NEURO 2

Question 1

cranial nerve I

1. Has both afferent and efferent components
2. If damaged, will result in anosmia on the contralateral side
3. Enters the cranial cavity via small holes in the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone
4. Is commonly damaged in fractures to the posterior cranial fossa
5. Patients who have sustained damage to this nerve may complain of loss of sensation in their nasal septum

Answer 1

3. Enters the cranial cavity via small holes in the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone

Question 2

cranial nerve II

1. Can be tested in the unconscious patient by observing pupillary constriction in response to light
2. Enters the skull via the superior orbital fissure
3. First joins the opposite cranial nerve II within the optic radiation
4. Its fibres are closely related to the medial geniculate body
5. A lesion affecting the left optic tract will result in total blindness in the left eye

Answer 2

1. Can be tested in the unconscious patient by observing pupillary constriction in response to light

Question 3

cranial nerves III, IV and VI

1. All take a course which runs through the inferior petrosal sinus
2. CN III carries parasympathetic fibres
3. Damage of CN III will lead to ptosis of the eyelid on the opposite side
4. Damage to CN VI will result in the inability to adduct the affected eye
5. A person with CN IV damage will complain of double vision as they look up (e.g. when walking up a flight of stairs)

Answer 3

2. CN III carries parasympathetic fibres

Question 4

cranial nerve V

1. Is a purely sensory nerve
2. Passes through foramen spinosum to supply sensation to the face
3. Damage will result in the loss of the corneal reflex on the affected side
4. Carries taste information from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue
5. Supplies the sub-mandibular salivary gland

Answer 4

3. Damage will result in the loss of the corneal reflex on the affected side

Question 5

cranial nerve VII

1. An upper motor neurone lesion will cause drooping of the eyelid on the affected side
2. Runs a course which is closely related to the middle ear
3. Conveys sensation from the posterior 1/3rd of the tongue
4. Supplies the sweat glands of the face
5. Has its nucleus in the tectum of the pons

Answer 5

2. Runs a course which is closely related to the middle ear

Question 6

cranial nerve VIII

1. Is concerned only with hearing
2. Exits the cranial cavity via foramen lacerum
3. When diseased may cause rapid eye movements; nystagmus
4. With complete damage, when a tuning fork is placed in the middle of the forehead, the sound is heard best on the same side as the damage
5. A tumour of the nerve may cause paralysis of the muscles of facial sensation

Answer 6

3. When diseased may cause rapid eye movements; nystagmus

Question 7

cranial nerve IX

1. Is purely a sensory nerve
2. Carries parasympathetic fibres to the parotid glands
3. Supplies the muscles of the tongue and pharynx
4. Leaves the cranium through foramen ovale
5. Is closely associated with the hypoglossal nerve

Answer 7

2. Carries parasympathetic fibres to the parotid glands

Question 8

cranial nerve X

1. Is made up of both sensory and motor components
2. Carries sympathetic fibres to the heart, lungs and bowel
3. Leaves the brain at the level of the pons
4. Has a branch which supplies the stylopharyngeus muscle
5. Causes increased heart rate and blood pressure when stimulated

Answer 8

1. Is made up of both sensory and motor components

Question 9

cranial nerve XI

1. Carries parasympathetic fibres
2. Has a single root
3. Runs in close proximity to the vertebral artery
4. Exits the cranial cavity via the foramen magnum alongside the spinal cord
5. Injury to the nerve causes paralysis of the sternocleidomastoid and superior trapezius muscles on the same side as the lesion

Answer 9

5. Injury to the nerve causes paralysis of the sternocleidomastoid and superior trapezius muscles on the same side as the lesion

Question 10

cranial nerve XII

1. Contains both motor and sensory components
2. Supplies only the intrinsic muscles of the tongue
3. Leaves the cranial cavity via the jugular foramen
4. Its nerve cell bodies are located within the medulla
5. Damage to the nerve will cause paralysis of the contralateral half of the tongue

Answer 10

4. Its nerve cell bodies are located within the medulla

Question 11

the spinothalamic tract

1. Is a tract which carries proprioceptive, vibration and two-point discrimination modalities to the somatosensory cortex.
2. Conveys nociceptive information to the ipsilateral thalamus
3. Is found in the dorsomedial white matter of the spinal cord
4. Conveys nociceptive information contralaterally up the spinal cord.
5. After they decussate the fibres of the spinothalamic tract project directly into the neocortex.

Answer 11

4. Conveys nociceptive information contralaterally up the spinal cord.

Question 12

Brown-Sequard Syndrome. Following traumatic hemisection of the spinal cord on the right at the level of C7, the patient presents with which ONE of the following signs and symptoms:

1. Loss of two point discrimination appreciation below the level of the lesion on the left.
2. A right-sided hemiparesis.
3. Lower motor neuron paralysis at the level of C7 on the ipsilateral side.
4. Loss of pain and temperature appreciation at all segments below the level of the lesion on the right.
5. Loss of proprioceptive information conveyed to the contralateral cerebellum

Answer 12

3. Lower motor neuron paralysis at the level of C7 on the ipsilateral side.

Question 13

the middle ear

1. The middle ear is a fluid filled chamber which communicates with the nasal cavity.
2. Conductive deafness is a reduction in the mechanical transmission of sound waves to the round window.
3. Sensation is via the VIIIth CN
4. The chain of three ossicles have cartilaginous joints between them
5. The stiffness of the ossicular chain can be modified by two muscles of the middle ear.

Answer 13

5. The stiffness of the ossicular chain can be modified by two muscles of the middle ear.

Question 14

the cochlea- 1

1. The cochlea is the organ of hearing and balance.
2. The scala vestibuli is continuous with the scala tympani via the semi-circular canals
3. The Organ of Corti is a specialised structure which rests on the basilar membrane
4. The cochlea coils 5 times around the modiolus (the central axis of the spiral).
5. Sound waves enter via the round window

Answer 14

3. The Organ of Corti is a specialised structure which rests on the basilar membrane

Question 15

the cochlea- 2

1. The basilar membrane is narrower at its apex and wider at its base
2. Some antibiotics can damage the stereocilia of the hair cells
3. The base of the basilar membrane is sensitive to low frequencies whereas the apex is sensitive to high frequencies.
4. There can be 4-5 rows of inner hair cells while there is only a single row of outer hair cells.
5. During aging low tone deafness occurs first

Answer 15

2. Some antibiotics can damage the stereocilia of the hair cells

Question 16

the semi-circular canals

1. Function to detect the position of the head with respect to gravity and linear acceleration
2. There are 3 in total on each side, which are arranged parallel to each other in the horizontal plane
3. Damage to the canals of one side result in a nystagmus with the slow phase away from the damaged side and the rapid reset towards it
4. The semi-circular canals in the left ear affect the movement of the left eye only
5. Pouring ice cold water in the external auditory meatus can cause convection currents in the semi-circular canals and nystagmus

Answer 16

5. Pouring ice cold water in the external auditory meatus can cause convection currents in the semi-circular canals and nystagmus

Question 17

the utricle and saccule

1. Signals both the position of the head with respect to gravity and rotational acceleration.
2. Stereocilia of the utricles and saccules project into the basilar membrane
3. Only signal rotational acceleration of the head.
4. Are filled with lymph
5. Signal the position of the head at rest (i.e. when no movement is occurring).

Answer 17

5. Signal the position of the head at rest (i.e. when no movement is occurring).

Question 18

the cerebellum- 1

1. Mossy Fibres are axons which are derived only from the inferior olivary nucleus.
2. Climbing fibres are thought to have a function in determining which ‘motor program’ is used for different motor movements
3. The output neurons from the cerebellar cortex are known as granule cells and are excitatory in nature.
4. Each Purkinje Fibre receives input from many thousands of parallel fibres
5. Feedback information, from the cerebellum to the cerebral cortex, travels via the medial and lateral geniculate thalamic nuclei

Answer 18

4. Each Purkinje Fibre receives input from many thousands of parallel fibres

Question 19

the cerebellum- 2

1. Is involved in the initiation of co-ordinated movement.
2. Is thought to have a part in the learning and storage of motor skills.
3. Principally receives information from the olfactory system.
4. Is part of the direct pathway producing nystagmus
5. A lesion of the left lobe will result in a decomposition of movement on the right hand side of the body.

Answer 19

2. Is thought to have a part in the learning and storage of motor skills.

Question 20

olfaction and gustation

1. Olfaction and gustation are represented contralaterally in areas including the post-central gyrus (tongue region) and insular cortex
2. Afferents from olfactory receptors directly project to the primary gustatory cortex (anterior insula and inferior frontal gyrus)
3. A single glomerulus in the olfactory bulb takes input from many receptors corresponding to a specific part of the nasal lining
4. The same mechanism is involved in the transduction of different taste molecules
5. Taste sensation is carried by CNs VII , IX and X

Answer 20

5. Taste sensation is carried by CNs VII , IX and X