Definition of Terms

A
1 abarticulation displacement of a part (especially a bone) from its normal position (as in the shoulder or the
vertebral column)
2 abasia A disorder of coordination affecting the ability to walk, but not caused by paralysis. It is often
associated with the inability to stand upright (astasia).
3 abducens nerve the sixth CRANIAL NERVE; it arises from the pons and supplies the lateral rectus muscle of the
eyeball, allowing for motion.
4 abduct to draw away from the median plane, or (the digits) from the axial line of a limb
5 abductor muscle that causes movement away from the median plane of body, axis of middle finger, or
axis of second toe, or in the case of the thumb, anterior to the plane of the palm
6 abiotrophy progressive loss of vitality of certain tissues or organs leading to disorders or loss of function;
applied especially to degenerative hereditary diseases of late onset, such as HUNTINGTON'S
CHOREA.
7 ablation an amputation, an excision of any part of the body, or a removal of a growth or harmful
substance
8 ablepharia congenital absence, partial or complete, of the eyelid
9 ablepsia Inability to see.Absence or severe loss of vision so as to be unable to perform any work for
which eyesight is essential.
10 abortifacient causing abortion, an agent that induces abortion
11 abortion the spontaneous or induced termination of pregnancy before the fetus has developed to the
stage of viability
12 abortus any incompletely developed fetus that results from an abortion, particularly one weighing less
than 500 g
13 abrasion scrape; superficial injury to a mucocutaneous surface caused by rubbing or scraping from a
sharp object, resulting in an area of body surface denuded of skin or mucous membrane; a
partial-thickness injury of the skin
14 abreaction An emotional release or catharsis associated with the recollection of previously repressed
unpleasant experiences
15 abscess An abscess is an enclosed collection of liquefied tissue, known as pus, somewhere in the body.
It is the result of the body's defensive reaction to foreign material
16 absorption the act of taking up or in by specific chemical or molecular action; especially the passage of
liquids or other substances through a surface of the body into body fluids and tissue
17 abulia Loss or impairment of the ability to perform voluntary actions or to make decisions.
Reduction in speech, movement, thought, and emotional reaction; a common result of
bilateral frontal lobe disease.
18 acalculia A form of aphasia characterized by the inability to perform simple mathematical problems;
found with lesions of various areas of the cerebral hemispheres, and often an early sign of
dementia
19 acanthoma A tumor formed by proliferation of epithelial squamous cells
20 acanthosis An increase in the thickness of the stratum spinosum of the epidermis
21 acapnia A condition marked by an unusually low concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood and
tissues
22 acardia extremely rare condition in which an individual is born without a heart. Occurs occasionally in
conjoined twins; the circulatory system of one twin supports the survival of the other
23 acariasis a disease, usually of the skin, caused by infestation with mite
24 acaricide an agent that destroys ticks and mite
25 acatalasia hereditary disease seen mostly in Japan and Switzerland, marked by absence of catalase; it
may be associated with infections of oral structure
26 accessory nerve Either of the 11th pair of cranial nerves, which convey motor impulses to the pharynx and
muscles of the upper thorax, back, and shoulders
27 accouchement rapid forcible delivery by one of several methods; originally, rapid dilatation of the cervix with
the hands, followed by version and extraction of the fetus
28 acephalus a headless fetus
29 achalasia failure to relax of the smooth muscle FIBERS of the gastrointestinal tract at any junction of one
part with another. Especially failure of the lower esophagus to relax with swallowing, due to
degeneration of ganglion cells in the wall of the organ

30 achlorhydria an abnormal condition characterized by the absence of hydrochloric acid in gastric secretions.
31 acholia absence or failure of secretion of bile
32 acholuria Absence of bile pigments from the urine in certain cases of jaundice
33 achondroplasia Improper development of cartilage at the ends of the long bones, resulting in a form of
congenital dwarfism
34 achromatopsia A rare but severe defect of colour vision in which the world is perceived almost in monochrome
35 acidemia An increase in the H-ion concentration of the blood or a fall below normal in pH.
abnormal acidity of the blood
36 acidosis Abnormally high acidity of the blood and body tissues caused by a deficiency of bicarbonates
or an excess of acids other than carbonic acid.
37 acrania Partial or complete absence of the skull bones and sometimes of other head bones at birth
38 acrocyanosis Acrocyanosis is a decrease in the amount of oxygen delivered to the extremities. The hands
and feet turn blue because of the lack of oxygen. Decreased blood supply to the affected areas
is caused by constriction or spasm of small blood vessels.
39 acrodermatitis inflammation of the skin of the hands or feet.
40 acromegaly chronic disease characterized by enlargement of the head, hands and feet, causing gigantism.
It is caused by over-secretion of growth hormones from the anterior PITUITARY GLAND.
41 acroparesthesia a disease characterized by tingling, numbness, and stiffness in the extremities, especially in
the fingers, hands, and forearms
42 actinotherapy the use of ultraviolet, other parts of the spectrum of the sun's rays, or x-rays to treat various
disorders, particularly skin diseases
43 acupuncture Acupuncture is one of the main forms of treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. It involves
the use of sharp, thin needles that are inserted in the body at very specific points.
44 acute Referring to a condition of rapid onset which is often accompanied by severe symptoms and is
of generally brief duration
45 Adam’s apple A popular term for the anterior prominence of the thyroid cartilage, which is located
immediately below the superior thyroid notch and most prominent in men, and used as a
landmark in emergency tracheostomy
46 adaptation
47 adduct
48 adductor
49 adenitis Inflammation of a lymph node or gland
50 adenocarcinoma A cancer arising from gland tissue in a lining membrane (EPITHELIUM) and usually showing
the glandular features of the original tissue.