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N
Kinesiology Dictionary
Please use this dictionary of professional kinesiology terms and definitions to help you learn. New terms and definitions will be added on a regular basis for you to learn from. I have decided to extend the dictionary to include terms and definitions from sciences that relate to and support being a kinesiologist or any other healthcare professional. Knowledge itself is power - use the dictionary to empower yourself. Please use the letters in blue below as links to get to the first letter of the term you are looking for. You will be transferred to another page containing those terms and definitions accordingly. Enjoy!
Term | Definition | Associated Field |
|---|---|---|
NREM Sleep | Non-rapid eye movement sleep stages. | Physiology |
Nail Bed | Skin beneath the fingernail/toenail. | Anatomy |
Naloxone | Drug reversing opioid overdose. | Medicine / First Aid |
Naltrexone | Opioid antagonist used for addiction treatment. | Medicine |
Nanometer (nm) | Unit of length equal to one billionth of a meter. | Physics |
Narcolepsy | Sleep disorder causing sudden sleep attacks. | Psychology / Physiology |
Narcotic | Drug affecting mood/behavior, often analgesic. | Medicine |
Nasal Cavity | Airway passage in the nose. | Anatomy |
Nasopharynx | Upper throat region behind the nose. | Anatomy |
Natriuresis | Excretion of sodium in urine. | Physiology |
Natural Killer (NK) Cells | Immune cells destroying infected/cancer cells. | Biology |
Nausea | Sensation of wanting to vomit. | Physiology |
Navicular Bone | Tarsal bone in the foot. | Anatomy |
Nearest Neighbor Analysis | Spatial statistical method. | Sociology |
Nebulizer | Device delivering medication as an inhaled mist. | Medicine |
Neck Flexion | Forward bending of the cervical spine. | Anatomy |
Necrosis | Cell death due to injury or disease. | Pathophysiology |
Negative Feedback | Regulatory mechanism reducing deviation from set point. | Physiology |
Neocortex | Outer brain layer involved in higher cognition. | Neuroscience |
Neoplasm | Abnormal tissue growth (tumor). | Pathophysiology |
Nephron | Functional unit of the kidney. | Anatomy / Physiology |
Nephropathy | Kidney disease or damage. | Pathophysiology |
Nerve | Bundle of axons transmitting electrical impulses. | Anatomy |
Nerve Conduction Velocity | Speed of electrical signal in nerves. | Exercise Testing / Neurology |
Nerve Impulse | Electrical signal traveling along neurons. | Physiology |
Nerve Root | Initial segment of a spinal nerve. | Anatomy |
Nervous System | Network controlling body activities via signals. | Physiology |
Neural Adaptation | Nervous system changes from training. | Exercise Physiology |
Neural Crest | Embryonic cells forming nerves and tissues. | Biology |
Neural Drive | Activation signal from brain to muscles. | Exercise Physiology |
Neural Plasticity | Nervous system’s ability to reorganize and adapt. | Neuroscience |
Neural Tube | Embryonic structure forming brain and spinal cord. | Anatomy |
Neurilemma | Outer layer of Schwann cells in PNS. | Anatomy |
Neurogenesis | Creation of new neurons. | Neuroscience |
Neuroglia | Supportive cells in the nervous system. | Neuroscience |
Neurology | Study of the nervous system and disorders. | Medicine |
Neuron | Basic functional cell of the nervous system. | Neuroscience |
Neuronal Pool | Group of interconnected neurons. | Neuroscience |
Neuropathy | Nerve damage causing weakness/numbness. | Pathophysiology |
Neurotransmitter | Chemical messenger in synapses. | Neuroscience |
Neutropenia | Low neutrophil count. | Pathophysiology |
Neutrophil | White blood cell important in immune defense. | Biology |
Newton (N) | SI unit of force. | Physics |
Newton’s First Law | Object remains in motion or rest unless acted on. | Physics |
Newton’s Second Law | Force = mass × acceleration. | Physics |
Newton’s Third Law | Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. | Physics |
Niaspan (Niacin) | Drug lowering cholesterol. | Medicine |
Nicotine | Stimulant and addictive substance in tobacco. | Physiology |
Nicotinic Receptor | Receptor for acetylcholine in neuromuscular junction. | Physiology |
Nipple | Projection from mammary gland for milk release. | Anatomy |
Nitrates | Medications for angina treatment. | Medicine |
Nitric Oxide (NO) | Gas signaling molecule regulating blood vessels. | Physiology |
Nitrogen Balance | Comparison of nitrogen intake vs. excretion. | Nutrition |
Nitrogen Cycle (Human Body) | Recycling of nitrogen compounds. | Biochemistry |
Nitroglycerin | Medication for chest pain (angina). | Medicine |
Nociceptor | Sensory receptor detecting painful stimuli. | Physiology |
Nocturia | Excessive urination at night. | Pathophysiology |
Node of Ranvier | Gaps in myelin sheath aiding conduction. | Anatomy |
Non-HDL Cholesterol | Cholesterol measure predicting risk. | Nutrition / Physiology |
Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction (NSTEMI) | Type of heart attack. | Pathophysiology / ECG |
Noncompetitive Inhibition | Enzyme regulation where inhibitor binds outside active site. | Chemistry |
Nonexercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) | Energy expenditure outside formal exercise. | Exercise Physiology |
Nonlinear Dynamics | Study of complex systems not following proportional rules. | Physics / Biomechanics |
Nonspecific Immunity | General defense against pathogens. | Biology |
Noradrenaline (Norepinephrine) | Neurotransmitter regulating stress response. | Physiology |
Normal Curve | Bell-shaped distribution in statistics. | Sociology / Psychology |
Normal Sinus Rhythm (NSR) | Standard healthy heart rhythm. | ECG |
Normative Data | Reference values for populations. | Exercise Testing |
Normotension | Normal blood pressure. | Physiology |
Normoxia | Normal oxygen levels in tissues. | Physiology |
Nosebleed (Epistaxis) | Bleeding from nasal cavity. | First Aid |
Notch Receptor | Protein regulating cell fate. | Biology |
Nuchal Ligament | Ligament along cervical spine. | Anatomy |
Nucleic Acid | DNA or RNA molecules storing genetic information. | Genetics |
Nucleolus | Organelle inside nucleus producing ribosomes. | Biology |
Nucleoplasm | Fluid inside the nucleus. | Biology |
Nucleoside | Compound of sugar + base (no phosphate). | Biochemistry |
Nucleotide | DNA/RNA building block (sugar + base + phosphate). | Genetics |
Nucleus | Cell organelle containing DNA. | Biology |
Nucleus Accumbens | Brain structure linked to reward and addiction. | Neuroscience |
Null Hypothesis | Statistical assumption of no effect. | Research / Sociology |
Nutrient Density | Nutrient content relative to energy content. | Nutrition |
Nutrigenomics | Study of gene–diet interactions. | Nutrition / Genetics |
Nutrition | Science of food intake and utilization. | Nutrition |
Nutritional Ergogenic Aid | Substance enhancing performance (e.g., caffeine). | Exercise Physiology |
Nutritional Status | Overall condition of nutrition balance. | Nutrition |
Nystagmus | Involuntary rhythmic eye movements. | Pathophysiology / Neurology |
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