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Cells of the Spinal Cord
Impulse Transmission

Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

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The Body's Primary Response to a SCI

The Body's Secondary Response to a SCI

Effects of SCIs
Initial Treatment of SCIs
Recent Advances in SCI Research

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trophic factors- combination of natural chemicals (21) associated with nutrition (15)

neuroglial cells- specialized cells that protect, support, and aid the neurons. (31)
neurotransmitters- chemicals released at the synapse with other cells. They act as either inhibitors, or exciters to the activities of other cells (21)
blood-brain and blood-spinal-cord barriers- barriers, commonly composed of endothelial cells that line blood vessels, which restrict the entry of immune cells and circulating substances into the brain and spinal cord. Trauma may inhibit the function of these cells causing further damage to the brain and spinal cord, or they may restrict the flow of potentially helpful drugs to the injury(21)
threshold level- the voltage difference great enough to cause the action potential to propagate due to positive feedback (31)
meninges- membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. They include the pia mater (innermost), arachnoid, and dura mater (29)
subarachnoid- the space underneath the arachnoid-serous membrane forming the middle of the three coverings of the brain and spinal cord. (29)
acidosis- a blood condition that results from below normal bicarbonate concentrations in the blood. i.e. acidity of the blood (29)
cell edema - "an accumulation of excess fluid in interstitial spaces" (21).
bradycardia- lower than normal heart rate (29)
ischemia- inadequate blood flow resulting in damage to the brain and spinal cord (21). In a spinal cord injury it results from damage and disruption of the microcirculation to the compressed neural tissue (13).
ATP- adenosine triphosphate- the main energy carrier in cells (bio book) pyruvate -a product of glycolysis (31)
neuronal cytoskeleton- structurally supports the cell, determines the shape of the cell, an organizes and moves the internal cell components (31) (essential for transporting substances along axons (21)
free-radicals- highly reactive chemicals that attack molecules crucial for cell function by capturing electrons thus modifying chemical structures (21)
apoptosis- programmed cell death (13)
proprioception- perception governed by proprioceptors, as awareness of the position of one's body (29)
plantar- of or pertaining to the sole (29)