Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A minor anomaly in which the ear is situated below the normal location. Technically, the ear is low-set when the helix of the ear meets the cranium at a level below that of a horizontal plane through both inner canthi (the inside corners of the eyes). The presence of two or more minor anomalies such as this one in…

Any blood pressure that is below the normal expected for an individual in a given environment. Low blood pressure is also referred to as hypotension. Low blood pressure is a relative term because the blood pressure normally varies greatly with activity, age, medications, and underlying medical conditions. Low blood pressure can result from conditions of the nervous system, conditions…

Pain in the lower back area can relate to problems with the lumbar spine, the discs between the vertebrae, the ligaments around the spine and discs, the spinal cord and nerves, muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen, or the skin covering the lumbar area. Lumbago is another name for low back pain.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a classic motor neuron disease. Motor neuron diseases are progressive chronic diseases of the nerves that come from the spinal cord responsible for supplying electrical stimulation to the muscles. This stimulation is necessary for the movement of body parts. LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is quite a mouthful. The disease is therefore usually referred to…

A mutation that results in reduced or abolished protein function. Gain-of-function mutations,which are much less common, confer an abnormal activity on a protein.

A section that is cut along the long axis of a structure. Longitudinal section is the opposite of cross-section.

Lifespan. Increased longevity means a longer life.

A facility that provides rehabilitative, restorative, and/or ongoing skilled nursing care to patients or residents in need of assistance with activities of daily living. Long-term care facilities include nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, inpatient behavioral health facilities, and long-term chronic care hospitals.

A disorder of the heart’s electrical system that predisposes individuals to irregular heartbeats, fainting spells, and sudden death. The irregular heartbeats are typically brought on by stress or vigorous activity. Abbreviated LQTS. LQTS is often symptomless and undiagnosed, but it is well known as a cause of sudden cardiac death in young, apparently healthy people, most notably competitive athletes.…

The long arm of a chromosome is termed the q arm. All human chromosomes have 2 arms, the p (short) arm and the q (long) arm. They are separated from each other only by a primary constriction, the centromere, the point at which the chromosome is attached to the spindle during cell division. The symbol “p” stands…