Traumatic Brain Injury Glossary - A - E
brain injury terms:
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ada terms
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Abducens Nerve - Nerve VI. Supplies lateral rectus, an extrinsic muscle of the eye.
Abnormal - Not normal.
Abscess- Localized collection of pus in a cavity, formed by the disintegration of tissues.
Absence Epilepsy - A type of epilepsy that occurs especially in children and is manifested by a sudden momentary loss of consciousness with minimal motor manifestations.
Abstract Concept - A concept or idea not related to any specific instance or object and which potentially can be applied to many different situations or objects. Persons with cognitive deficits often have difficulty understanding abstract concepts.
Abstract Thinking - Being able to apply abstract concepts to new situations and surroundings.
Acalculia - The inability to perform simple problems of arithmetic.
Accident - See Terms and Definitions Related to Insurance. With respect to prevention of injuries caused by motor vehicles, the preferred term is "crash", rather than accident, so as not to suggest that the event was unavoidable.
Accommodate - To furnish with something desired, needed or suited; also, to use an alternative means.
Acoustic Neuroma - A tumor or new growth which involves the acoustic division of the eighth cranial nerve, largely made up of nerve cells and nerve fibers.
Acuity - Sharpness or quality of a sensation.
Acute Care - Care provided during the very early stages following injury, including surgery and intensive care. Focus is on the patient becoming medically stable.
Acute Rehabilitation Program - Primary emphasis is on the early phase of rehabilitation which usually begins as soon as the patient is medically stable. The program is designed to be comprehensive and based in a medical facility with a typical length of stay of 1-3 months. Treatment is provided by an identifiable team in a designated unit.
Acute - Sharp, severe, having sudden onset, sharp rise and short course; lasting a short time; seriously demanding urgent attention.
Adaptive/Assistive Equipment - A special device which assists in the performance of self-care, work or play/leisure activities or physical exercise.
Adaptive - Developing an individual's strengths and conditioning the ability to overcome a disabling condition.
Adiadochokinesia - Inability to stop one movement and follow it immediately with movement in the opposite direction.
Adipose Tissue - Fatty tissue.
Adjustment Disorder - A maladaptive reaction to an identifiable psychological stressor. May be severe, but is usually resolved by therapeutic intervention or by the passage of time.
ADL - Activities of daily living. Routine activities carried out for personal hygiene and health (including bathing, dressing, feeding) and for operating a household.
Advocacy Organization - A group or nonprofit entity which provides resource information, support services and/or educational opportunities for individuals or families in need, and makes those needs known to professional care-givers as well as to the general public.
Affect - The observable emotional tone characteristic of each person's presentation. Affect is depressed in dysthymia, elevated in elation. Affect may be described as "flat", "blunted", or "inappropriate" to the situation.
Affective Disorders - Mental illnesses characterized mainly by abnormalities in mood. The two principal categories are mania and depression
Afferent - Sensory pathway proceeding toward the central nervous system from the peripheral receptor organs.
Agnosia - A defect in the ability to recognize and interpret complex stimuli caused by lesion in the angular gyrus.
Agnosia - Failure to recognize familiar objects although the sensory mechanism is intact. May occur for any sensory modality.
Agraphia - Inability to express thoughts in writing.
Akinetic Mutism - A condition of silent, alert-appearing, immobility that characterizes certain subacute or chronic states of altered consciousness. Sleep-wake cycles have been retained, but no observable evidence for mental activity is evident; spontaneous motor activity is lacking; person appears to be aware but inactive. Exhibited by persons with high brain stem lesions.
Akinetic Seizure - A momentary loss of muscle tone throughout the body resulting in falls.
Alert - State of being watchful or ready.
Alexia - Inability to read, usually due to lesions of the visual cortex.
Alpha Rhythm - A uniform rhythm of brain waves in the normal electroencephalogram, with an average frequency of about 8 to 13 cps.
Alter - To make different without changing into something else.
Alzheimer's Disease - Pre-senile or senile dementia with progressive mental impairment. Characterized pathologically by the presence of excessive neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques.
Amaurosis Fugax - Temporary impairment or loss of vision (blindness) in one eye due to impairment of blood supply through the internal carotid artery or the ophthalmic artery.
Ambulate - To walk.
Amnesia - A defect in memory, usually for a period of time or certain events. Anterograde amnesia is not remembering from the point of stress forward; retrograde amnesia is being unaware of events happening before the point of stress. See also: post-traumatic amnesia.
Amygdaloid Body - A small gray mass of several small nuclei located in the roof of the terminal part of the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle.
Anaplasia - A characteristic of tumor tissue in which there is a loss of differentiation of cells (dedifferentiation), of their orientation to one another, and to their axial framework and relationship to blood vessels. The degree of anaplasia is related to the malignancy of the tumor.
Aneurysm - A balloon-like deformity in the wall of a blood vessel. The wall weakens as the balloon grows larger, and may eventually burst, causing a hemorrhage.
Angiography - A method of following and recording the blood supply of a given organ by x-ray recording of a radio-opaque dye injected into an artery.
Anomia - Inability to recall names of objects. Persons with this problem often can speak fluently but have to use other words to describe familiar objects.
Anomia - The inability to name objects caused by aberrant brain function.
Anosmia - Loss of the sense of smell.
Anoxia - A lack of oxygen. Cells of the brain need oxygen to stay alive. When blood flow to the brain is reduced or when oxygen in the blood is too low, brain cells are damaged.
Anterior - Before or toward the front.
Anterior Cerebral Artery - An artery originating from the internal carotid artery serving principally the frontal lobe, corpus callosum, olfactory and optic tracts. Branches include the anterior communicating, ganglionic, commissural, and hemispheral arteries.
Anterior Commissure - A band of fibers that passes transversely through the lamina terminalis and connects the basal portions of the two cerebral hemispheres.
Anterior Communicating Artery - An artery that originates from the anterior cerebral artery, supplies the caudate nucleus, and helps form the anterior part of the circle of Willis.
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Anterograde Amnesia - Inability to consolidate information about ongoing events. Difficulty with new learning.
Anticholinergic Drugs - Drugs which block the passage of nerve impulses through the parasympathetic nerves.
Anticoagulation - Process of slowing down normal blood clotting and thus preventing blood clots from forming. Sometimes referred to as "thinning the blood". Common medications utilized to accomplish this are Coumadin and Heparin.
Anticonvulsant - Medication used to decrease the possibility of a seizure (e.g., Dilantin, Phenobarbital, Mysoline, Tegretol).
Antidepressants - Medication used to treat depression.
Apallic Syndrome - This is an older, non-specific term.) The behavior that accompanies diffuse bilateral degeneration of the cerebral cortex that sometimes follows anoxic brain injury. It describes patients with absent cortical function but with relatively intact brain stem function. See Persistent Vegetative State.
Apathy - Lack of interest or concern.
Aphasia (or Dysphasia) - Loss of the ability to express oneself and/or to understand language. The inability to speak (expressive aphasia or dysphasia) or comprehend (receptive aphasia or dysphasia) written and/or spoken language due to cerebral disorder. Caused by damage to brain cells rather than deficits in speech or hearing organs.
Aphasia, Expressive - Inability to find of formulate the words to express oneself even though knowing what one wants to say.
Aphasia, Fluent - Characterized by spontaneous use of language at normal speed that conveys little meaning.
Aphasia, Global - Severely limited residual ability to communicate with others. Includes both expressive and receptive aphasia.
Aphasia, Non-fluent - Characterized by awkward articulation, limited vocabulary, hesitant, slow speech output, restricted use of grammatical forms and a relative preservation of auditory comprehension.
Aphasia, Receptive - Problems in understanding what others attempt to communicate.
Aphasia, Subclinical - Refers to evidence of impaired linguistic processing on testing, which is not obvious in casual interactions with the person.
Aphemia - The isolated loss of the ability to articulate words without loss of the ability to write or comprehend spoken language.
Aphonia (Dysphonia) - Loss of voice due to disorder of the larynx or of its neural connection.
Apraxia, Constructional - Inability to assemble, build, draw or copy accurately; not due to apraxia or single movements.
Apraxia, Ideomotor - Deficit in the execution of a movement due to inability to access the instructions to muscles stored by previous motor experience.
Apraxia - The inability to carry out correct voluntary movement commanded for a specific situation (not due to paralysis, sensory changes, or deficiencies in understanding), although the movement may be performed under other circumstances. Results from dissociation of parts of the cerebrum and is often associated with parietal lobe lesion.
Aqueduct of Sylvius (Cerebral Aqueduct) - A narrow canal, about three-quarters of an inch long, that connects the third and fourth ventricles.
Arachnoid Mater - A thin and rather insubstantial membrane covering of the brain and spinal cord lying between the dura mater and the pia mater.
Arachnoid - The middle layer of the meninges of the brain; so-named ("like a cobweb") because of its delicate network of tissue.
Arachnoid Villus - A microscopic projection of the arachnoid tissue into the venous sinuses. Arachnoid villi absorb CSF.
Arcuate Fasciculus - A bundle of fibers which connects the superior and middle frontal convolutions with the temporal lobe and temporal pole.
Arousal - Being awake. Primitive state of alertness managed by the reticular activating system (extending from medulla to the thalamus in the core of the brain stem) activating the cortex. Cognition is not possible without some degree of arousal.
Art Therapy - Use of art techniques such as painting, crafts and group activities to develop motor skills, perceptual abilities and self-esteem.
Arterial Line - A very thin tube (catheter) inserted into an artery to allow direct measurement of the blood pressure, the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide in blood.
Arteriosclerosis - A condition marked by loss of elasticity, thickening, and hardening of the arteries.
Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) - A "tangle" of blood vessels present from birth which may be prone to bleeding.
Arteriovenous Malformation - An abnormal formation of arteries and veins. It may be only a small tangle of vessels or a large collection of abnormal vessels occupying a large area. This "tangle" of blood vessels present from birth may be prone to bleeding.
Artery - A blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood.
Articulation - Movement of the lips, tongue, teeth and palate into specific patters for purposes of speech. Also, a movable joint.
Aspiration - When fluid or food enters the lungs through the wind pipe. Can cause a lung infection or pneumonia.
Associated Reaction - A non-purposeful movement that accompanies another movement (e.g., patient's arm may bend involuntarily when the patient yawns).
Association Fibers - Fibers which connect various cortical portions of the same cerebral hemisphere.
Astereognosis - The inability to discriminate shape, texture, weight, and size of objects by touch. Often occurs with parietal lobe lesion.
Astrocytoma - An intrinsic tumor of the brain that arises from star-shaped cells (astrocytes) of the neuroglia.
Ataxia - A problem of muscle coordination not due to apraxia, weakness, rigidity, spasticity or sensory loss. Caused by lesion of the cerebellum or basal ganglia. Can interfere with a person's ability to walk, talk, eat, and to perform other self care task.
Atherosclerosis - A degenerative process of arteries in which there are fatty deposits and degeneration of the inner lining of the vessel which, in turn, may lead to narrowing of the lumen of the vessel.
Athetosis - Involuntary, purposeless, disordered movements, caused by a brain lesion, in which there is a constant recurrence of slow writhing movements of the hands and feet.
Atrophy - A wasting away or decrease in size of a cell, tissue, organ, or part of the body caused by lack of nourishment, inactivity or loss of nerve supply.
Attendant Care - Provision of assistance in activities of daily living for a person with disability. Daily number of hours of required assistance, either physical or supervisory.
Attention, Alternating - The ability to move attention appropriately from one area to another. It requires directional control, as well as capacity.
Attention/Concentration - The ability to focus on a given task or set of stimuli for an appropriate period of time.
Attention/Concentration, Arousal - The ability to respond consis-tently to sensory stimulation by eye opening, localizing, and tracking with head or eye movement. To assess a patient's level of arousal one might determine if the patient brushes away pinching fingers; or, if the eyes or head turns to a variety of sensory stimulus.
Attention/Concentration, Distractibility - Refers to the patient's inability to sustain attention because of competing internal or external stimuli. The person with a brain injury may have decreased ability to inhibit competing responses. For example, a restrained patient may focus more on his arm restraint than on a task presented by a therapist; a patient asked to complete arithmetic problems may focus more on construction work taking place outside.
Attention/Concentration, Length - Refers to the length of time a patient is able to focus on a given task. Complexity of task and patient fatigability will affect length of attention (attention span).
Attention, Divided - Refers to an attentional task where the performer must attend to two or more inputs or activities at the same time, e.g., driving an automobile involves watching the road, mirrors, road signs, listening to a passenger or to the radio.
Attention, Selective - Refers to selection of a particular action/task or train of thought, rather than others, as the focus of attention.
Attention Span - The length of time one is able to concentrate on a task at hand.
Attention, Sustained - Refers to a person's ability to work on a particular task or train of though over an extended period of time.
Attention to Task - Ability to focus on a given activity.
Audiologist - One who evaluates hearing defects and who aids in the rehabilitation of those who have such defects.
Audiometry - A method of determining and quantifying the ability to hear a variety and range of pure tones. Hearing is described as a function of the number or cycles per second (CPS or hertz) that can be detected at a particular intensity (decibels).
Auditory Brain Stem Evoked Potentials (ABP) - A method of recording sounds as they are integrated and processed in the brain stem.
Auditory Verbal Dysgnosia - An aphasic deficit characterized by impairment of ability to understand the symbolic significance of verbal communication through the auditory avenue (loss of auditory-verbal comprehension).
Augmentative and Alternative Communication - Use of forms of communication other than speaking, such as: sign language, "yes, no" signals, gestures, picture board, and computerized speech systems to compensate (either temporarily or permanently) for severe expressive communication disorders.
Aura - A period of seizure when sensation is abnormal.
Autoimmune Disorders - Impairment of bodily processes by which immunization is effected.
Automatic Speech - Words said without much thinking on the part of the speaker. These may include songs, numbers, and social communication; or, can be items previously learned through memorization. Spontaneous swearing by individuals who did not do so before their injury is another example.
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) - Component of the central nervous system consisting of two divisions, sympathetic and parasympathetic. The ANS regulates and controls (largely) involuntary functions such as digestion, cardiac functioning, etc. Involves the limbic system of the brain.
Awareness - Conscious of stimulation, arising from within or from outside the person.
Awareness, Deficit - The patient's inability to recognize the problems caused by impaired brain function.
Awareness, Level of - Rating by a qualified observer of the degree to which a patient is perceiving internal and external stimuli.
Axon - The main or core nerve fiber which generally conducts impulses away from the cell body.
Axonotmesis - The nerve is anatomically intact, but there is a complete interruption of all types of nerve fibers with essentially complete motor and sensory loss. The nerve has to recover by axonal regeneration and this starts at the cell body, near or in the spinal column, and progresses outward at approximately 1mm per day. A nerve may not always have only one type of injury. It is possible to have combined types of injuries within a given nerve.
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Babinski Response - Extension (instead of flexion) of the toes on stimulation of the sole of the foot, occurring in persons with lesions of the pyramidal tract.
Bacterial Infection - Infection by minute, one-celled organisms which multiply by dividing in one or more directions.
Balance - The ability to use appropriate righting and equilibrium reactions to maintain an upright position. It is usually tested in sitting and standing positions.
Basal Ganglia - The site of the brain where the extrapyramidal system originates. Includes caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, and putamen; thalamus, subthalamus, substantia nigra, and red nucleus sometimes included.
Basilar Artery - An artery formed by the right and left vertebral arteries which supplies blood to parts of the cerebrum and cerebellum. It supplies blood to many brain stem structures and leads to the right and left posterior cerebral arteries.
Basophil - A granular leukocyte with an irregularly shaped, relatively pale-staining nucleus with cytoplasm that contains coarse bluish-black granules of variable size. Basophils contain vasoactive amines, such as histamine and serotonin, which are released on appropriate stimulation.
Behavior Disorder - Pattern of behavior.
Bell's Palsy - Unilateral facial paralysis of sudden onset, caused by a lesion of the facial nerve.
Benefits - See Terms and Definitions Related to Insurance.
Beta Rhythm - Rhythmic waves in the electroencephalogram that have a smaller amplitude than alpha waves and have an average frequency of about 25 cps.
Bilateral - Refers to using both sides of the body or extremities on both sides.
Bilateral Sensory Stimulation - Stimulation of both sides of the body simultaneously, using touch, hearing, or vision, in order to determine whether an individual perceives the stimulus on one side or the other.
Bilateral Transfer - Facilitation of performance of a task by one hand as a result of having practiced the task with the other hand.
Biofeedback - A process in which information not ordinarily perceived (such as heart rate, skin temperature or electrical activity of muscles) is recorded from a person and then relayed back instantaneously as a signal so that the individual becomes aware of any alteration in the recorded activity. This may help provide some self-control over autonomic functions, such as blood pressure.
Biotechnology - In the most general terms, biotechnology describes guiding natural occurrences to develop useful products. More specifically, it involves using living organism to make products and solve problems.
Bipolar Disorder - A genetically determined condition characterized by extremes of moods, often to psychotic (cf) proportions. Mania may alternate with depression.
Blepharospasm - Spasmodic and frequent blinking of the eyes (tonic spasm of the orbicularis oculi muscle).
Blind - Describes a condition in which a person has lost vision for ordinary life purposes. Generally, anyone with less than 10% of normal vision would be regarded as legally blind.
Blood-Brain Barrier - A process whereby certain substances fail to leave the blood circulation and enter the gray and white matter of the brain. The "barrier" is more of a physiological concept than a defined anatomic structure. In addition, the barrier does not exist at certain sites in the brain, including the pituitary gland, the pineal gland, and choroid plexus.
Blood Dyscrasia - A disorder characterized by an abnormal composition of the blood.
Body Dysgnosia - A deficit, associated with aphasia, in which the subject is impaired in ability to identify body parts.
Brachia Pontis - A pair of peduncles which attach the pons to the overlying cerebellum.
Bradykinesia - A motor disorder, frequently seen in Parkinson's disease, resulting from rigidity of muscles and manifested by slow finger movements and difficulty in fine motor performance, such as writing.
Brain Abscess - A localized collection of pus in a cavity in the brain, formed by the disintegration of tissues
Brain Contusion - A bruise of brain tissue in which there is capillary bleeding.
Brain Death - A state of irreversible coma in which cerebral and brain stem functions are absent.
Brain Electrical Activity Mapping (BEAM) - A computerized interpretation of brain currents incorporating (usually) sound and visual evoked potentials to produce a colored map of brain electrical functioning.
Brain Infection - An invasion of brain tissues by pathogenic organisms in such a way that injury of brain tissue follows with symptoms of illness.
Brain Injury - A more specific term than head injury. Damage to the brain that results in impairments in one or more functions, including: arousal, attention, language, memory, reasoning, abstract thinking, judgment, problem-solving, sensory abilities, perceptual abilities, motor abilities, psychosocial behavior, information processing and speech. The damage may be caused by external physical force, insufficient blood supply, toxic substances, malignancy, disease-producing organisms, congenital disorders, birth trauma or degenerative processes.
Brain Injury, Acquired - The implication of this term is that the individual experienced normal growth and development from conception through birth, until sustaining an insult to the brain at some later time which resulted in impairment of brain function.
Brain Injury, Closed - Occurs when the head accelerates and then rapidly decelerates or collides with another object (for example, the windshield of a car) and brain tissue is damaged, not by the presence of a foreign object within the brain, but by violent smashing, stretching, and twisting, of brain tissue. Closed brain injuries typically cause diffuse tissue damage that results in disabilities which are generalized and highly variable.
Brain Injury, Mild - A patient with a mild traumatic brain injury is a person who has had a traumatically-induced physiological disruption of brain function, as manifested by at least one of the following: 1) any period of loss of consciousness, 2) any loss of memory for events immediately before or after the accident, 3) any alteration in mental state at the time of the accident (e.g., feeling dazed, disoriented, or confused), 4) focal neurological deficit(s) which may or may not be transient; but where the severity of the injury does not exceed the following: a) loss of consciousness of approximately 30 minutes or less; b) after 30 minutes, an initial Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13-15; c) Post Traumatic Amnesia not greater than 24 hours.
Brain Injury, Moderate - A Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9 to 12 during the first 24 hours post injury.
Brain Injury, Penetrating - Occurs when an object (for example a bullet or an ice pick) fractures the skull, enters the brain and rips the soft brain tissue in its path. Penetrating injuries tend to damage relatively localized areas of the brain which result in fairly discrete and predictable disabilities.
Brain Injury, Severe - Severe injury is one that produces at least 6 hours of coma; Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less within the first 24 hours.
Brain Injury, Traumatic - Damage to living brain tissue caused by an external, mechanical force. It is usually characterized by a period of altered consciousness (amnesia or coma) that can be very brief (minutes) or very long (months/indefinitely). The specific disabling condition(s) may be orthopedic, visual, aural, neurologic, perceptive/cognitive, or mental/emotional in nature. The term does not include brain injuries that are caused by insufficient blood supply, toxic substances, malignancy, disease-producing organisms, congenital disorders, birth trauma or degenerative processes.
Brain Lesion - Any pathological or traumatic damage of brain tissue.
Brain Plasticity - The ability of intact brain cells to take over functions of damaged cells; plasticity diminishes with maturation.
Brain Scan - An imaging technique in which a radioactive dye (radionucleide) is injected into the blood stream and then pictures of the brain are taken to detect tumors, hemorrhages, blood clots, abscesses or abnormal anatomy.
Brain Stem - Composed of midbrain, pons and medulla. It is the lower extension of the brain where it connects to the spinal cord. Neurological functions located in the brain stem include those necessary for survival (breathing, heart rate) and for arousal (being awake and alert).
Broca's (motor or expressive) Aphasia - A disturbance of speech or reading caused by a defect in the motor (afferent or effector) apparatus of the brain. Comprehension of speech is usually not affected.
Bruit - A sound or murmur, especially of an abnormal nature, that is heard in auscultation
Bruxism - Tooth grinding, often associated with emotional tension or a temporomandibular joint disorder.
CT Scan/Computerized Axial Tomography - A series of X-rays taken at different levels of the brain that allows the direct visualization of the skull and intracranial structures. A scan is often taken soon after the injury to help decide if surgery is needed. The scan may be repeated later to see how the brain is recovering.
Caloric Testing - A method of testing the integrity of the inner ear (balance) apparatus by injecting warm or cold water into the ear and by recording the duration of the nystagmus this produces.
Calvarium - The cranium, or more specifically, the skull cap.
Capacity, Mental - Refers to the amount of information or mental processing a person can attend to within a given time.
Capillary - A minute blood vessel which connects an arteriole and venule, forming a network in nearly all parts of the body and effecting a transition from arterial to venous blood flow.
Carcinogen - Any substance which produces cancer.
Carcinoma - A malignant new growth (cancer) that tends to infiltrate surrounding tissue and give rise to metastases.
Carotid System - A system of blood circulation to certain parts of the brain deriving from the internal carotid arteries.
Case Management - Facilitating the access of a patient to appropriate medical, rehabilitation and support programs, and coordination of the delivery of services. This role may involve liaison with various professionals and agencies, advocacy on behalf of the patient, and arranging for purchase of services where no appropriate programs are available.
Catheter - A flexible tube for withdrawing fluids from, or introducing fluids into, a cavity of the body. Frequently used to drain the urinary bladder (Foley catheter).
Caudate Nucleus - An elongated, arched mass of gray matter that is adjacent to the lateral ventricle of the brain throughout its entire extent and consists of a head, body, and tail. The caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus, and putamen compose the corpus striatum, which is located in front of the thalamus.
Cavitation - A physio-chemical process resulting in the production of microscopic explosions of gas within the brain following rapid acceleration of the brain inside the skull.
Cellular Pleomorphism - Assumption by cells of various distinct forms. Also, the property of crystallizing in two or more forms.
Central Dysarthria - Impairment of ability to enunciate words, characterized by an omission, addition, or transposition of syllables.
Central Fissure (Rolandic fissure) - A fissure is a deep fold in the cerebral cortex which involves the entire thickness of the brain wall. The central fissure is the deep fold between the frontal and parietal lobes.
Central Nervous System - The brain and spinal cord.
Cerebellar Fits - Episodes of decerebrate rigidity usually associated with large midline cerebellar masses.
Cerebellum - The portion of the brain (located at the back) which helps coordinate movement. This structure is in between the undersurface of the occipital lobe and the brain stem, largely concerned with the regulation and control of the muscular tone, coordination, movement, posture, and gait. Damage may result in ataxia.
Cerebral Angiogram - A procedure of visualization of blood vessels of the brain, using x-rays taken after injection of radiopaque material into the arterial blood stream.
Cerebral Angiography - A medical test involving injection of dye into an artery so that the vascular system of the brain can be studied through an x-ray; can detect aneurysms, tumors, or circulation problems.
Cerebral Anoxia - A condition in which the cells of the brain do not have (or cannot utilize) sufficient oxygen to perform normal functions.
Cerebral Atrophy - A wasting away or diminution in the size of cells or tissue structures of the brain.
Cerebral Blood Flow - The rate of blood flow through the brain, which may be measured by various techniques and determined for various regions of the brain.
Cerebral Compression - The brain substance is pushed aside and compressed by the presence of a brain tumor, aneurysm, swelling or hematoma.
Cerebral Cortex - The thin surface layer of gray matter (nerve cell bodies) that forms the outer surface of the cerebrum.
Cerebral Edema - Any extra-cerebral condition that increases cerebral blood volume, such as a low blood content (hypoxia) and a high carbon dioxide content (hypercapnia).
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Cerebral Embolism - A sudden blocking or obstruction of an artery or vein by a clot which has been brought to the position of blockage by the current of blood flow.
Cerebral Hemisphere - The large structure representing either half of the cerebrum.
Cerebral Hemorrhage - Bleeding of a blood vessel within the cerebrum.
Cerebral Infarct - When the blood supply is reduced below a critical level to a specific region of the brain and the brain tissue in that region dies.
Cerebral Lateralization - The concept that left and right sides of the brain have different but overlapping and integrated functions determining certain personality traits, creativity, and other qualities.
Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA or stroke) - An embolism, infarct, or hemorrhage of a cerebral vessel.
Cerebral Vascular Insufficiency - Lack of a sufficient supply of blood (which can be due to many factors) for the brain to perform its normal functions.
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) - The fluid contained within the cerebral ventricles, subarachnoid sinus, and the central canal of the spinal cord. It acts as a water cushion to protect the brain and spinal cord from shock.
Cerebrum - The paired cerebral hemispheres.
Chemically Dependant - Addicted to chemical agents such as prescription medicines, drugs or alcohol.
Chemotherapy - The treatment of a condition such as cancer by the systematic administration of chemical compounds.
Chest Tubes - Tubes inserted into the patient's chest between the lung and rubs to allow fluid and air to drain from the area surrounding the lungs. Removing this fluid and air from around the lungs allows them to more fully expand.
Chiasm - A crossing or decussation of parts. The optic chiasm refers to the crossing of fibers of the optic nerve, forming the optic tract, that lies on the ventral surface of the brain.
Chordoma - A malignant tumor which arises from the embryonic remains of the notochord.
Chorea - Involuntary, jerking, irregular writhing movements usually of limbs, often indicative of CNS disease.
Choreiform Movements - Movements that occur in the various forms of chorea which consist of rapid, highly complex, jerky movements that appear to be well coordinated but are performed involuntary and go on continuously in a variety of expressions.
Choreoathetotic Movements - Movements of both a choreic and athetoid nature. Athetosis is marked by ceaseless occurrence of slow, sinuous, writhing movements that are involuntary and may be particularly severe in the hands.
Choroid Plexus - A highly vascularized fold of the pia matter in the third, fourth, and lateral ventricles that secretes the cerebrospinal fluid.
Chronic Care - Long-term care for those individuals who require care; a maintenance program to prevent deterioration of skills, and to provide recreational and social opportunities in a structured environment. Emphasis is on sustaining a reasonable quality of life, and expectations regarding improvements in abilities are limited.
Chronic - Marked by long duration or frequent recurrence.
Cingulate Gyrus - A convolution (gyrus) which is arch-shaped and closely adjacent to the surface of the corpus callosum, from which it is separated by the callosal sulcus.
Circle of Willis - A circular system of cerebral arteries formed principally by the internal carotid, the anterior and posterior cerebral arteries, and the posterior communicating arteries.
Circumlocution - Use of other words to describe a specific word or idea which cannot be remembered.
Cisternography - Radiographic visualization of the basal cisterns of the brain after injection of a contrast substance.
Claim - See Terms and Definitions Related to Insurance.
Cleft Lip - Specific congenital anomaly involving incomplete fusion of the lip and gum in the midline of the face. The term "hare lip" is anatomically incorrect and possibly stigmatizing.
Client - A person under the protection of another, one who engages the professional advice or services of another. See Consumer and Patient.
Clonus - A sustained series of rhythmic jerks following quick stretch of a muscle.
Closed Head Injury - See Brain Injury, Closed.
Cognition - The conscious process of knowing or being aware of thoughts or perceptions, including understanding and reasoning.
Cognitive - Having to do with functions of knowing, including reasoning ability, memory retrieval, and perception.
Cognitive Impairment - Difficulty with one or more of the basic functions of the brain: perception, memory, attentional abilities, and reasoning skills.
Cognitive/Intellectual Development - Refers to the process wherein an individual acquires both the intellectual and executive functions, and manner of reasoning which characterize the species. In humans, this process moves from a state of essentially no capacity to reason (even at the simple level of understanding of cause and effect) to the eventual acquisition of the ability to think and reason abstractly.
Cognitive Rehabilitation - Therapy programs which aid persons in the management of specific problems in perception, memory, thinking and problem solving. Skills are practiced and strategies are taught to help improve function and/or compensate for remaining deficits. The interventions are based on an assessment and understanding of the person's brain-behavior deficits and services are provided by qualified practitioners.
Cogwheeling - A phenomenon that occurs among patients with Parkinson's disease in which a muscle, when passively stretched, develops a degree of hypertonicity and resistance, occurring in the form of irregular jerkiness of movement.
Coinsurance - See Terms and Definitions Related to Insurance.
Collagen - The protein substance of white (collagenous) fibers of connective tissue.
Collateral Sprouting - Intact axons located near damaged areas may sprout to reestablish connections with, and in place of damaged areas; cannot be assured that the new connections function exactly as their damaged neighbors did.
Colloid Cyst - A cyst that occurs particularly in the third ventricle and contains jelly-like material.
Coma - A state of unconsciousness from which the patient cannot be awakened or aroused, even by powerful stimulation; lack of any response to one's environment. Defined clinically as an inability to follow a one-step command consistently; Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less.
Coma Management Program - See Program/Service Types.
Coma Vigil - A patient who has no meaningful interaction with his or her environment but exhibits sleep and wake cycles, spontaneous respiration and heart beat. See Persistent Vegetative State.
Commensurate Wage - A wage paid to a disabled worker which is comparable to wages paid to a non-disabled worker in the vicinity, performing similar work at a specific qualify level, with the quantity factor being the main variable.
Communicating Hydrocephalus - Hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is an abnormal accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid within the skull. Communicating hydrocephalus is a condition in which there is no obstruction in the ventricular system and cerebrospinal fluid is able to pass out of the brain but is not re-absorbed.
Communicative Disorder - An impairment in the ability to 1) receive and/or process a symbol system, 2) represent concepts or symbol systems, and/or 3) transmit and use symbol systems. The impairment may be observed in disorders of hearing, language, and/or speech processes.
Community Alternatives - Agencies, outside an institutional setting, which provide care, support, and/or services to persons with disabilities.
Community Based Programs - Programs for disabled which are located in a community environment, as opposed to an institutional setting.
Community Resources - Public or private agencies, schools, or programs offering services, usually of a social nature, to the public. They are usually funded by governmental bodies, community drives, donations, and fees.
Community Skills - Those abilities needed to function independently in the community. They may include: telephone skills, money management, pedestrian skills, use of public transportation, meal planning and cooking.
Compensation Neurosis - An outdated term sometimes (erroneously) confused with traumatic neurosis and referring to a set of ill-defined symptoms that arise in the context of a potential for benefit deriving from an accident.
Competitive Bid - An agreement to perform specified work under specified conditions and for a specified price which has been determined through the use of the same cost estimating procedures as those of competitive private industrial concerns.
Comprehension - Understanding of spoken, written, or gestural communication.
Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT scan) - An x-ray technique which photographs serial "slices" of tissue, producing detailed scanning.
Concentration - Maintaining attention on a task over a period of time; remaining attentive and not easily diverted.
Concrete Thinking - A style of thinking in which the individual sees each situation as unique and is unable to generalize from the similarities between situations. Language and perceptions are interpreted literally so that a proverb such as "a stitch in time saves nine" cannot be readily grasped.
Concussion - A reversible paralysis of nervous functions following brain trauma, usually involving a transient loss of consciousness and/or a transient state of confusion. The common result of a blow to the head or sudden deceleration usually causing an altered mental state, either temporary or prolonged. Physiologic and/or anatomic disruption of connections between some nerve cells in the brain may occur. Often used by the public to refer to a brief loss of consciousness.
Confabulation - The involuntary production of a false or pseudomemory to cover a fundamental defect of memory; arises from brain tissue impairment.
Confusion - A state wherein thinking lacks clarity, direction, and the ability to attend and concentrate.
Congenital Disability - A disability that has existed since birth but is not necessarily hereditary. The term birth defect is less desirable.
Congenital Lesions - Lesions present at or dating from birth.
Conjugate Movement - Both eyes move simultaneously in the same direction. Convergence of the eyes toward the midline (crossed eyes) is a disconjugate movement.
Consciousness - The state of awareness of the self and the environment.
Constructional Dyspraxia - Impaired ability to deal with spatial relationships either in a two- or three-dimensional framework. This symptom is commonly manifested by impaired ability to copy simple shapes, such as a cross.
Consumer, Health Care - An individual who, by reason of disability, is eligible for, may require, has received, or is the recipient of some kind of human service, including such services as medical, rehabilitation, housing, transportation. (Also, see Client and Patient.)
Continent - The ability to control urination and bowel movements.
Contracture - Loss of range of motion in a joint due to abnormal shortening of soft tissues.
Contralateral - Opposite Side.
Contrecoup - Bruising of the brain tissue on the side opposite where the blow was struck.
Control of Attention - Control refers to a person's ability to guide the selective process by directing and organizing whatever attentional capacity he or she has.
Contusion, Brain - A bruise. The result of a blow to the head which bruises the brain.
Contusions - Microscopic or visible hemorrhages into tissue; a bruise. Following head injury, contusions occur more often in frontal and temporal poles of the brain.
Convergence - Movement of two eyeballs inward to focus on an object moved closer. The nearer the object, the greater is the degree of convergence necessary to maintain single vision.
Conversion Disorder (Conversion Hysteria) - A psychiatric condition in which aberrant bodily functioning arises from psychologic conflict or need. Coded 300.11.
Coping Skills - The ability to deal with problems and difficulties by attempting to overcome them or accept them.
Core Therapies, Brain Injury - Basic therapy services provided by professionals on a brain injury rehabilitation unit. Usually refers to nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, neuropsychology, social work and therapeutic recreation.
Cortical Blindness - Loss of vision resulting from a lesion of the primary visual areas of the occipital lobe. Light reflex is preserved.
Coup Damage - Damage to the brain at the point of impact.
Cranial Nerves - Twelve very important nerves which originate in the midbrain and which innervate structures in the head, neck and some body organs.
I. Olfactory Smell
II. Optic Vision
III. Oculomotor Eye movement and parasympathetic pupil constriction
IV. Trochlear Eye movement
V. Trigeminal Sensation (other than taste) from the face and mouth and motor to the muscles used in chewing.
VI. Abducens Eye movement
VII. Facial Motor to the facial muscles, parasympathetic innervation of tear glands and other minor glands, taste sensation from the front 2/3 of the tongue
VIII. Vestibulocochlear Hearing and equilibrium
IX. Glossopharyngeal Taste from the rear third of the tongue, the gag reflex, sensation from the ear and middle ear, swallowing
X. Vagus Parasympathetic innervation of organs in the chest and abdomen, transmits information from the carotid and aortic bodies, which sense blood pressure, motor to muscles used in speech, swallowing
XI. Accessory Sternocleidomastoid muscle and trapezium muscles
XII. Hypoglossal Motor to tongue muscles
Cue - A signal or direction used to assist a person in performing an activity (telling a person the initial of your first name serves as a cue when he cannot remember your name).
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Dance/Movement Therapy - The use of movement to music as a process which enhances, facilitates and integrates physical, cognitive and psychosocial function.
Day Care - A service provided during ordinary working hours for the person who requires supervision, including assistance with medication, meal preparation, dressing or moving about. However, the family returns the person to their residence and assumes responsibility for care during the evenings and at night.
Day Treatment Program - See Program/Service Types.
Deaf - Deafness refers to a profound degree of hearing loss that prevents understanding of speech received through the ear. Hearing impaired is the generic term preferred by some individuals to refer to any degree of hearing loss from mild to profound. It includes both hard of hearing and deaf. Hard of hearing refers to a mild to moderate hearing loss that may or may not be corrected with amplification.
Decerebrate Posture (Decerebrate Rigidity) - Exaggerated posture of extension as a result of a lesion to the prepontine area of the brain stem, and is rarely seen fully developed in humans. In reporting, it is preferable to describe the posture seen.
Decubitus - Pressure area, bed sore, skin opening, skin breakdown. A discolored or open area of skin damage caused by pressure. Common areas most prone to breakdown are buttocks or backside, hips, shoulder blades, heels, ankles and elbows.
Decussation - Branching or splitting into two divergent pathways, as at the optic chiasma.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) - A blood clot in a vein, located deep from the skin, most commonly seen in the calf or thigh. Veins lying just beneath the skin are called superficial veins.
Deficit, Functional - A deficiency in amount or quality of functioning.
Deinstitutionalization - A concept which has three interrelated processes: 1) avoiding placement in a public institution by developing, finding, and using alternative community methods of care and training; 2) return to the community of those residents who can function appropriately and who can benefit from community-based rehabilitation and training programs; and 3) establishment and maintenance of a responsible institutional environment which protects the human and civil rights of persons with disability and which contributes to the appropriate and prompt return of the individual to the community.
Delirium - A state of confusion often associated with hallucinations and hyperactivity, in which the patient is inaccessible to normal contact.
Dementia - A general loss of intellectual abilities of sufficient severity to interfere with social or occupational functioning. Emotions, personality, and behavior are invariably affected. Caused by an organic brain lesion.
Dendrite - A fine branching process of the nerve cell which conducts a nerve impulse from the cell body to the structure(s) supplied by the nerve, or toward the cell body.
Depression (Dysthymia) - An abnormal lowering of mood of psychologic or physiologic origin which is more prolonged than mourning and is time-limited and related to a specific loss.
Dermatomes - The characteristic distribution of sensory innervation on the skin of the body and the limbs.
Development - (In general) Refers to the process wherein an organism changes over maturation, according to specifically designed programs encoded in its individual genetic code. In normal development, this code is presumed to reflect the typical development code of the species, with some room for idiosyncratic variation within an anticipated range. In general, development in each of the various areas identified proceeds at a rate consistent with, and supportive of, the development of other areas, and appears as an integrated, interactive process.
Developmental Disability - Any mental and/or physical disability that has an onset before age 22 and may continue indefinitely. It can limit major life activities. Term includes individuals with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy (and other seizure disorders), sensory impairments, congenital disabilities, traumatic accidents, or conditions caused by disease (e.g., polio, muscular dystrophy).
Diagnostic Overshadowing (Concept) - Once a diagnosis is made of a major condition (such as TBI) there is a tendency to attribute all other problems to that diagnosis, thereby leaving other co-existing conditions undiagnosed.
Diaschisis - A theoretical state following brain injury in which healthy areas connected to the damaged area show a temporary loss of function.
Diencephalon - So called "midbrain" or interbrain connected to the cerebral hemisphere; contains pituitary gland.
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI) - A shearing injury of large nerve fibers (axons covered with myelin) in many areas of the brain. It appears to be one of the two primary lesions of brain injury, the other being stretching or shearing of blood vessels from the same forces, producing hemorrhage.
Diffuse Brain Injury - Injury to cells in many areas of the brain rather than in one specific location.
Diplegia - Paralysis of corresponding parts on both sides of the body, such as both arms.
Diplopia - Double vision. A muscle imbalance between the eyes causes stimulus to be received in different parts of the retina.
Disability - Any restriction or lack (resulting from an impairment) of ability to perform an activity in a manner or within the range considered normal for a human being.
Disability - Inability or limitation in performing tasks, activities and roles in the manner or within the range considered normal for a person of the same age, gender, culture, and education. It may refer to a physical, mental, or sensory condition.
Disadvantaged Individual - Any individual constrained by reason of physical or mental disability, youth, advanced age, low educational attainment, ethnic or cultural factors, prison or delinquency records, or any other condition, especially in association with poverty.
Discipline - When referring to health care or education it means a particular field of study, such as medicine, occupational therapy, nursing, recreation therapy or others.
Discrimination, Auditory - The ability to differentiate and recognize sounds. This involves distinguishing between words, noises, and sounds that might be similar. A person with poor auditory discrimination might answer the phone in his room although the actual ringing came from an alarm clock.
Discrimination, Sensory - A process requiring differentiation of two or more stimuli.
Discrimination, Tactile - The ability to identify and distinguish between objects and stimuli solely through touch. This involves the ability to ascertain shape, size, and texture. For example, persons with impaired tactile discrimination might not be able to distinguish between a quarter and a dime in their pocket.
Discrimination, Visual - Involves the differentiation of items using sight. An individual with impaired visual discrimination may not be able to distinguish between a red and green light while driving or may have difficulty distinguishing between the letter "E" and the letter "F".
Disinhibition - Inability to suppress (inhibit) impulsive behavior and emotions.
Disorientation - Not knowing where you are, who you are, or the current date. Health professionals often speak of a normal person as being oriented "times three" which refers to person, place and time.
Disposition - Plans for where the person will live after discharge from the hospital and who will be able to help that individual.
Distal - Far from the point of reference.
Dizziness - A subjective and imprecise term which could refer to vertigo or a variety of disturbing conditions with a psychological basis.
Doll's Eye Maneuver - The eyes appear to move in the direction opposite to the motion of the head, when the head is gently rotated.
Dorsiflexion - When applied to the ankle, the ability to bend at the ankle, moving the front of the foot upward.
Down's Syndrome - A form of mental retardation and congenital anomalies caused by improper chromosomal division during fetal development.
DSM III-R - The Diagnostic and Statistical manual of the American Psychiatric Association, Third Edition, Revised; the standard guide to the classification of mental disorders. The manual is generally accepted as providing definitive definitions and descriptive (phenomenologic, not based on a particular theory) criteria for a variety of mental disorders.
DSM-IV - The Diagnostic and Statistical manual of the American Psychiatric Association, Fourth Edition; the standard guide to the classification of mental disorders. Specifically address the use of the term mental although acknowledging that there is much "physical" in "mental" disorders and much "mental" in "physical" disorders [Introduction, xxi]. The manual is generally accepted as providing definitive definitions and descriptive (phenomenologic, not based on a particular theory) criteria for a variety of mental disorders.
Dura Mater - The fibrous tough outer sheath surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Dysarthria - Defective articulation due to disorders of the vocal apparatus.
Dysarthria - Difficulty in forming words or speaking them because of weakness of muscles used in speaking or because of disruption in the neuromotor stimulus patterns required for accuracy and velocity of speech.
Dysmetria - Inability to stop a movement at the desired point; also known as past-pointing.
Dysphagia - A swallowing disorder characterized by difficulty in oral preparation for the swallow, or in moving material from the mouth to the stomach. This also includes problems in positioning food in the mouth.
Echolalia - Imitation of sounds or words without comprehension. This is a normal stage of language development in infants, but is abnormal in adults.
Edema - Swelling of the tissues due to oozing of the serum of blood from the vessels into the extravascular spaces.
Education Program - See Program/Service Types.
Effector Neuron - The output nerve component of the reflex arc which transmits a reaction to the end of the organ to which the effector neuron connects.
Efferent - Motor pathway proceeding from the central nervous system toward the peripheral end organs.
Elation - Marked elevation of mood; joyous exaltation, sometimes seen in the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) - The recording made by electrode pads located on the patient's chest to monitor heart rate and rhythm. These are connected to a monitor and used routinely in the intensive care unit.
Electroencephalogram (EEG) - A procedure that uses electrodes on the scalp to record electrical activity of the brain. Used for detection of epilepsy, coma, and brain death.
Electromyography (EMG) - An insertion of needle electrodes into muscles to study the electrical activity of muscle and nerve fibers. It may be somewhat painful to the patient. Helps diagnose damage to nerves or muscles.
Electronystagmography - A method by which eye movements are recorded and by which the origin of nystagmus may be elucidated.
Embolism - The sudden blocking of an artery or a vein by a blood clot, bubble of air, deposit of oil or fat, or small mass of cells deposited by the blood flow.
Emotional Lability - Exhibiting rapid and drastic changes in emotional state (laughing, crying, anger) inappropriately without apparent reason.
Employment Program - See Program/Service Types.
Encephalography - Non-invasive use of ultrasound waves to record echoes from brain tissue. Used to detect hematoma, tumor, or ventricle problems.
Endotracheal Tube - A tube that serves as an artificial airway and is inserted through the patient's mouth or nose. It passes through the throat and into the air passages to help breathing. To do this it must also pass through the patient's vocal cords. The patient will be unable to speak as long as the endotracheal tube is in place. It is this tube that connects the respirator to the patient.
Engram - A lasting mark or trace. The term is applied to the bioelectrical trace associated with storage of a memory in the nervous system.
Environment - The context in which development takes place, including physical properties of stimuli.
Environmental Feedback Loop - Refers to a phenomenon wherein specific environmental influences may influence or alter the process of one or more streams of development. In neurodevelopment this refers to the fact that specific kinds of sensory experience result in specific patterns of synaptic organization in the brain.
Environmental Working Conditions - Those physical surroundings of job/worker situations which make specific demands upon a worker's physical capacity.
Epidural - Outside meningeal layers. In head injuries, a hematoma may form between the dura and the skull.
Epilepsy - A neurologic condition originating in disordered and excessive discharge of cerebral neurons. Synonymous with "convulsive disorder" and "seizure disorder." Consciousness is invariably altered in some manner during the seizure.
Equilibrium - Normal balance reactions and postures.
Equipotentiality - Refers to a hypothetical construct in neuro development which argues that, at very early points in development, all the specific regions of the cortex are sufficiently undifferentiated to permit them equal potential to support the various functions which become localized over time.
Error Correction - Should follow error recognition and refers to the ability to replace an inappropriate response with an appropriate one.
Error Recognition - Refers to a person's awareness that a response is inappropriate for a task. Return of this ability may be reflected by a patient stating, for example, "I know this is wrong", or show a confused, quizzical look after making an inappropriate response.
Euphoria - An abnormal sensation of well-being present even in the presence of distressing circumstances.
Evaluation in a Vocational Training Setting - An evaluation which has the following characteristics: 1) the client is not paid; 2) the existence of an established vocational training program; 3) primarily for the benefit of the client; 4) client's performance supervised and evaluated by the instructional staff in coordination with evaluation staff; and 5) does not necessarily result in entry by the client into that training program.
Evaluation in a Workshop Setting - A process through which the client's work potential is assessed in a controlled area using simulated or actual job tasks to assess ability to relate to demands of the work environment and perform adequately. Has the following characteristics: 1) client may or may not be paid; 2) client is exposed to tasks on which performance can be assessed; 3) client's performance is supervised and evaluated in coordination with the evaluation staff; and 4) existence of established evaluation program.
Evaluation On-The-Job - Contains at least these characteristics: 1) the client is not necessarily paid; 2) it is primarily for the client's benefit; 3) it will not necessarily result in employment; 4) the employer does not experience any immediate gain; 5) the client does not displace or fill any vacant worker slots; and 6) the client's performance is supervised and evaluated by the employer and/or the evaluation staff. The client is given the opportunity to experience, in various degrees of participation, the specific requirements necessary to do the specific job in an actual job setting.
Evaluation Program - Comprehensive assessment of the problems and capabilities of an individual complete with recommendations for dealing with the problems.
Evaluation Tools, Vocational - All of the means and media with which the evaluator and the client carry out vocational evaluation.
Evoked Potential - Registration of the electrical responses of active brain cells as detected by electrodes placed on the surface of the head at various places. The evoked potential, unlike the waves on an EEG, is elicited by a specific stimulus applied to the visual, auditory or other sensory receptors of the body. Evoked potentials are used to diagnose a wide variety of central nervous system disorders.
Evoked Responses, Brain Stem - Auditory brain stem responses provoked by discreet sounds delivered to the ears through headphones. These sound waves are converted to nerve impulses by receptors in the ear. A machine is used to test whether the brain stem has received the signals. The quality of the brain stem's response in a comatose patient is thought to be an important indicator of the degree and site of brain injury. Because this test requires very specialized and expensive equipment, it is not available in all hospitals. A more common test is the EEG.
Executive Functions - Planning, prioritizing, sequencing, self-monitoring, self-correcting, inhibiting, initiating, controlling or altering behavior.
Extended Care Facility - Skilled - A residential facility for the patient who requires 24-hour nursing care (IV, intramuscular injections, special feeding tubes, skin care, oxygen) and rehabilitative therapy, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy on a less intensive basis than as an inpatient in a comprehensive rehabilitation center. An extended care facility can be a short-term alternative (a few months) prior to placement at home (with outpatient therapy) or in a nursing home. See Program/Services Types.
Extended Care Facility - Basic - Residential facility which supplies 24-hour nursing care and supervision and assistance with activities of daily life. See Program/Service Types.
Extension - Outward movements of body parts away from the center of the body (straightening).
Extremity - Arm or leg.
Eye Tape - Tape used to close the eyes of a patient who has lost the ability to blink. To protect the eyes and to prevent them from drying out, eye drops may be put into the eyes and the eye tapes may be used to close them.
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