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acute stroke-a stage of stroke
starting at the onset of symptoms and last for a few hours thereafter.
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agnosia-a cognitive disability
characterized by ignorance of or inability to acknowledge one side of
the body or one side of the visual field.
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aneurysm-a weak or thin spot on an
artery wall that has stretched or ballooned out from the wall and
filled with blood, or damage to an artery leading to pooling of blood
between the layers of the blood vessel walls.
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anoxia-a state
of almost no oxygen delivery to a cell, resulting in low energy
production and possible death of the cell; see hypoxia.
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anticoagulants-a drug therapy used
to prevent the formation of blood clots that can become lodged in
cerebral arteries and cause strokes.
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antiplatelet agents-a type of
anticoagulant drug therapy that prevents the formation of blood clots
by preventing the accumulation of platelets that form the basis of
blood clots; some common antiplatelets include aspirin and ticlopidine;
see anticoagulants.
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antithrombotics-a type of
anticoagulant drug therapy that prevents the formation of blood clots
by inhibiting the coagulating actions of the blood protein thrombin;
some common antithrombotics include warfarin and heparin; see
anticoagulants.
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aphasia-the inability to understand
or create speech, writing, or language in general due to damage to the
speech centers of the brain.
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apoplexy-a historical, but obsolete
term for a cerebral stroke, most often intracerebral hemorrhage, that
was applied to any condition that involved disorientation and/or
paralysis.
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apoptosis- a form of cell death
involving shrinking of the cell and eventual disposal of the internal
elements of the cell by the body's immune system. Apoptosis is an
active, non-toxic form of cell suicide that does not induce an
inflammatory response. It is often called programmed cell death
because it is triggered by a genetic signal, involves specific cell
mechanisms, and is irreversible once initiated.
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apraxia-a movement disorder
characterized by the inability to perform skilled or purposeful
voluntary movements, generally caused by damage to the areas of the
brain responsible for voluntary movement.
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arteriography-an X-ray of the
carotid artery taken when a special dye is injected into the artery.
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arteriovenous malformation (AVM)-a
congenital disorder characterized by a complex tangled web of arteries
and veins.
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atherosclerosis-a blood vessel
disease characterized by deposits of lipid material on the inside of
the walls of large to medium-sized arteries which make the artery
walls thick, hard, brittle, and prone to breaking.
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atrial fibrillation-irregular
beating of the left atrium, or left upper chamber, of the heart.
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blood-brain barrier-an elaborate
network of supportive brain cells, called glia, that surrounds blood
vessels and protects neurons from the toxic effects of direct exposure
to blood.
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carotid artery-an artery, located
on either side of the neck, that supplies the brain with blood.
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carotid endarterectomy-surgery used
to remove fatty deposits from the carotid arteries.
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central stroke pain (central pain syndrome)-pain
caused by damage to an area in the thalamus. The pain is a mixture of
sensations, including heat and cold, burning, tingling, numbness, and
sharp stabbing and underlying aching pain.
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cerebral blood flow (CBF)-the flow
of blood through the arteries that lead to the brain, called the
cerebrovascular system.
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cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-clear
fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord.
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cerebrovascular disease-a reduction
in the supply of blood to the brain either by narrowing of the
arteries through the buildup of plaque on the inside walls of the
arteries, called stenosis, or through blockage of an artery due to a
blood clot.
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cholesterol-a waxy substance,
produced naturally by the liver and also found in foods, that
circulates in the blood and helps maintain tissues and cell membranes.
Excess cholesterol in the body can contribute to atherosclerosis and
high blood pressure.
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"clipping"-surgical
procedure for treatment of brain aneurysms, involving clamping an
aneurysm from a blood vessel, surgically removing this ballooned part
of the blood vessel, and closing the opening in the artery wall.
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computed tomography (CT) scan-a
series of cross-sectional X-rays of the brain and head; also called
computerized axial tomography or CAT scan.
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Coumadin-a commonly used
anticoagulant, also known as warfarin.
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cytokines-small, hormone-like
proteins released by leukocytes, endothelial cells, and other cells to
promote an inflammatory immune response to an injury.
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cytotoxic edema-a state of cell
compromise involving influx of fluids and toxic chemicals into a cell
causing subsequent swelling of the cell.
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detachable coil-a platinum coil
that is inserted into an artery in the thigh and strung through the
arteries to the site of an aneurysm. The coil is released into the
aneurysm creating an immune response from the body. The body produces
a blood clot inside the aneurysm, strengthening the artery walls and
reducing the risk of rupture.
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duplex Doppler ultrasound-a
diagnostic imaging technique in which an image of an artery can be
formed by bouncing sound waves off the moving blood in the artery and
measuring the frequency changes of the echoes.
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dysarthria-a language disorder
characterized by difficulty with speaking or forming words.
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dysphagia-trouble eating and
swallowing.
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edema-the swelling of a cell that
results from the influx of large amounts of water or fluid into the
cell.
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embolic stroke-a stroke caused by
an embolus.
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embolus-a free-roaming clot that
usually forms in the heart.
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endothelial wall-a flat layer of
cells that make up the innermost lining of a blood vessel.
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excitatory amino acids-a subset of
neurotransmitters; proteins released by one neuron into the space
between two neurons to promote an excitatory state in the other
neuron.
-
extracranial/intracranial (EC/IC) bypass-a
type of surgery that restores blood flow to a blood-deprived area of
brain tissue by rerouting a healthy artery in the scalp to the area of
brain tissue affected by a blocked artery.
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functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)-a
type of imaging that measures increases in blood flow within the
brain.
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glia-also called neuroglia;
supportive cells of the nervous system that make up the blood-brain
barrier, provide nutrients and oxygen to the vital neurons, and
protect the neurons from infection, toxicity, and trauma. Some
examples of glia are oligodendroglia, astrocytes and microglia.
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glutamate-also known as glutamic
acid, an amino acid that acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter in the
brain.
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hemiparesis-weakness on one side of
the body.
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hemiplegia-paralysis on one side of
the body.
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hemorrhagic stroke-sudden bleeding
into or around the brain.
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heparin-a type of anticoagulant.
-
high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-also
known as the good cholesterol; a compound consisting of a lipid and a
protein that carries a small percentage of the total cholesterol in
the blood and deposits it in the liver.
-
homeostasis-a state of equilibrium
or balance among various fluids and chemicals in a cell, in tissues,
or in the body as a whole.
-
hypertension (high blood pressure)-characterized
by persistently high arterial blood pressure defined as a measurement
greater than or equal to 140 mm/Hg systolic pressure over 90 mm/Hg
diastolic pressure.
-
hypoxia-a state of decreased oxygen
delivery to a cell so that the oxygen falls below normal levels; see anoxia.
-
incidence-the extent or frequency
of an occurrence; the number of specific new events in a given period
of time.
-
infarct-an area of tissue that is
dead or dying because of a loss of blood supply.
-
infarction-a sudden loss of blood
supply to tissue, causing the formation of an infarct.
-
interleukins-a group of
cytokine-related proteins secreted by leukocytes and involved in the
inflammatory immune response of the ischemic cascade.
-
intracerebral hemorrhage-occurs
when a vessel within the brain leaks blood into the brain.
-
ischemia-a loss of blood flow to
tissue, caused by an obstruction of the blood vessel, usually in the
form of plaque stenosis or a blood clot.
-
ischemic cascade-a series of events
lasting for several hours to several days following initial ischemia
that results in extensive cell death and tissue damage beyond the area
of tissue originally affected by the initial lack of blood flow.
-
ischemic penumbra-areas of damaged,
but still living, brain cells arranged in a patchwork pattern around
areas of dead brain cells.
-
ischemic stroke-ischemia in the
tissues of the brain.
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lacunar infarction-occlusion of a
small artery in the brain resulting in a small area of dead brain
tissue, called a lacunar infarct; often caused by stenosis of the
small arteries, called small vessel disease.
-
large vessel disease-stenosis in
large arteries of the cerebrovascular system.
-
leukocytes-blood proteins involved
in the inflammatory immune response of the ischemic cascade.
-
lipoprotein-small globules of
cholesterol covered by a layer of protein; produced by the liver.
-
low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-also
known as the bad cholesterol; a compound consisting of a lipid and a
protein that carries the majority of the total cholesterol in the
blood and deposits the excess along the inside of arterial walls.
-
magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)-an
imaging technique involving injection of a contrast dye into a blood
vessel and using magnetic resonance techniques to create an image of
the flowing blood through the vessel; often used to detect stenosis of
the brain arteries inside the skull.
-
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan-a
type of imaging involving the use of magnetic fields to detect subtle
changes in the water content of tissues.
-
mitochondria-the energy producing
organelles of the cell.
-
mitral annular calcification-a
disease of the mitral valve of the heart.
-
mitral valve stenosis-a disease of
the mitral heart valve involving the buildup of plaque-like material
on and around the valve.
-
necrosis-a form of cell death
resulting from anoxia, trauma, or any other form of irreversible
damage to the cell; involves the release of toxic cellular material
into the intercellular space, poisoning surrounding cells.
-
neuron-the main functional cell of
the brain and nervous system, consisting of a cell body, an axon and
dendrites.
-
neuroprotective agents-medications
that protect the brain from secondary injury caused by stroke.
-
oxygen-free radicals-toxic
chemicals released during the process of cellular respiration and
released in excessive amounts during necrosis of a cell; involved in
secondary cell death associated with the ischemic cascade.
-
plaque-fatty cholesterol deposits
found along the inside of artery walls that lead to atherosclerosis
and stenosis of the arteries.
-
plasticity-the ability to be formed
or molded; in reference to the brain, the ability to adapt to deficits
and injury.
-
platelets-structures found in blood
that are known primarily for their role in blood coagulation.
-
prevalence-the number of cases of a
disease in a population at any given point in time.
-
recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA)-a
genetically engineered form of t-PA, a thrombolytic, anti-clotting
substance made naturally by the body.
-
small vessel disease-a
cerebrovascular disease defined by stenosis in small arteries of the
brain.
-
stenosis-narrowing of an artery due
to the buildup of plaque on the inside wall of the artery.
-
stroke belt-an area of the
southeastern United States with the highest stroke mortality rate in
the
country.
-
stroke buckle-three southeastern
states, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, that have an
extremely high stroke mortality rate.
-
subarachnoid hemorrhage-bleeding
within the meninges, or outer membranes, of the brain into the clear
fluid that surrounds the brain.
-
thrombolytics-drugs used to treat
an ongoing, acute ischemic stroke by dissolving the blood clot causing
the stroke and thereby restoring blood flow through the artery.
-
thrombosis-the formation of a blood
clot in one of the cerebral arteries of the head or neck that stays
attached to the artery wall until it grows large enough to block blood
flow.
-
thrombotic stroke-a stroke caused
by thrombosis.
-
tissue necrosis factors-chemicals
released by leukocytes and other cells that cause secondary cell death
during the inflammatory immune response associated with the ischemic
cascade.
-
total serum cholesterol-a combined
measurement of a person's high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and
low-density lipoprotein (LDL).
-
t-PA-see recombinant tissue
plasminogen activator.
-
transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-a
small magnetic current delivered to an area of the brain to promote
plasticity and healing.
-
transient ischemic attack (TIA)-a
short-lived stroke that lasts from a few minutes up to 24 hours; often
called a mini-stroke.
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vasodilators-medications that
increase blood flow to the brain by expanding or dilating blood
vessels.
-
vasospasm-a dangerous side effect
of subarachnoid hemorrhage in which the blood vessels in the
subarachnoid space constrict erratically, cutting off blood flow.
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vertebral artery-an artery on
either side of the neck; see carotid artery.
-
warfarin-a commonly used
anticoagulant, also known as Coumadin.
