomeningomyelitis: inflammation of the nerve root, meninges, and spinal cord
subarachnoid hemorrhage: bleeding into the area between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater
subdural hematoma: blood-filled tumor pertaining to below the dura mater
Disease and Disorder Terms Not Built from Word Parts
Alzheimer’s disease: a dementia disorder caused by plaques and degeneration of the myelin in the central nervous system
Guillain-Barre syndrome: disease causing demyelination of the peripheral nerves
Parkinson’s disease: central nervous system disease causing dopamine deficiency