Assessment of the Neurological system

Question 1

Define stroke

Answer 1

Damage to the brain from interruption of its blood supply.

Question 2

Define epilepsy

Answer 2

a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Question 3

Define hypoxia

Answer 3

deficiency in the amount of oxygen reaching the tissues.

Question 4

Define hypotension

Answer 4

abnormally low blood pressure.

Question 5

Define haemorrhage

Answer 5

an escape of blood from a ruptured blood vessel.

Question 6

What do we look for under the motor system?

Answer 6

ROM of joints, size of pupils, strength of body, tone, and involuntary movements

Question 7

What do we look for under the coordinated and skilled movements?

Answer 7

Rapid pronation and supination of hands. Finger to finger test, finger to nose test, heel to shin test.

Question 8

What does ABCDE stand for?

Answer 8

ABCDE stands for asymmetry, border, color, diameter and evolving.

Question 9

What does AVPU stand for?

Answer 9

alert, verbal, pain, unresponsive

Question 10

What does GCS stand for?

Answer 10

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is the most common scoring system used to describe the level of consciousness in a person following a traumatic brain injury. Basically, it is used to help gauge the severity of an acute brain injury

Question 11

When doing a neurological assessment we are observing for any change in?

Answer 11

Coordination, orientation, speech, memory, sight, drowsiness, affect on mood, walking, swallow, sensation, hearing, continence, and writing.

Question 12

What occurs during a reflex?

Answer 12

A sensory receptor in the skin or muscle is simulated and a neural impulse travels from the afferent neuron to the spinal cord. Then the efferent neuron transmits the impulse back to the effector muscle which causes movement.

Question 13

What is an efferent neuron?

Answer 13

An immediate sequence of actions in response to a stimuli

Question 14

What are the two types of reflex’s?

Answer 14

Spinal and cranial

Question 15

Define a spinal reflex

Answer 15

Mainly involves the grey matter of the spinal cord and may serve to dampen the reflex - it is the most common

Question 16

Define a cranial reflex

Answer 16

Involves the brain aka moving eyes and blinking

Question 17

What is a normal response of the archives reflex test?

Answer 17

Foot plantar flexes against hand

Question 18

What is a normal response of the knee reflex test?

Answer 18

Extension of the lower leg

Question 19

What is a normal response of the biceps reflex test?

Answer 19

Contraction of the biceps muscle and flexion of the forearm

Question 20

What is a normal response of the triceps reflex test?

Answer 20

Extension of forearm

Question 21

What is an afferent neuron?

Answer 21

Afferent neurons convey information from tissues and organs into the central nervous system

Question 22

What is an efferent neuron?

Answer 22

Efferent neurons transmit signals from the central nervous system (CNS) to the effector cells (e.g. motor neurons )

Question 23

What is a reflex?

Answer 23

An immediate sequence of actions in response to a stimuli

Question 24

What may damage to the lower motor neurons result in?

Answer 24

A decrease or absence of reflex responses.

Question 25

What does SOAP stand for?

Answer 25

Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan

Question 26

What is the Achilles reflex test?

Answer 26

occurs when the Achilles tendon is tapped while the foot is dorsiflexed.

Question 27

What Is the knee reflex test?

Answer 27

sudden kicking movement of the lower leg in response to a sharp tap on the patellar tendon, which lies just below the kneecap

Question 28

What is the biceps reflex test?

Answer 28

The test is performed by using a tendon hammer to quickly depress the biceps brachii tendon as it passes through the cubital fossa

Question 29

What is the triceps reflex test?

Answer 29

With the elbow in flexion, tap the triceps tendon, just proximal to the elbow, with a reflex hammer.

Question 30

What is the plantar reflex test?

Answer 30

This reflex is usually tested by doctors by stroking the sole of the foot. When the big toe bends up and back toward the top of the foot while the other four toes spread out from one another, it’s called the Babinski sign.

Question 31

What is polio?

Answer 31

A virus that may cause paralysis and is easily preventable by the polio vaccine.

Question 32

What is encephalitis?

Answer 32

Inflammation of the brain, often due to infection.

Question 33

What is Guillain-Barré syndrome?

Answer 33

A condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves.