Alzheimer's Disease in Individuals With Down Syndrome Glossary of Terms

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Acetylcholine: A neurotransmitter released by nerves that is essential for communication b...

Acquired: Not inherited, or present at birth (congenital), but developing after birth. For...

Aging: The process of becoming older, a process that is genetically determined and environ...

Alzheimer's disease: A progressive degenerative disease of the brain that leads to dementi...

Amyloid: Any of a number of complex proteins that are deposited in tissues and that share ...

Antidepressants: Anything, and especially a drug, used to prevent or treat depression.

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Apolipoprotein E: A type of lipoprotein (a protein connected to a fat). Apolipoprotein E ...

Bladder: A hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. The kidneys filter waste f...

Bowel: The small and large intestine.

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Bridge: A set of one or more false teeth supported by a metal framework, used to replace ...

Chromosome: A carrier of genetic information that is visible under an ordinary light micro...

Cognitive: Having to do with thought, judgment, or knowledge.

Coma: A state of deep, unarousable unconsciousness. A coma may occur as a result of head t...

Conception: 1. The union of the sperm and the ovum. Synonymous with fertilization.
...

CT scan: Computerized tomography scan. Pictures of structures within the body created by a...

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

Dementia: Significant loss of intellectual abilities, such as memory capacity, that is sev...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Down syndrome: A common birth defect that is usually due to an extra chromosome 21 (trisom...

Evolution: The continuing process of change.

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Fear of water: An abnormal and persistent fear of water. Sufferers of aquaphobia experienc...

Food and Drug Administration: An agency within the US Public Health Service that provides ...

Genes: The basic biological units of heredity. Segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nee...

Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic
information.

Glutamate: A form of glutamic acid. See: Glutamic acid.

Hygiene: The science of preventive medicine and the preservation of health. Also commonly ...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Medical school: A school with a curriculum leading to a medical degree. The mission of eve...

Memory: 1. The ability to recover information about past events or knowledge. ...

Mental retardation: The condition of having an IQ measured as below 70 to 75 and significa...

Metabolic: Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur wit...

Mild cognitive impairment: Abbreviated MCI. A brain disorder in which thinking abilities a...

Motor: Something that produces or refers to motion. For example, a motor neuron is a nerve...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Neurology: The medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders o...

Neuron: A nerve cell that receives and sends electrical signals over long distances within...

Neurotransmitter: A chemical that is released from a nerve cell which thereby transmits an...

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

Palm: The grasping side of the hand; the flexor surface of the hand. In contrast to the ba...

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Protein: One of the three nutrients used as energy sources (calories) by the body. Protein...

Psychosis: In the general sense, a mental illness that markedly interferes with a person'...

Referral: The recommendation of a medical or paramedical professional. If you get a refer...

Rule out: Term used in medicine, meaning to eliminate or exclude something from considera...

Scan: As a noun, the data or image obtained from the examination of organs or regions of...

Senile: 1. Pertaining to old age. 2. Pertaining to the physical decline ass...

Stage: As regards cancer, the extent of a cancer, especially whether the disease has spre...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Trisomy: The presence of three copies of a chromosome rather than the normal two. The most...

Trisomy 21 syndrome: A common chromosome disorder, often called Down syndrome, due to a...

Voluntary: Done in accordance with the conscious will of the individual. The opposite of i...