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Caloric test
A balance test that relies on cooling down or warming up the balance organs. This is achieved by irrigating the ear with cool and then warm water.
Capillaries
The network of fine blood vessels that carry blood between the smallest arteries and smallest veins throughout the body’s tissues and organs.
Carotid-cavernous fistula
An abnormal connection between the main artery supplying your brain and one of the draining veins behind your eyes, which can cause swelling and redness of one eye.
Carotid endarterectomy
This operation removes a narrowing from the carotid artery in the neck, which carries blood to the brain. It aims to reduce the risk of strokes in the future.
Cartoid stenting
This is a procedure in which a tube made of wire mesh (stent) is placed in a narrowed artery to keep it open.
Carotid ultrasound
This uses sound waves to take pictures of the blood vessels in the neck and to show whether there is any narrowing or hardening of the arteries. It is sometimes called a Doppler or Duplex scan.
Catheter
A flexible tube for insertion into a narrow opening so that fluids may be introduced or removed.
Cauda equina
Literally translated this means ‘horse’s tail’. It is a good description of the appearance of the leash of nerves which form the continuation of the spinal cord in the lower part of the spinal canal.
“Central” or neurological causes of vertigo
Dizziness that results from problems in the balance centres of the brain, rather than the ear. This is generally much less common than dizziness caused by peripheral vestibular disorders - that is, due to inner ear problems. Strokes, multiple sclerosis, brain tumours or cysts and deformities of the upper spine or the back of the head are possible causes.
Central nervous system (CNS)
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The central nervous system works together with the peripheral nervous system, which consists of all the nerves that carry signals between the CNS and the rest of the body.
Cerebellum
The part of the brain which controls balance Chronic Long-term or persisting.
Cerebellar ataxia
The cerebellum is part of the back of the brain. It particularly deals with the co-ordination of actions and balance. People who have disease of the cerebellum, which is affected in CJD, become clumsy, shaky (tremulous) in their limbs and develop slurred speech and poor balance.This is termed
‘cerebellar ataxia’.
Cerebral
To do with the brain.
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
The clear watery fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord.
Central post stroke pain
This is a distressing, but fortunately rare, symptom where people feel burning or stabbing pain in their affected arms or legs. It can be treated with drugs that are usually used for depression or epilepsy.
Cerebral haemorrhage
The escape of blood from a ruptured vessel in the brain.
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
A disruption to the blood supply to the brain which leads to a stroke.
Cervical
This term refers to the neck. The cervical spine is that part of the spine which supports the neck and is made up of cervical vertebrae.
Chemonucleolysis
This process involves the injection of a digestive enzyme into the disc nucleus to make it soft, thereby releasing tension in the annulus.
Chemotherapy
The prevention or treatment of a tumour by the use of chemical substances.
Cholesterol
This is a fatty substance which circulates in the blood stream. If your cholesterol level is too high it can cause the arteries to harden, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Chorea
Chorea is the name given to abnormal involuntary movements that result from disturbances in certain parts of the brain.The movements are restless or ‘fidgety’ in nature and may occur in various diseases including Huntington’s disease and CJD.
Chromosome
Found in the nuclei of all cells, chromosomes carry the inherited, genetic information that determines the activity of cells and therefore the growth and functioning of the whole body.
Chronic
Used to describe a pain or disease which lasts for a long time.
Chronic subdural haematoma
Blood and fluid that collects between the brain and the skull and which can
gradually enlarge. This occasionallyoccurs after a head injury.
Circumlocution
Literally meaning ‘talking round’ this describes a strategy that many people with aphasia employ when they experience word-finding difficulties, e.g. ‘an animal with a long neck - not a zebra’ for giraffe.
Clinical
Exchanges between a doctor and patient - history taking, examination and some aspects of treatment - constitute clinical activity.
Clinical psychologist
A specialist who uses the science dealing with the brain and mental processes to assess and treat patients.
Clinical neurophysiologist
A doctor specialising in clinical neurophysiology.
Clinical trials
These trials are used to assess the effectiveness of different forms of treatment, often by comparing the effects of a new treatment with one whose effects are already known.
Cluster headache
A type of migraine in which the attacks of pain are more frequent, more severe and more strictly on one side of the head. Many more men than women are affected.
Colic
A severe pain that comes and goes in waves of intensity that is caused by the contraction of a part of the body. In the intestine, for example, this can by due to obstruction, infection or accumulation of intestinal gas.
Coma
Patients are said to be in a coma if they are unable to obey simple commands, do not utter comprehensible words and do not open their eyes even in response to pain.
Concussion
Brain injury resulting from a head injury where there was loss of consciousness for a limited period (from a few seconds to a few hours)
Congenital
This term refers to a condition which was present at birth, even though it may not have become apparent until later in life.
Congenital malformation
An abnormality that is present at birth, sometimes known as a birth defect. Congenital malformations can be inherited, or can occur as a result of damage or infection in the womb or during birth.
Conservative
This word refers to any non-surgical method of treatment, for example rest, pain killers or physiotherapy.
Contrast
The ‘dye’ given to enhance a scan.
Contrast medium
A substance injected into the spine (or other body part) so that certain structures, e.g. nerves in the spinal canal, show up on X-ray films.
Corticosteroids
A group of drugs similar to the natural corticosteroid hormones produced by the adrenal gland that have a wide variety of uses, including the treatment of inflammation in many disorders.
Craniotomy
An opening made in the bones of your skull by a surgeon to get access to your brain. This is carried out under anaesthetic.
Cryotherapy
The use of cold to treat disease.
CSF
CSF (cerebro-spinal fluid) is a clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord in the skull and spinal column.The body continually renews this fluid by producing and then absorbing it. Among other functions, it helps to support and cushion the brain and spinal cord. The analysis of CSF can be very helpful when diagnosing various neurological diseases including
meningitis, encephalitis and CJD.
CT scan
A computer-aided x-ray used to provide a clear picture of a part of the body, for example the brain, inside of the skull and the ear.
CT/MRI contrast
A dye injected into the veins to improve MRI and CT scan pictures.
Cytoplasm
Each part of the body is made up of specialised units or cells that perform the key functions of that part or system of the body. A cell is made up of two main parts: The nucleus that contains the genes or DNA that controls what individual cells do and the cytoplasm that contains the machinery for making the proteins that cells use or secrete.
Cyst
An abnormal, fluid-filled sac within the body.
