Health Sciences 1101
Medical Terminology
Module 9
The Endocrine and
Nervous Systems
Endocrine System Basics
Endocrine System Video
Basic Endocrine System Terms
Endo-: Inside
Exo-: Outside
-crine: secretions
Endocrinology: The study of the glands and secretions
that control metabolism, reproduction, sexual growth
and development
Endocrinologist: A specialist in the treatment of
hormone imbalances, such as diabetes mellitus,
thyroid disease, and osteoporosis.
Hormone: Chemical substance produced by specialized
cells of the body and released slowly
into the blood stream
Basic Endocrine System Anatomy Terms
Aden/o: gland
Adren/o or adrenal/o:
adrenal glands
Pancreat/o: Pancreas
Parathyroid/o: parathyroid
glands
Pituitar/o: Pituitary gland
Thym/o: Thymus gland
Thyr/o or throid/o: Thyroid
gland
Basic Endocrine System Terms
Calc/o: calcium
Gluco/o or glyc/o: glucose
Gen or genesis: to create
Toxic/o: poison
-dipsia: thirst
-trophy: development or
nourishment
Acr/o: extremities
-magaly: enlargement
Endocrine System Pathology –
Pituitary Gland
Pituitarism: Any disorder of
the pituitary glands and its
functions
Panhypopituitarism: Total
pituitary impairment that
brings about a progressive
and general loss of
hormonal activity. Pituitary
hormones control function
of the adrenal and thyroid
glands, the testes and
ovaries
Gigantism or dwarfism:
Overproduction or
underproduction of growth
hormone
Endocrine System PathologyAdrenal Glands
Cushing syndrome: Hypersecretion by
the adrenal cortex causes excessive
production of glucocorticoids. Can
be caused by an adrenal tumor.
Addison’s Disease: Damage to the
adrenal glands resulting in a
deficiency in the secretion of
hormones from the adrenal cortex
(adrenocortical hormones)
Pheochromocytoma: A rare tumor of
adrenal gland tissue. It results in the
release of too much epinephrine and
norepinephrine, hormones that
control heart rate, metabolism, and
blood pressure
Endocrine System Pathology –
Thyroid Gland
Hypothyroidism: The thyroid
undersecretes hormones:
Myxedema: advanced
hypothyroidism in adults.
causes edema and increased
blood volume, thereby
increasing blood pressure
Hyperthyroidism: The thyroid
oversecretes hormones
Grave’s disease:
hypersecretion of thyroxine.
Can result in exopthalmos and
toxic goiter.
Endocrine System Pathology Pancreas
Insulinoma: Tumor of the Islet
of Langerhans cells of the
pancreas that secretes insulin
causing low blood sugar.
Type I diabetes: Abrupt onset
in children and young adults
due to failure of pancreas’
islet cells to produce insulin
Type II diabetes: Gradual onset
usually seen in patients over
age 40. Insulin is produced,
but the body’s cells become
insulin-resistant
Endocrine System Diagnosis
and Treatment
Radioactive iodine uptake:
Radioactive iodine is ingested
to determine thyroid function.
The thyroid’s ability to take
up iodine from the blood is
monitored
Lab Tests: Free T4, TSH,
Catacholamines, etc.
Hormone Replacement Therapy:
Use of synthetic hormones to
compensate for hormone
deficiencies
General Nervous System Terms
Neur/o: Nerve
Neurology: The branch of
medicine that concerned
with diagnosis and
treatment of diseases of
the nervous system which
includes the brain, spinal
cord, and peripheral
nerves.
Neurologist: Physician who
provides evaluation,
diagnosis and treatment of
nervous system disorders
Nervous System Anatomy Terms
Cerebr/o: Cerebrum
Encephal/o: Brain
Gli/o: glue or neurological
tissue
Mening/o or meningi/o:
meninges
Myel/o: bone marrow or
spinal cord
Nervous System Physiology
Terms
-paresis: partial paralysis
-phasia: speech
-plegia: paralysis
Deglutition: the act of swallowing
Pruritis: severe itching
Vertigo: the illusion of movement
Formication: the sensation that bugs are crawling on
or under the skin
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Paralysis: loss of muscle
function, loss of sensation
or both. May be caused by
trauma or disease.
Paraplegia: Paralysis of the
lower portion of the body
and both legs. Sensory
and motor control are lost
below the level of injury.
Quadraplegia: Paralysis of all
four extremities and usually
the trunk. Loss of function
can extend to bladder,
bowel and sexual response.
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Palsy: Partial or complete loss
of motor function.
Cerebral palsy: bilateral,
symmetrical, nonprogressive
motor dysfunction. Usually
caused by damage to the
brain during gestation or
from birth trauma
Bell palsy: Facial paralysis
caused by damage to 7th
cranial nerve. It may be
unilateral, bilateral,
transient, or permanent
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Transient ischemic attack:
temporary lack of blood
supply to the brain. Lasts a
few minutes to a few hours.
Cerebrovascular accident
(CVA): Brain tissue damage
usually caused by formation
of a clot or blood leaking
from a ruptured blood
vessel. The resulting
functional deficit depends
on the area of the brain
affected. Also called stroke,
brain attack
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Seizure: Convulsion or
other clinically detectable
even caused by a sudden
discharge of electrical
activity in the brain. Can
be classified as partial or
generalized.
Epileptic Seizure
Grand mal seizure
Epilepsy: Disorder
affecting the central
nervous system,
characterized by
recurrent seizures
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Huntington’s Disease:
Hereditary nervous disorder
caused by the progressive
loss of brain cells, leading to
bizarre, involuntary,
dancelike movements
Parkinson’s Disease: A
progressive, degenerative
neurological disorder
affecting the portion of the
brain responsible for
controlling movement.
Shaking movements
(tremor) often interfere with
voluntary movement
Michael J. Fox Video
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Multiple sclerosis (MS): A
progressive degenerative,
autoimmune disease of the
CNS characterized by a loss
of myelin throughout the
spinal cord and brain
Sciatica: Severe pain in the
leg along the course of the
sciatic nerve
Alzheimer Disease: A chronic
organic mental disorder. A
form of presenile dementia
caused by atrophy of brain
tissue
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Hydrocephalus: Cranial
enlargement caused by
accumulation of fluid within
the ventricles of the brain
Neuroblastoma: A malignant
tumor composed principally
of cell resembling
neuroblasts (nerve-forming
cells). Occurs chiefly in
infants and children
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Spina Bifida: Congenital defect incomplete closure of the spinal
canal. The spinal cord and
meninges may or may not
protrude. Usually occurs in the
lumbosacral area.
Occulta: Most common and least
severe form of this defect
without protrusion of the spinal
cord or meninges
Cystica: More severe form which
involves protrusion of the
meninges (meningocele), spinal
cord (myelocele) or both
(meningomyelocele)
Nervous System Pathology Terms
Poliomyelitis: Inflammation
of the gray matter of the
spinal cord caused by a
virus, commonly resulting
in spinal and muscle
deformity and paralysis
Shingles: Eruption of
painful, inflammatory
vesicles on the trunk of
the body along a
peripheral nerve
Nervous System Diagnosis and
Treatment Terms
Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis:
Cerebrospinal fluid taken
by a lumbar puncture is
evaluated for presence of
blood, bacteria, malignant
cells, white blood cells,
glucose, and protein
Radiologic Studies: PET
scan, CT scan, MRI etc.
Nervous System Diagnosis and
Treatment Terms
Craniotomy: Surgical
procedure to create an
opening in the skull to
relieve intracranial
pressure, to control
bleeding, or to perform
other surgical procedures
on the brain
Thalamotomy: Partial
destruction of the thalamus
to treat psychosis or
intractable pain. Drug
therapy has replaced this
procedure and it is now
rarely performed, if ever