Glossary

National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Federal health agengy and main medical research center in the United States. Part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Nephropathy
Damage to, or disease of, the kidney.
Nerve Growth Factor
A compound that stimulates and directs nerve growth.
Nervous system
Coordinates rapid responses to external stimuli as well as controls almost every organ system in the body through a series of positive and negative feedback loops. Made up of several subsystems: the Central, Peripheral, Somatic, and Autonomic Nervous Systems.
Neuroendocrine cells
Cells found in the hypothalamus that are involved in the regulation of functions in the entire body, such as the reproductive system and responses to stress, temperature, and sleep.
Neuroendocrine system
Governs homeostasis by regulating hormone secretion from the pituitary gland.
Neuromuscular
Pertaining to both nerves and muscles.
Neurosteroid
Any steroid that is active in the brain.
NHANES
National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Surveys designed to assess the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States through interviews and direct physical examinations.
NHDS
National Hospital Discharge Survey. A national probability survey designed to meet the need for information on characteristics of inpatients discharged from non‑Federal short‑stay hospitals in the United States.
NIMH
National Institute of Mental Health.
NK cells
Cytotoxic lymphocytes which constitute a major component of the innate immune system. NK cells play a major role in the host‑rejection of both tumours and virally‑infected cells.
NOAEL
No Observed Adverse Effect Level.
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL)
A group of many closely related cancers that affect the lymphatic system that is divided into two major subgroups: B cell lymphomas (which develop from abnormal B lymphocytes) and T cell lymphomas (which develop from abnormal T lymphocytes).
NT‑proANP
N‑terminal atrial natriuretic peptide. A marker of salt sensitivity and predictor of congestive heart failure severity.
Nuclear hormone receptor
Ligand‑activated transcription factor that regulates gene expression by interacting with specific DNA sequences upstream of its target genes.
Nucleic acid
Polymer of joined nucleotides whose function is to maintain, replicate, and express genetic information. The important nucleic acids are DNA and RNA.