Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

center /cen·ter/ (sen´ter)

1. the middle point of a body.

2. a collection of neurons in the central nervous system that are concerned with performance of a particular function.

---

accelerating center  the part of the vasomotor center involved in acceleration of the heart.

apneustic center  the neurons in the brain stem controlling normal respiration.

Broca's center  Broca's motor speech area.

cardioinhibitory center  the part of the vasomotor center that exerts an inhibitory influence on the heart.

centers of chondrification  dense aggregations of embryonic mesenchymal cells at sites of future cartilage formation.

ciliospinal center  one in the lower cervical and upper thoracic portions of the spinal cord, involved in dilatation of the pupil.

community mental health center  (CMHC) a mental health facility or group of affiliated agencies that provide various psychotherapeutic services to a designated geographic area.

coughing center  one in the medulla oblongata above the respiratory center, which controls the act of coughing.

deglutition center  a nerve center in the medulla oblongata that controls the function of swallowing.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  (CDC) an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, serving as a center for the control, prevention, and investigation of diseases.

ejaculation center  the reflex center in the lumbar spinal cord that regulates ejaculation of semen during sexual stimulation.

epiotic center  the center of ossification that forms the mastoid process.

erection center  a reflex center in the sacral spinal cord that regulates erection of the penis or clitoris.

feeding center  a group of cells in the lateral hypothalamus that when stimulated cause a sensation of hunger.

germinal center  the area in the center of a lymph nodule containing aggregations of actively proliferating lymphocytes.

health center 

1. a community health organization for creating health work and coordinating the efforts of all health agencies.

2. an educational complex consisting of a medical school and various allied health professional schools.

medullary respiratory center  the part of the respiratory centers that is in the medulla oblongata.

nerve center  center (2).

ossification center  any point at which the process of ossification begins in a bone; in a long bone there is a primary center for the diaphysis and one secondary center for each epiphysis.

pneumotaxic center  one in the upper pons that rhythmically inhibits inspiration.

reflex center  any center in the brain or spinal cord in which a sensory impression is changed into a motor impulse.

respiratory centers  a series of centers (apneustic and pneumotaxic respiratory centers and dorsal and ventral respiratory groups) in the medulla and pons that coordinate respiratory movements.

satiety center  a group of cells in the ventromedial hypothalamus that when stimulated suppress a desire for food.

sudorific center 

1. a center in the anterior hypothalamus controlling diaphoresis.

2. any of several centers in the medulla oblongata or spinal cord that exercise parasympathetic control over diaphoresis.

swallowing center  deglutition c.

thermoregulatory centers  hypothalamic centers regulating the conservation and dissipation of heat.

thirst center  a group of cells in the lateral hypothalamus that when stimulated cause a sensation of thirst.

vasomotor centers  centers in the medulla oblongata and lower pons that regulate the caliber of blood vessels and the heart rate and contractility.

---

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

a federal agency of the U.S. government that provides facilities and services for the investigation, identification, prevention, and control of disease. It is concerned with all of the epidemiologic aspects and the laboratory diagnosis of disease. Immunization programs, quarantine regulations and programs, laboratory standards, and community surveillance for disease are among the activities of the CDC, which is located in Atlanta. Many state and local health workers and scientists receive training in specific techniques there. Originally the Communicable Disease Center, it was concerned only with communicable diseases; today its interests include environmental health, smoking, malnutrition, poisoning, and issues in occupational health. The name was changed again in 1992 to include its prevention function.

---

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),

n the federal facility for disease eradication, epidemiology, and education, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.