Neuroglossary
Terms used in brain injury, spinal cord injury and other neurotrauma treatment and rehabilitation
lacuna - General term for a small pit or hollow cavity within or between the organs or tissues of the body.
lamella - Thin leaf or plate, as of bone; concentric layers of bone that make up cylinders of calcified bone called osteon.
lamina, lamina arcus vertebrae - Lamina of the vertebrae; thin flat plate or layer of the vertebral arch. These broad plates of bone extend to the back from the pedicle of the vertebra and fuse together at the midline to form the spinous process. The ligamenta flava attaches to the superior and inferior border of the laminae; therefore, it is called interlamina ligamentum.
laminectomy - Cutting away of the laminae of the posterior vertebral arch, exposing the spinal cord. This relieves pressure on neural structures from the bony fragments, protruding nuclei pulposi of intervertebral discs, tumors, or hematomas.
laminotomy - The operation of cutting the lamina of a vertebra.
language development - Refers to the process wherein the individual acquires the ability to use the verbal symbols of his/her language for communication of needs, social interaction, and the understanding and expression of complex thought. At birth, all normal individuals possess the capacity to acquire the language in which they are raised; such capacity is "hard wired" and is governed by a process encoded in the DNA. However, the specific set of language symbols acquired by the individual is entirely dependent upon the language of his culture and is not affected by the language spoken by the biological parent(s) unless he is reared in the parent's language.
laparo- - Combining form showing relationship to the loin or flank. At times, used loosely to refer to the abdomen.
laryng- - Combining form indicating windpipe.
Lasegueﾒs sign - Pain in the sciatic nerve when, with flexion of the thigh at the hip, the leg is extended at the knee. The maneuver for this sign comes under the category of straight leg raising tests. It is done in patients with low back pain with lumbosacral radiation. Radiating sciatic pain is elicited when the sciatic nerve root that enters into the spine is irritated. One can intensify Lasegueﾒs sign by dorsiflexion of either foot or the great toe.
late instability - Occurs when there is no healing or fusion after a break, resulting in late pain and often requiring surgery.
later- - Combining form indicating to the side.
lateral - Refers to the side. Example: a personﾒs profile is the lateral side. Lateral frequently refers to the center in this way: Since the midline is in the center, the lateral (side) is away from the center. Thus, the eyes and ears are lateral, right and left from the center. The center or midline is the nose.
lateral foraminae - Passage formed by the inferior and superior notches on the pedicles of adjacent vertebrae; it transmits a spinal nerve and vessels. See intervertebral foraminae.
lateral masses of the atlas- Thickened unified lump of cells or cohesive tissue of the atlas to which the arches are attached, and that bear the articulating surfaces and the transverse process.
lateral recess- Refers to an indentation or small hollow on the left and right sides within the spinal canal near the pedicles.
lateral rotation - Twisted movement of a limb or head. Example: Lateral rotation of the head is accomplished when we move our heads to the right or left without moving our shoulders.
lateral view- Denoting a position farther from the median plane or midline of the body of a surface; pertaining to a side.
laxity - Unloosed, relaxed; lack of elasticity.
left-sided neglect - Lack of awareness of the left side of the body, or the left side of the body left out of the activities of daily living, due to lesion in the right cerebral hemisphere.
lesion - A wound or an injury; a localized pathological change in a bodily organ or tissue; trauma, infection, tumor, etc.
ligaments - Bands of fibrous tissue connecting bones or cartilages that support and strengthen joints. Most ligaments are deemed to be unyielding, yet they are adaptable enough to permit movement at the joints. When overly stressed, however, rather than stretch, they will tear. Usually, ligaments impede unreasonable motion, being strong enough and having a lot of sensory nerves that discourage people from greatly straining or overstretching them.
ligamentum flavum - Yellow elastic tissue going from the axis and third cervical vertebra to where the fifth lumbar vertebra joins to the sacrum. They are concerned with erect posture.
ligamentum nuchae nuchal ligament - A broad, fibrous, roughly triangular sagittal septum in the back of the neck, separating the right and left sides. It extends from the tips of the spinous processes of all the cervical vertebrae to attach to the entire length of the external occipital crest. Caudally it is continuous with the supraspinous ligament.
limbic system - A complex of cortical and subcortical structures which regulate and integrate bodily functions through the autonomic nervous system and by hormonal control through pituitary gland and which mobilize fundamental survival drives.
limbus - Border, hem, or fringe; a general term for the margins of certain structures, as in limbus vertebral factures.
lipocyte - A kind of adipocyte cell in connective tissue that stores and metabolizes fat.
load - Weight or mass that is supported or carried and sometimes even measured. When we speak of work load, we generally mean the amount of work an individual's job comprises.
longus capitis muscle - Anterior vertebral muscle that connects with the flexion of the head.
longus colli muscle - Long muscle of the neck that flexes and supports the cervical vertebrae.
lordosis - Alignment of the spine. Normally, the spine has curvatures. In the cervical and lumbar spine, it is called a lordotic curvature, while the thoracic is called kyphotic. The degree of curvature has normal parameters. When they are increased due to injury, the curvature can be lost (straightened) or increased (increased lordosis, increased kyphosis). These abnormal findings are due to several reasons. Lordosis is opposite to kyphosis. The term refers to abnormally increased curvature (hollow back, saddle back, swayback) and to the normal curvature (normal lordosis).
lumbago - Pain in the lumbar region; often used synonymously with low back pain but can suggest low back, buttock, and thigh pain.
lumbar plexus- Plexus is a network of lymphatic vessels, nerves, and veins. The lumbar plexus is the junction of the nerve roots that come out of the spine from L2 to L5, to group together and later form a large trunk of nerves.
lumbar puncture - The tapping of the subarachnoid space in the lumbar region, usually between the third, fourth, or fifth lumbar vertebrae. Since the spinal cord usually ends at the lower border of the L1 vertebra or the upper border of L2, there is no danger of injuring the spinal cord if the needle is inserted between L3 and S1. The nerve roots are seldom damaged because, being suspended in CSF, they tend to move away from the needle. Lumbar punctures are done to acquire cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic procedures, as, for example, to determine alterations in the concentrations of chemicals or cells, or microbes. Spinal anesthetic agents can also be injected by lumbar puncture. Also known as a spinal tap.
lumbar spine- Part of the spinal column pertaining to the loins, between the thorax and the pelvis.
lumbosacral ligaments - Ligaments that attach the lumbar vertebrae to the sacrum.
Luschka joints- See joints of Luschka.
luxation dislocation- Refers to a joint that is out of place. A fracture, dislocation, or dislocated fracture means that the vertebra has been moved out of alignment.
lymph - Liquid of alkaline reaction found in the lymphatic vessels and derived from the tissue fluids. It circulates through the lymphatic system, acting to remove bacteria and certain proteins from the tissues. It also transports fat from the small intestine and supplies mature lymphocytes to the blood. Under the microscope, lymph is shown to consist of a liquid portion and of cells, most of which are lymphocytes.
lymphocytes - Cells made in the lymphoid tissue, constituting from 22 to 28 percent of all the white blood cells found in normal human blood. Their work is in the development of immunity.
