stupor

1 the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally; "his mother's deathleft him in a daze"; "he was numb with shock" [syn: daze, shock]

2 marginal consciousness; "his grogginess was caused as much by exhaustion and by the blows"; "someone stole his wallet while he was in a drunken stupor" [syn: grogginess, stupefaction, semiconsciousness]

English

Etymology

stupere 'to be astounded'.

Noun

stupor

1. A state of reduced consciousness or sensibility
2. a state in which one has difficulty in thinking or using one's senses

Translations

• Greek: νάρκη (narke) , λήθαργος (lethargos)
• Icelandic: sljóleiki , hálfmeðvitundarleysi

Stupor represents an important loss in cognitive functions. The word derives from the Latin "stupure," meaning insensible. Being characterised by impairments of reactions to external stimuli, it usually appears in infectious diseases, complicated toxic states, mental illnesses (e.g. schizophrenia), vascular illnesses (e.g. hypertensive encephalopathy), neoplasms (e.g. brain tumors), and so on.

Symptoms

If not stimulated externally, a patient with Stupor will be in a sleepy mode most of the time. Short periods of restricted responsivity can be achieved by intense stimulation (e.g. pain, bright light, loud noise).

Localisation of brain lesions

Lesions of the Ascending Reticular Activation System on height of the Pons and Metencephalon have been shown to cause Stupor. The incidence is higher after left-sided lesions.

See also

• Torpor

References

• Ahuja 4th Edition Page 206 ISBN 81-7179-662-1
• Zakboek Neuropsychologische Symptomatologie Page 37 ISBN 90-334-3995-6

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