Neuro Flashcards
lobe of the brain responsible for sensation
parietal
lobe of the brain that serves as the visual center
occipital
lobe of the brain responsible for hearing, taste & smell
temporal
area of temporal lobe that mediates motor speech
Broca’s area
area of temporal lobe responsible for language comprehension
Wernicke’s area
Parts of the limbic system
basal ganglia, thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus
area of the limbic system that coordinates movement (esp automatic associated movements, like arms swing opposite of leg)
basal ganglia
main relay station for sensor pathways of the spinal cord
thalamus
area of the skin supplied by a
spinal cord segment
dermatome
Receptive dysphasia indicates damage to _____ area
(can’t understand)
Wernicke’s
Expressive dysphasia indicates damage to _____ area
(can’t express)
Broca’s
Myasthenia Gravis
chronic autoimmune
neuromuscular disorder with weakness of voluntary
muscles
inflammatory nervous system
disease; myelin of nerve cells of brain/spinal cord
damaged causing decreased transmission between
brain and body
Multiple sclerosis (MS)
how can intracranial pressure affect the GI system?
Nausea and projectile vomiting
What is the sequence of a neurological exam?
Mental status
Cranial nerves
Motor system
Sensory system
Reflexes
What is included in a mental status exam?
LOC
Cognitive function
Speech
PERRLA
How would you test Cranial Nerve I Olfactory?
Identify odors with eyes closed
How would you test Cranial Nerve II Optic?
Test peripheral vision with one eye covered
How would you test Cranial Nerve III Oculomotor?
Peripheral vision, eye chart, reaction to light
How would you test Cranial Nerve IV Trochlear?
Test ability to depress & adduct eye
What is the function of Cranial Nerve III Oculomotor?
Eye movement & pupillary reaction
What is the function of Cranial Nerve IV Trochlear?
Eye movement
What is the function of Cranial Nerve V Trigeminal?
Face sensation & mastication
What is the function of Cranial Nerve VI Abducens?
Eye movement
How would you test Cranial Nerve VI Abducens?
Test ability to abduct eye past midline
What is the function of Cranial Nerve VII Facial?
Facial muscles & taste
How would you test Cranial Nerve VII Facial?
Close eyes & smile; detect various tastes - sweet, sour, salty, bitter
What is the function of the Cranial Nerve VIII Vestibulocochlear (Acoustic)?
Hearing & Balance
How would you test Cranial Nerve VIII Vestibulocochlear (Acoustic)?
Hearing; feet together, eyes open/closed x 5 sec; test for past-pointing
How would you test for Cranial Nerve IX Glossopharyngeal and X Vagus?
Swallow & say “ahh”; use tongue depressor to elicit gag reflex
What is the function of Cranial Nerve X Vagus?
Swallow, voice, gag reflex
What is the function of Cranial Nerve XI Spinal Accessory?
Rotate/SB neck; shrug shoulders
What is the function of Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Tongue movement
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
a flicker of movement under the skin
fasciculation
rapid, irregular and unsynchronized contractions of muscle fibers
fibrillations
jerky hand movement when arms are extended, often associated with liver disease and hepatic encephalopathy
asterixis
Romberg test
Assesses for balance and coordination
Dysdiadochokinesis
Uncoordinated, slow and clumsy movements
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
Signs of Parkinson’s Disease
*Tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw or face
*Bradykinesia or slowness of movement
*Rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk
*Postural instability or impaired balance and coordination
A neurological examination used to assess a person’s ability to recognize and identify everyday objects through touch and manipulation, without relying on visual or auditory cues
Stereognosis
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
Repetitive, rhythmic, uncontrolled reflex response caused by several
neurological disorders
Clonus
Reflex arcs
Involve both sensory neurons that carry information from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and motor neurons that carry the response from the spinal cord to the muscles
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
rapid and involuntary response to sensory stimulus
reflex
Responsible for voluntary and skilled movements.
Originates in the motor cortex and consists of upper motor neurons (UMNs) that descend through the brainstem and spinal cord.
Synapses with lower motor neurons (LMNs) in the spinal cord to innervate muscles, enabling precise motor control.
Corticospinal System
A neurological condition characterized by abnormal posturing in response to certain stimuli, typically observed in severe brain damage to the cerebral hemispheres. Arms are flexed and legs are internally rotated.
Decorticate rigidity
This type of posturing is an indication of dysfunction or damage to the brainstem, particularly the structures known as the midbrain and pons.
The arms are extended and rotated outward, while the legs are also extended and the feet are pointed downward
Decerebrate rigidity
Opisthotonos
*Severe hyperextension and spasticity
*Usually caused by severe tetanus or meningitis
Symptoms of a stroke
*Difficulty walking, loss of balance and coordination
*Dizziness, nausea, vomiting
*Numbness or paralysis in the face, leg, arm, or one side of the body
*Difficulty speaking or understanding others who are speaking, slurred speech
*Sudden headache
*Blurred or darkened vision
A complex and less common condition that may develop in some individuals after a concussion. Refers to a collection of persisting symptoms that last beyond the expected recovery period of a concussion, typically lasting for weeks to months after the initial injury
Post Concussive Syndrome
Decreased muscle tone and strength; may be seen in neuromuscular
disorders and with cerebellar lesions
Hypotonia
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
Increased muscle tone and may be result of injury to upper motor neurons
Hypertonia
Loss of muscle tone, strength to unilateral side of body; can involve upper
extremity, lower extremity, or both; indicative of stroke or neurological injury or
disease.
Hemiparesis
Absence of movement and sensation in lower extremities, indicative of spinal cord injury/lesion at or below thoracic spine level
Paraplegic
Absence of movement and sensation in upper and lower extremities,
indicative of spinal cord injury/lesion at or below cervical spine 1
Quadriplegic
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
How would you test for Cranial Nerve XII Hypoglossal?
Protrude tongue (watch for lateral deviation)
