daisy!

Disorganised list of terms used in slt for stroke- for study/quick reference.

AAC- Alternative augmentative communication.

ABI- Acquired brain injury (anytime after birth).

Agnosia- Inability to process sensory information (in Greek gnosis- "not knowing").

Aphasia- Impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write, depending on the affected area of the brain. (Greek a/without + phásis/speech").

Apraxia- Inability to execute purposeful, previously learned motor tasks, despite physical ability and willingness. (Greek a/without + praxis/action).

Aspiration- Food or fluid accidentally enters the lungs through the windpipe, often as a result of dysphagia.

Bilateral- Involving or affecting both sides, usually referencing both sides of the body.

Capacity- Ability to reason, make decisions and consider choices, express views and receive and understand information (AWI= Adult With Incapacity).

Cerebro-Vascular Accident (CVA)- Stroke.

Cognitive function- Anything involving thinking.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)- Blood clot forms in a deep vein.

Deglutition- The act of swallowing.

Dementia- Decline of function in the brain causes cognitive problems such as difficulty with memory, understanding and mood.

Dysfluency- Any type of speech which is marked with repetitions, prolongations and hesitations; an interruption in the flow of speech sounds. Commonly known as stuttering or stammering.

Dysarthria- Collection of motor speech disorders.

Dysphagia- Swallowing difficulties.

Embolism- Blockage of a blood vessel by a blood clot or piece of fatty material or other debris in the blood stream. An embolism is a type of stroke.

Enteral feeding- Feeding through a tube connected to the person's stomach.

FAST test- 'Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech problems, Time to call 999'

Fluency- Smoothness with which sounds, syllables, words and phrases are joined together during oral language.

Hemorrhagic stroke-  Caused when a blood vessel in the brain bleeds into the brain tissues or the space around the brain.

Hemianopia-  Loss of one half of your visual field. 

Hemiparesis- Weakness on one side of the body.

Hemiplegia- Complete paralysis on one side of the body.

Hypotonia- Abnormal decrease of muscle tone.

Ischemic stroke/ Infarct- Damage to the brain caused by lack of blood flow, usually from a clot. An area of tissue that is dead because of a loss of blood supply. This is the most common type of stroke.

Infarction- A sudden loss of a tissue’s blood supply causing the tissue to die.

Ischemia- Blood flow (and thus oxygen) is restricted or reduced in a part of the body. 

Ischemic penumbra- Areas of damaged but still living brain cells arranged in a patchwork pattern around areas of dead brain cells.

Lacunar stroke/infarct- When a small artery deep in the brain becomes blocked, causing a small area of damaged brain tissue.

Left hemisphere- Controls speech, comprehension, arithmetic, and writing.

Muscle tone- The degree of natural tension in a person's muscles. Abnormally high muscle tone can lead to muscle tightness and stiffness (spasticity). Very low muscle tone can cause floppiness (hypotonia).

Muscle tension- When muscles of the body remain semi-contracted for a period of time in the resting state.

Naso-gastric (NG) tube-  Medical catheter that's inserted through your nose into your stomach.  Used both to deliver substances to your stomach and to draw substances out.

Neglect- Not being aware of one side of the body and/or environment.

Neuron- Nerve cell.

Neuroplasticity- The ability of undamaged parts of the brain to take over the jobs of damaged areas.

Nystagmus- Continuous uncontrolled movement of the eyes.

Paralysis- Partly or entirely unable to move the affected parts of the body.

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)- Feeding tube placed through the abdominal wall and into the stomach.

Right hemisphere- Controls creativity, spatial ability, artistic, and musical skills

Stroke- Occurs when something blocks blood supply to part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts.

Spasticity- Abnormal increase in muscle tone or stiffness of muscle

Thrombolysis- An early treatment for some types of strokes caused by a blood clot.

Thrombosis- A blood clot that forms in an artery.

Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)-  sometimes called a “mini-stroke”. Blood flow to the brain is blocked for a short time, usually no more than 5 minutes.

Vertebral artery dissection (VAD)- A tear in the walls of an artery at the back of the neck, blood can then get between the layers of artery walls and can lead to a clot forming, causing a blockage (a stroke).