Alterations Of Neurological Function Flashcards
What describes a feature of a concussion?
Causes a temporary disruption of neuronal activity
Mild to moderate brain injury causes by acceleration/deceleration forces.
The nurse is performing a triage assessment of a 17-year-old football player who sustained head trauma during a game. The nurse assesses for which signs of a concussion?
Loss of consciousness for 2 minutes following the injury
Momentary amnesia
Headache
What statement best describes post-concussion syndrome?
Physical, psychological and social problems up to one year following the concussion.
A 36-year-old woman sustains a traumatic brain injury during a motor vehicle collision. After 24 hours she is still unconscious and is diagnosed with ‘diffuse brain injury’. Diffuse brain injury is primarily caused by:
shearing and tearing of neurons.
The prolonged loss of consciousness in diffuse bran injury is generally caused by shearing and tearing of neurons, which often results in permanent brain damage.
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in diffuse brain injury is primarily caused by:
inflammation leading to cerebral edema.
In diffuse brain injury, damage to the neurons causes an inflammatory response. An inflammatory response results in increased capillary permeability, which causes fluid to rapidly diffuse out of the capillaries into the brain tissues, causing a condition defined as cerebral edema.
A personal with a spinal cord injury at T7 has paraplegia.
True
Paraplegia is defined as the loss of motor function to the lower extremities. This is caused by spinal cord injuries at or below T2. The upper extremities are innervated by nerves originating from C5-T1, therefore a spinal cord injury at T1 or above would start affecting the upper extremities. Spinal cord injuries at or above C5 cause complete quadriplegia.
A person with quadraplegia caused by a spinal cord injury at C5 will have a loss of sensation below the neck, but will have normal bowel and bladder function.
False
Paraplegia is defined as the loss of motor function to the upper and lower extremities and is caused by spinal cord injuries at or above C5. With complete spinal cord injuries, all function (motor, sensory, and autonomic) at or below the level of the injury is affected. Bowel and bladder function is controlled by autonomic nerves originating from S2-S4. An individual with quadriplegia (or paraplegia) has no sensation form the bowel and bladder, and no voluntary control over these organs.
Why is it difficult to determine if a person has permanent loss of function due to a spinal cord injury until 1-3 weeks following the injury?
Inflammation and the resulting edema can temporarily impair neuronal activity.
Immediately following a spinal cord injury there can be significant inflammation and edema in the spinal cord that can temporarily impair neuron function. Therefore it is difficult to tell what loss of function is permanent until the edema resolves. This stage is called spinal shock.
Which problem is a common trigger for autonomic dysreflexia in persons with spinal cord injuries?
Distended bladder
A client with quadraplegia is at risk for autonomic dysreflexia. What key vital sign chnage would indicate that he is developing this life-threatening condition?
Blood pressure = 220/95 mm Hg
Autonomic dysreflexia is a condition where activation of the sympathetic nervous system causes arterial vasoconstriction leading to severe hypertension.
All strokes cause:
cerebral ischemia.
What is a stroke?
cerebral ischemia resulting in the death of CNS neurons. The majority of strokes are caused by blood clots or a hemorrhage in a cerebral artery.
Often caused by small blood clots that form in the heart and travel up to the brain that cause temporary ischemia.
Transient ischemic attack (TIA)
Caused by a blood clot that develops in an atherosclerotic cerebral artery
Thrombotic stroke
Can be caused by a large blood clot in the carotid artery that travels to the brain.
Embolic stroke
Can be caused by an aneurysm
Hemorrhagic stroke
Ruptured cerebral artery leads to cerebral ischemia and increased intracranial pressure
In general, Alzheimer disease causes:
progressive dementia.
What is the definition of Alzheimer disease?
Causes a progressive failure of cerebral function not associated with an impaired level of consciousness, which is the definition of dementia.
The most significant risk factors in the development of late onset Alzheimer disease include:
Older age and genetics/family history.
In addition to memory loss and a decrease in the ability to recognize their loved ones, individuals with Alzheimer disease can also develop which problems?
Problems walking and increased risk of falling
Bowel and urinary incontinence
Mood disturbances and violent outbursts
