Neuroscience Glossary
100 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
cerebrospinal fluid CSF
Clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, providing cushioning and nutrient transport.
acalculia
Acquired inability to perform mathematical calculations due to brain damage.
agnosia
A neurological disorder characterized by inability to recognize or interpret sensory information despite intact sensory...
akinetic mutism
A neurological syndrome characterized by profound apathy and lack of voluntary movement or speech despite apparent wakef...
alien hand syndrome
Involuntary, purposeful movements of one hand that feel foreign to the patient.
aneurysm
A balloon-like bulge in a blood vessel wall, particularly dangerous when occurring in cerebral arteries.
anisocoria
Unequal pupil sizes, often indicating neurological pathology.
anosmia
Complete loss of the sense of smell, often indicating damage to olfactory pathways.
anosognosia
A neurological condition where patients are unaware of their own neurological deficits or disabilities following brain i...
aphasia
A language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, typically caused by brain damage.
apraxia
Inability to perform learned, purposeful movements despite intact motor function and comprehension.
arachnoid mater
The middle layer of the three meninges covering the brain and spinal cord, resembling a spider web in structure.
astereognosis
Inability to identify objects by touch alone, indicating sensory cortex damage.
astrocytoma
A type of brain tumor arising from star-shaped glial cells called astrocytes.
ataxia
Lack of coordination and irregularity of voluntary movements, often indicating cerebellar dysfunction.
aura
Subjective sensory or experiential phenomenon preceding or accompanying seizures.
axon
A long projection from a nerve cell that carries electrical impulses away from the cell body.
Babinski sign
An abnormal plantar reflex indicating upper motor neuron dysfunction, characterized by upward movement of the big toe.
blood-brain barrier
A selective barrier that prevents most substances in the blood from entering the brain tissue.
bradykinesia
Abnormally slow movement, a cardinal symptom of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders.
bradyphrenia
Slowness of thought processes and mental processing speed in neurological conditions.
Broca's area
A brain region in the frontal lobe responsible for speech production and motor aspects of language.
cerebrospinal fluid
Clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, providing cushioning and nutrient transport.
cholinesterase inhibitor
Medication that blocks acetylcholinesterase to increase acetylcholine levels in synapses.
clonus
Rhythmic muscle contractions triggered by sudden stretch, indicating upper motor neuron lesion.