Basics of Neuro Exam

Question 1

What structures of the CNS lie in the posterior fossa?

Answer 1

Brainstem and cerebellum

Question 2

Basal ganglia - CNS or PNS?

Answer 2

CNS

Question 3

Spinal cord - CNS or PNS?

Answer 3

CNS

Question 4

Signs/symptoms on the same side as the involved CNS structure

Answer 4

Ipsilateral

Question 5

Signs/symptoms on the opposite side as the involved CNS structure?

Answer 5

Contralateral

Question 6

Motor or upper motor neurons are called ______ tracts. What two structures do they cross?

Answer 6

Corticospinal tracts

Medullary pyramidal decussation
Foramen magnum

Question 7

What sensory system carries proprioception/fine touch? What structure does it cross?

Answer 7

Dorsal column System

Foramen magnum

Question 8

What sensory system carries pain/thermal sensation? What structure does it cross?

Answer 8

Spinothalamic system

Level of entry in spinal cord

Question 9

What are the three long tracts?

Answer 9

Corticospinal, dorsal column, spinothalamic

Question 10

Disease at a spinal segment - local (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, or sacral)

Answer 10

Segmental disease

Question 11

What symptoms result from segmental disease?

Answer 11

Weakness and reflex changes below the level of the lesion due to interruption of descending corticospinal tracts

Loss of sensation below level of lesion due to interruption of ascending dorsal column and spinothalamic tracts

Question 12

Preferentially impacts long tracts, combo of involved tracts can be relatively specific for selected diseases

Answer 12

Selective tract disease

Question 13

Posterior fossa structures reside between the ____ and ____

Answer 13

foramen magnum and tentorium

Question 14

Injury to brainstem:

Cranial nerves - ?
Long tracts - ?
(ipsilateral or contralateral symptoms)

Other injury:

Answer 14

CN’s - ipsilateral
LT’s - contralateral (b/c they have decussated/crossed)

Disturbances of conjugate gaze and/or pupils, disturbances of balance

Question 15

Injury to cerebellum itself: contralateral or ipsilateral symptoms?

Answer 15

Ipsilateral

Question 16

What are basal ganglia?

Answer 16

Deep nuclei in the upper brainstem and deep cerebral hemispheres

Question 17

Injury to basal ganglia: contralateral or ipsilateral?

What are the prime manifestations?

Answer 17

Contralateral

Movement disorders - Parkinson’s, Huntington’s

Question 18

What are higher cortical functions?

Answer 18

Language, complex actions, complex sensory interpretation

Question 19

Disturbance of language

Answer 19

Aphasia

Question 20

Inability to execute complex motor tasks

Answer 20

Apraxia

Question 21

Inability to interpret complex sensory info - like recognizing faces

Answer 21

Agnosia

Question 22

What cerebral hemisphere is language dominant? (for most people)

Answer 22

Left

Question 23

Injury to cerebral hemispheres: contralateral or ipsilateral?

Answer 23

Contralateral - b/c long tracts plug into hemispheres

Question 24

Visual pathways run from ____ to ___, so lesions produce very specific visual field findings.

Answer 24

Retina to occipital cortex