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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Amniocentesis |
a method of prenatal diagnosis at 15 weeks in which a fluid sample is removed from the womb and grown in tissue culture; it takes another 2-3 weeks for results; a fetus can be tested for genetic diseases this way |
| Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) |
an apparatus used to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities or to improve the function of the ankle and foot. |
| Anticholinesterases |
(example: Neostigmine) one of the drugs that myotonic dystrophy patients should avoid; can adversely affect diameter of blood vessels, function of the intestines, and part of the nervous system that controls smooth muscle, heart muscle and gland cells |
| Anticipation |
the tendency in certain genetic disorders-like myotonic dystrophy-for individuals in successive generations to present with symptoms at an earlier age and/or with more severe manifesations; often observed in disorders resulting from the expression of a trinucleotide repeat mutation that tends to increase in size and have a more significant effect when passed from one generation to the next. |
| Apnea |
periodic absence of breathing while sleeping |
| Armodafinil |
a drug used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness (brand name is Nuvigil) |
| Arrhythmia |
an irregular heart beat |
| Aspiration pneumonia |
serious form of pneumonia resulting from inhalation of foreign material, usually food particles or vomit, into the bronchi |
| Asymptomatic |
without symptoms, at least in the mind of the person himself |
| Atrial fibrillation |
abnormal heartbeat in which the normal rhythmical contractions of the upper chambers of the heart (cardiac atria) are replaced by rapid irregular twitchings of the muscular wall |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) |
a behavior disorder originating in childhood in which the essential features are signs of developmentally inappropriate inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity |
| Autosomal dominant |
a pattern of inheritance in which if one parent has a mutated gene, each offspring has a 50% chance of inheriting it |
