MS Glossary A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T V X Z A Acute Rapid, sudden, not chronic Adrenal Gland Glands in the upper part of the abdomen which produce and secrete vital hormones Afferent Designating nerves or neurons that convey impulses from sense organs and other receptors to the brain or spinal cord Amantadine Prescribed for fatigue Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) Is a brace, that is made of plastic and worn on the lower leg and foot to support the ankle and assist with foot drop. Aspiration The inhalation of food and/or fluids into lungs. Aspiration Pneumonia Inflammation of the lungs due to aspiration (see above) Assistive Devices Tools that are designed to assist a person in mobility and independence such as a walker, cane, or wheelchair. Ataxia Shaky movements and unsteady gait that results from the brain's failure to regulate the body's posture and the strength and direction of limb movements Atrophy The wasting away of a normally developed organ or tissue due to degeneration of cells. Autoimmune Disease Process in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, tissues, and organs Avonex Prescribed to slow the accumulation of physical disability and decrease the frequency of exacerbations Ataxia Lack of muscle coordination Axon Extension of a nerve cell (like cord leading away from an electrical socket B B-Cell A white blood cell that is manufactured in the bone marrow Babinski Sign Reflex response in which the big toe turns up instead of down when the foot is scratched with a pin Baclofen Prescribed for spasticity Betaseron Prescribed to reduce the frequency of clinical exacerbations Blood-Brain Barrier The mechanism whereby the circulating blood is kept separate from the tissue fluids surrounding the brain cells. Botox Prescribed for extreme spasticity, contractures Brain Stem Part lying between the brain and spinal cord Buspar Prescribed for anxiety, depression C Catheter Hollow flexible tube that is inserted into the urinary opening Central Nervous System Consists of the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves originating therefrom Cerebellum The largest part of the hindbrain bulging back behind the pons and medulla oblongata and overhung by the occipital lobes of the cerebrum. The Cerebellum is essential for the maintenance of muscle tone, balance, and the synchronization of activity in groups of muscles Cerebral Cortex The intricately folded layer of the cerebrum. This part of the brain is most directly responsible for consciousness, with essential roles in perception, memory, thought, mental ability, intellect, and is responsible for initiating voluntary activity Cerebrospinal Fluid Clear, colorless liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord Cerebrum The largest and most highly developed part of the brain. The Cerebrum is responsible for the initiation and coordination of all voluntary activity in the body and for governing the functioning of the lower parts of the nervous system Chronic Of long duration, not acute Clinical Finding An observation made by a physician during a medical examination Clonus A rhythmical contraction of a muscle in response to a suddenly applied and then stretched stimulus Cognition The process of knowing and being aware Colace Prescribed for constipation Computed Tomography (CT) A specialized form of X-ray that rotates around the object to be scanned. Also called computerized axial tomography (CAT) Constipation A condition in which bowel evacuations occur infrequently Contraction The shortening of a muscle in response to a motor nerve impulse that generates tension in the muscle Coordination Proper functioning of muscles and nerves to produce a desired result such as walking or standing Copaxone Prescribed to reduce the frequency of relapses Corpus Callosum The broad band of nervous tissue that connects the two cerebral hemispheres Corticosteroid Chemical having properties of the hormone secreted by the adrenal gland Cranial Nerves The 12 pairs of nerves that arise directly from the brain that includes sensory, motor, or parasympathetic fibers to the face and neck Cylert Prescribed for fatigue Cyotec Prescribed for ulcers, neurogenic pain Cystography An x-ray examination of the urinary bladder after the injection of a contrast medium Cystoscopy Examination of the bladder by means of an instrument called the cystoscope that is inserted via the urethra D Dantrium Prescribed for spasticity Decubitus An ulcerated area of the skin caused by continuous pressure on a part of the body - also known as a bed sore Dementia A chronic or persistent disorder of behavior and higher intellectual function including memory disorders, changes in personality, deterioration in personal care, impaired reasoning, and disorientation Demyelination Loss of sheath tissue which covers nerve fibers Detrusor The muscle of the urinary bladder wall Diagnosis Discovering the nature of a disease or disorder and the underlying etiology Dilantin Prescribed for neurogenic pain, seizures, numbness, tingling, burning Diplopia Double vision - the simultaneous awareness of two images of one object Ditropan Prescribed for urinary frequency. (Bladder problems) Dramamine Prescribed for dizziness, vertigo Dysesthesia The abnormal and sometimes unpleasant sensation when the skin is touched Dysarthria Slurring and poorly articulated speech Dysphagia A condition in which the action of swallowing is either difficult to perform or painful E Edema Excessive amount of fluid in the body tissues, also known as dropsy. The swelling may be local or general Elavil Prescribed for depression, neuropathic pain, sleep Electroencephalography (EEG) Technique for recording electrical activity from different parts of the brain Electromyography (EMG) The continuous recording of the electrical activity of a muscle by means of electrodes inserted into the muscle fibers Etiology The study or science of the causes of disease Euphoria A state of optimism, cheerfulness, and well being Evoked Potentials Recordings of the Central Nervous System's responses to sensory pathways (visual, auditory, and general sensory) Exacerbation Appearing of new symptoms or worsening of old symptoms lasting at least 48 hours F Fatigue Mental or physical tiredness Fecal Impaction A condition in which bowel evacuations occur infrequently or in which the feces are hard and small and passage causes difficulty or pain Finger-to-Nose Test Test performed during a neurological exam where the person is asked to close both eyes and touch the tip of the nose with the tip of the index finger Flaccid A decrease in muscle tone and firmness Foot Drop Weakness in the muscles of the ankle and foot that interferes with the ability to walk with a normal heel-toe position which results in the lose of balance and falling Frontal Lobes The anterior part of each cerebral hemisphere extending as far back as the deep central sulcus of its upper and outer surface G Gadolinium An agent that is sometimes injected when a patient is undergoing an MRI. Gadolinium helps to identify active lesions on an MRI Gait The manner in which a person walks. In MS, gait is often unsteady or uncoordinated Ganglia Any structure containing a collection of nerve cell bodies and often also numbers of synapes Gray Matter The darker colored tissues of the central nervous system, composed mainly of the cell bodies of neurons, branching dendrites and glial cells H Hemiparesis Paralysis of one side of the body I Immune System The mechanism of the body that protects against harmful organisms Immunosuppression Suppression of immunological responses. Some immunosuppressive therapies for MS are: Cyclosporin, Methotrexate, and Azathioprine Incidence Number of occurrences and frequency of a disease in the population Incontinence Involuntary voiding Inflammation Reaction to tissue, happens during an exacerbation of inflamed nerves Intention Tremor A palsy or shaking of the hands on attempting to perform a purposeful movement Interferon A Substance in white blood cells that exerts antiviral activity K Klonopin Prescribed for spasticity L Lumbar Puncture The insertion of a needle into the spinal cord permitting withdrawal of spinal fluid M Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Technique for viewing internal organs. MRI's use no radioactive rays Meclizine Prescribed for dizziness and vertigo Medulla Oblongata The extension within the skull of the upper end of the spinal cord, forming the lowest part of the brainstem. The Medulla Oblongata is responsible for the regulation of the heart and blood vessels, respiration, salivation, and swallowing Metamucil Prescribed for constipation Multiple Sclerosis Disease of the Central Nervous System, Please see "What is MS" Myelin The sheath surrounding nerves composed of a fatlike substance N Nerve The structure which transmits impulses to stimuli. Some terminology of nerves is as follows: Afferent: Transmits impulses from the tissue to the brain and spinal cord Autonomic: Nerve in the involuntary nervous system Cerebrospinal: Nerve whose origin is in the brain and spinal cord Efferent: Nerve that transmits impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the organs and tissue of the body Ending: Point at which a nerve enters the structure it supplies and transmits or receives its impulse Motor: Supplies muscles and causes them to contract Parasympathetic: Nerve in the involuntary nervous system such as those supplying the lungs, heart, intestines, etc. Sensory: Nerve that travels toward the spinal cord or brain and transmits sensations such a touch, pain, heat, cold vision, hearing Neuritis Inflammation of the optic nerve supplying the eye Neurologist Physician who specializes in diseases of the Central Nervous System Neuron A nerve, including the cell and the long fiber originating from the cell Nystagmus A rapid, side to side movement of the eyeball O Optic Atrophy Degeneration of the optic nerve Optic Chiasm An X-shaped structure formed by the two optic nerves Optic Nerve The second cranial nerve responsible for vision. The optic nerve passes into the skull behind the eyeball to reach the optic chiasm, after which the visual pathway continues to the cortex of the occipital lobe Optic Neuritis Inflammation and possible degeneration of the main nerve supplying the eye P Pamelor Prescribed for depression, neuropathic pain, sleep Paraparesis Weakness of the lower extremities Paresis Incomplete or partial paralysis Paxil Prescribed for depression Plaque Area of inflamed or demyelinated Central Nervous System tissue Pons Part of the brainstem that links the medulla oblongata and the thalamus, bulging forward in front of the cerebellum. From the front surface, the trigeminal nerves emerge Primary Progressive MS Begins as progressive without attacks (exacerbations) Prognosis Prediction of the future course of a disease Progressive Relapsing MS Shows progression from the beginning but with attacks occurring on occasion Prozac Prescribed for depression combined with fatigue R Relapsing Remitting MS Having exacerbations and recovery of some or all function Remission Clearing up of a disease or its symptoms Retinitis Inflammation of the retina of the eye Retrobulbar Injection Injection of corticosteroid injected behind the eye S Secondary Progressive MS MS usually begins as relapsing remitting and starts to progress after each new exacerbation Snellen Chart Chart consisting of rows of capital letters with the letters of each row becoming smaller Solumedrol Prescribed for acute exacerbations and given intravenously Spasticity Prolonged and continued contraction of a muscle Symptom A complaint such as numbness, tingling, etc. Synapse The minute gap in which nerve impulses pass from one neuron to the next T T Cell - (Lymphocytes) White blood cells Tegretol Prescribed for trigeminal neuralgia, neurogenic pain, seizures Transderm Scopolomine Patches Prescribed for dizziness, vertigo Trigeminal Neuralgia Neuritis of the trigeminal (fifth cranial nerve) which causes pain in the facial area V Vertigo Dizziness, especially the feeling that one's surroundings are whirling. Often accompanied by nausea and vomiting Visual Acuity Sharpness of vision. Visual acuity depends on how well objects are illuminated. The most common method of assessing visual acuity is the Snellen Chart, which measures the power of the eye Visual Field The area in front of the eye in which any part of an object can be seen without moving the eye Vitreous Jellylike substance filling the inside of the eyeball X Xanax Prescribed for anxiety, tension, depression Z Zanaflex Prescribed for spasticity Zoloft Prescribed for depression MS Central Support � 2002, 2003, 2004