RESOURCES: Glossary
Definitions: U
Unilateral: Pertaining to only one side.
Unilateral Neglect: Paying little or no attention to things on one side of the body. This usually occurs on the side opposite from the location of the injury to the brain because nerve fibers from the brain typically cross before innervating body structures. In extreme cases, the patient may not bathe, dress or acknowledge one side of the body.
Definitions: V
Vegetative State: Return of wakefulness but not accompanied by cognitive function; eyes open to verbal stimuli; does not localize motor responses; autonomic functions preserved. Sleep-wake cycles exist.
Ventricles, Brain: Four natural cavities in the brain which are filled with cerebrospinal fluid. The outline of one or more of these cavities may change when a space-occupying lesion (hemorrhage, tumor) has developed in a lobe of the brain.
Ventriculostomy: A procedure for measuring intracranial pressure by placing a measuring device within one of the fluid-filled, ventricles of the brain.
Verbal Apraxia: Impaired control of proper sequencing of muscles used in speech (tongue, lips, jaw muscles, vocal cords). These muscles are not weak but their control is defective. Speech is labored and characterized by sound reversals, additions and word approximations.
Vestibular: Pertaining to the vestibular system in the middle ear and the brain which senses movements of the head. Disorders of the vestibular system can lead to dizziness, poor regulation of postural muscle tone and inability to detect quick movements of the head.
Visual Field Defect: Inability to see objects located in a specific region of the field of view ordinarily received by each eye. Often the blind region includes everything in the right half or left half of the visual field.
Definitions: W
Wheelchair Skills: This is the ability of an individual to propel and maneuver a wheelchair. Basic wheelchair skills refer to the ability to turn and propel over relatively flat surfaces. Advanced wheelchair skills refers to the ability of an individual to propel their wheelchair over uneven terrain and to manage curbs, stairs etc