Glossary

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Agnosia

A neurological condition in which a person has difficulty recognising familiar objects, faces, places, sounds, or other sensory stimuli despite intact basic sensory function and general cognition. Specific subtypes include visual agnosia (difficulty recognising objects or…

Alzheimer's Disease(also: Alzheimer's, AD)

A progressive neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of cases. Alzheimer's disease causes gradual decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills, eventually affecting the ability to perform everyday activities. The condition…

Amnesia(also: Memory Loss, Amnestic Disorder)

A neurological condition characterised by the partial or complete inability to recall past experiences (retrograde amnesia) or to form new memories (anterograde amnesia). Amnesia results from damage to brain structures responsible for memory processing, commonly caused by…

Anomia(also: Word-finding difficulty, Anomic aphasia)

Anomia is a language impairment characterized by difficulty retrieving words during speech, particularly the names of objects, people, or actions. It is the most common symptom across all types of aphasia and can also occur as a standalone condition (anomic aphasia). In…

Anterograde Amnesia

A form of amnesia in which a person is unable to form new memories following the onset of the condition, while memories from before the injury or illness may remain largely intact. Anterograde amnesia typically results from damage to the hippocampus or surrounding medial…

Aphantasia(also: Mind Blindness)

Aphantasia is a neurological condition in which a person is unable to voluntarily create mental images or visualize objects, people, or scenes in their mind. It affects an estimated 2-5% of the population and exists on a spectrum from reduced imagery to complete absence. In…

Apraxia(also: Apraxia of Speech, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, CAS)

A motor speech disorder in which the brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements needed to produce speech, despite the muscles themselves not being weak. The person knows what they want to say but their brain has difficulty planning and sequencing the precise…

Ataxia(also: Cerebellar Ataxia)

A neurological condition characterized by impaired coordination and control of voluntary movements, typically caused by damage to the cerebellum or its connections. People with ataxia may experience unsteady gait, tremors, slurred speech, and difficulty with fine motor tasks…

Ataxia-Telangiectasia(also: A-T, Louis-Bar Syndrome)

A rare, inherited, progressive neurological disorder that typically appears in early childhood and causes increasing difficulties with movement, coordination, and immune function. Children with A-T usually begin walking at a typical age but experience progressive ataxia (loss of…

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy(also: dyskinetic cerebral palsy, athetosis)

A type of cerebral palsy characterized by involuntary, slow, writhing movements (athetosis) that affect the face, trunk, and limbs. It accounts for about 10-15% of cerebral palsy cases and results from damage to the basal ganglia. People with athetoid cerebral palsy often…

Bradykinesia(also: Slowness of Movement)

Bradykinesia is a motor symptom characterized by slowness of movement and a progressive reduction in the speed and amplitude of repetitive actions. It is one of the cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease and directly affects a person's ability to interact with digital devices…

Cerebellar Ataxia(also: Ataxic Dysarthria)

A neurological condition caused by damage to the cerebellum that affects coordination, balance, and motor control. In speech, cerebellar ataxia produces ataxic dysarthria characterized by irregular speech rhythm, explosive or scanning speech patterns, imprecise consonants, and…

Chiari Malformation(also: Arnold-Chiari Malformation)

A structural condition in which brain tissue extends into the spinal canal, which can cause a range of neurological symptoms including headaches, balance issues, and vision problems such as blurred or double vision, nystagmus, and reduced contrast sensitivity. Digital…

Co-contraction(also: Unintended Co-contraction, Muscle Co-activation)

The simultaneous activation of antagonistic muscles — for example, the biceps and triceps firing at the same time. Some co-contraction is normal and useful for joint stability, but involuntary or excessive co-contraction is common in conditions such as spasticity, cerebral…

Communication Impairment(also: CI, Communication Disorder, Communication Disability)

Damage to brain functions responsible for language and memory that impairs the expression and understanding of spoken and written language. Communication impairments can result from neurological disease, stroke, or acquired brain injury, and include conditions such as aphasia…

Confabulation (Clinical)(also: Clinical Confabulation)

Confabulation in a clinical sense is the unconscious production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories without the intent to deceive - the person genuinely believes what they are recounting. It is associated with dementia (particularly Alzheimer's and Korsakoff's…

Cortical Plasticity(also: Brain Plasticity, Neural Plasticity, Cortical Reorganization)

The brain's ability to reorganize its neural connections and functional organization in response to injury, learning, or environmental changes. In the context of disability and rehabilitation, cortical plasticity is the mechanism by which undamaged brain areas can assume…

Dystonia(also: Dystonic Movements)

A movement disorder characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often repetitive movements, postures, or both. Dystonia can affect a single body part (focal dystonia), adjacent regions (segmental), or the whole body (generalized). In…

Epilepsy(also: Seizure Disorder)

A chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Epilepsy affects roughly 1% of the population globally and spans a wide range of seizure types and severities, with some people experiencing…

Essential Tremor(also: ET, Benign Essential Tremor)

Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders, characterized by involuntary, rhythmic shaking that typically affects the hands and arms but can also involve the head, voice, and other body parts. Unlike Parkinson's disease tremor, essential tremor usually occurs…

Freezing of Gait(also: FOG, Gait Freezing, Motor Blocks)

A common and debilitating symptom of Parkinson's Disease in which a person suddenly and temporarily feels as though their feet are glued to the floor, despite intending to walk. Freezing episodes typically last seconds to minutes and are a major cause of falls and loss of…

Frontotemporal Dementia(also: FTD, Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration, Pick's Disease)

A group of disorders caused by progressive degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, primarily affecting personality, behavior, and language. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia often begins before age 60 and initially impacts executive…

Glasgow Coma Scale(also: GCS)

A standardized neurological assessment scale used to evaluate the severity of brain injuries by measuring three aspects of responsiveness: eye opening (1-4 points), verbal response (1-5 points), and motor response (1-6 points), yielding a total score from 3 to 15. A GCS score of…

Hemiparesis(also: Hemiplegia, One-Sided Weakness)

Weakness or partial paralysis affecting one side of the body, commonly resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury, or neurological conditions. Hemiparesis affects motor control, coordination, and strength in the arm, leg, and sometimes face on the affected side. People with…

Hemiplegia(also: Hemiparesis)

A condition involving paralysis or severe weakness on one side of the body, most commonly resulting from stroke but also caused by traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, or other neurological conditions. Hemiplegia affects the arm, leg, and sometimes facial muscles on the…

Hydrocephalus(also: Hydrocephaly, Water on the Brain)

A condition characterized by an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricles of the brain, causing increased intracranial pressure and enlargement of the head. Hydrocephalus can be congenital or acquired, and if untreated can lead to developmental delays,…

Intention Tremor(also: Cerebellar Tremor, Action Tremor)

A type of tremor that appears or worsens during voluntary, goal-directed movement — particularly as a limb approaches its target — and is typically absent at rest. Intention tremor is most often caused by damage to the cerebellum or its pathways (multiple sclerosis, stroke,…

Leukodystrophy(also: Leukodystrophies)

Leukodystrophy is a group of rare, progressive, metabolic, genetic diseases that affect the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves by damaging the white matter (myelin sheath) that insulates nerve fibers. Symptoms can include difficulty with movement and coordination, speech…

Lewy Body Dementia(also: LBD, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, DLB)

A type of progressive dementia caused by abnormal protein deposits called Lewy bodies in the brain. Lewy body dementia affects thinking, movement, behavior, and mood, and is the third most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Symptoms include…

Locked-In Syndrome(also: LIS, Pseudocoma)

Locked-in syndrome is a rare neurological condition in which a person is fully conscious and cognitively aware but unable to move or speak due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles, often resulting from a brainstem stroke or injury. People with locked-in syndrome…

Motor Neuron Disease(also: MND, ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)

A group of progressive neurological disorders that destroy motor neurons, the cells controlling voluntary muscle activity including speaking, walking, breathing, and swallowing. ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is the most common form. As the disease progresses, people lose…

Neuromuscular Disease(also: Neuromuscular Disorder, NMD)

A broad category of conditions that affect the nerves controlling voluntary muscles, the muscles themselves, or the communication between nerves and muscles. Neuromuscular diseases include muscular dystrophies, motor neurone disease (ALS), spinal muscular atrophy, myasthenia…

Neuropsychological Assessment(also: Neuropsychological Testing, Cognitive Assessment)

A systematic evaluation of cognitive, behavioural, and emotional functioning through standardised tests designed to measure specific brain-behaviour relationships. In the context of accessibility and rehabilitation, neuropsychological assessments are used to identify and…

Paresis(also: Partial Paralysis)

A partial loss of voluntary muscle movement, distinguished from full paralysis (plegia). Paresis can affect a single limb (monoparesis), one side of the body (hemiparesis), or all four limbs (tetraparesis), and may result from stroke, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, or…

Peripheral Neuropathy(also: Neuropathy)

Peripheral neuropathy is a condition resulting from damage to the peripheral nerves, which carry signals between the brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body. Symptoms typically include numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain, most commonly in the hands and feet. For…

Perseveration(also: Perseverative Behavior)

The uncontrolled repetition of a response, word, phrase, or action that persists beyond the appropriate context. In people with cognitive impairments such as dementia, brain injury, or certain developmental disabilities, perseveration can manifest as repeatedly pressing the same…

Photophobia(also: Light Sensitivity)

A genuine physiological sensitivity to bright light, flickering light, or intense visual patterns that causes symptoms such as headaches, migraines, nausea, dizziness, and disorientation. Despite its name suggesting a psychological fear, photophobia involves real neurological…

Photosensitivity(also: Photosensitive Epilepsy, PSE)

A neurological condition in which exposure to flickering light patterns, flashing graphics, or rapid luminance changes triggers physiological responses including seizures, migraines, nausea, dizziness, and disorientation. Photosensitive epilepsy, the most dangerous form, affects…

Primary Lateral Sclerosis(also: PLS)

A rare progressive neurological disease affecting the upper motor neurons, causing weakness and stiffness in the voluntary muscles, particularly in the legs, arms, and tongue. Unlike amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), PLS progresses more slowly and primarily affects upper…

Prospective Memory

The ability to remember to carry out intended actions in the future, such as taking medication at a specific time, attending an appointment, or completing a task when a particular cue arises. Prospective memory is distinct from retrospective memory (remembering past events) and…

Pseudobulbar Affect(also: PBA, Emotional Incontinence, Involuntary Emotional Expression Disorder)

A neurological condition characterized by episodes of involuntary, exaggerated, or inappropriate emotional expression — such as uncontrollable laughing or crying — that may not match the person's actual emotional state. Pseudobulbar affect occurs after damage to the neural…

Pusher Syndrome(also: Contraversive Pushing, Lateropulsion)

A clinical disorder occurring in some stroke survivors in which the patient actively pushes their body weight away from the non-paralyzed (non-hemiparetic) side, leading to a severe loss of postural balance. Typically caused by damage to the left or right brain, pusher syndrome…

Schizophrenia(also: Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders)

A chronic psychiatric condition characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior, including symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, reduced emotional expression, and cognitive difficulties with memory, attention, and…

Sensory-Motor Processing(also: Sensorimotor Processing, Sensorimotor Integration)

Sensory-motor processing refers to the brain's ability to receive sensory input (visual, auditory, tactile, proprioceptive) and coordinate appropriate motor responses. This includes fine motor control for tasks like typing and mouse manipulation, as well as the integration of…

Spasmodic Dysphonia(also: Laryngeal Dystonia, SD)

Spasmodic dysphonia is a neurological voice disorder characterized by involuntary spasms of the laryngeal muscles during speech, causing interruptions in voice production. The most common form, adductor spasmodic dysphonia, causes the vocal folds to close too tightly, producing…

Synaesthesia(also: Synesthesia)

Synaesthesia is a perceptual phenomenon in which a stimulus in one sensory modality automatically and involuntarily triggers an additional experience in a different modality or sub-modality - for example, seeing specific colours when hearing musical notes (chromesthesia),…

Traumatic Brain Injury(also: TBI, Acquired Brain Injury, Head Injury)

An injury to the brain caused by an external bodily force, typically from road traffic accidents, falls, or other impacts. TBI severity is classified using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS): mild (GCS 13-15), moderate (GCS 9-12), and severe (GCS 3-8), with additional factors…

Vascular Dementia(also: Multi-Infarct Dementia, Post-Stroke Dementia)

A type of dementia caused by reduced blood flow to the brain, often resulting from stroke or small vessel disease. Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia and typically affects processing speed, attention, and executive function rather than memory in its…

Visual-Spatial Processing(also: Visuospatial Processing, Visual-Spatial Cognition)

Visual-spatial processing is the cognitive ability to perceive, analyze, and mentally manipulate spatial relationships and visual information. It encompasses skills such as judging distances, understanding maps, recognizing shapes and patterns, and mentally rotating objects.…

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