Neuro Flashcards
Neuro function: Controls _____, _______, ______, cognition and behavioral activities.
Motor; sensory; autonomic
Neuro Function: Links motor and _______ pathways. Monitors body posturing. responds to _______/______ environment. Maintains homeostasis.
sensory; internal/external;
Neuro Function: Directs all psychological, ______, and physical activities via ______ and electrical messages.
biological; chemical
Neuro Function: What are the 5 chemicals in the brain?
- Acetacholine 2. serotonin 3. dopamine 4. GABA 5. Endorphins
Function: What are the two systems involved in the brain function?
- Central nervous system (CNS)- brain and spinal cord 2. Peripheral nervous system (PNS- cranial nerves, spinal nerves
Neuro Function: The PNS is divided into two systems, what are they?
- Autonomic- involuntary 2. Somatic- voluntary
Autonomic Nervous system: ________ is the major center for regulation. Maintains and restores internal ________.
Hypothalamus; homeostasis
Autonomic Nervous system: What internal organs are regulated by the ANS?
lungs, blood vessels, digestive organs, and glands
Autonomic Nervous system: The ANS is divided into two systems, what are they?
- Sympathetic- “fight or flight” 2. Parasympathetic- controls visceral functions, in noxstress situations parasympathetic rules.
Assessment: Clinical manifestations They can be subtle or intense, fluctuating or permanent, inconvenient or devastating. What are 6 manifestations?
- pain 2. seizures 3. dizziness 4. visual disturbances-acuity 5. weakness 6. abnormal sensations- numbness, tingly
Physical examination: Cerebral function 1. mental status 2. intellectual functioning 3. thought content 4. emotional status 5. perception 6. motor/ language abilities
- are they coherent? 4. do they have mood swings? 5. can the patient properly identify and name things (agnosia-inability to name objects) 6. do they have the ability to speak?
Physical examination: Motor system 1. muscle strength 2. balance and coordination 3. reflexes
- is it weak or stronger on one side? 2. Romberg test- Ask the patient to stand with feet together and then close his or her eyes. If the patient is able to maintain balance with the eyes open but sways or falls with the eyes closed (i.e., a positive Romberg test) 3. Chart 0-4: normal-2, brisk-3, quick-4
Physical examination: Sensory Collections of _______ data. Most deficits are peripheral ___________. Tests- tactile sensation, _________ pain, vibration, position sense.
subjective; neuropathies; superficial
Physical examination: sensory 1. motor ability 2. language ability 3. impact on life 4. gerontology
- ask how it affects their life 4. structural changes, motor alterations, sensory alterations, temperature and pain perception, taste/smell alterations, tactile/visual alterations, mental status
Dermatomes: Spinal nerves
8 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral
1 coccygeal
Seizures:
Disorder taht involve periodic disturbances in the brains _________ activity, resulting in some degree of temporary brain _________.
electrical; dysfunction
Seizures:
_________, uncontrolled electrical discharge of ______ in the brain that interrupt normal function
paroxysmal; neurons
Seizures:
May be associated with loss of consciousness, excess _________, or loss of _____/________, disturbed behavior, mood, sensation, and _______.
movement; tone/movement; perception
Seizures:
Most seizures are sudden and ______. Often the symptom of underlying condition-systemic or _______ disturbances are not considered to be _______ if seizures leave after condition clears.
transient; metabolic; epilepsy
Seizures: Etiology
- high fever
- brain infections
- metabolic disorder- DM
- inadequate brain oxygenation- hypoxia
- structural damage- trauma
- fluid accumulation
- toxic drugs/ substance
- withdrawal
- ceratin drugs
- Heart problems
Seizure Disorders:
Partial seizures begin in 1 part of the brain. Name the 2 types of partial seizures:
- simple partial
- complex partial
Seizure disorders: Generalized Seizures
Involve electrical discharges in whole brain.
Name the 6 types of gerneralized seizures:
- tonic-clonic
- tonic
- clonic
- absence- petite-mal
- atonic
- myoclonic
Generalized: Tonic-clonic
Name the phases of a Tonic-clonic seizure
Generalized: Tonic phase
Name the 5 occurances during this phase
- neuronal hyperexcitation
- loss of consciousness
- apnea
- dilated pupils
- duration 15-60 seconds
Generalized: Clonic Phase
Name the 4 occurances during this phase
- inhibitory neurons interrupt seizure discharge
- hyperventilation
- rhythmic jerking of extremities
- duration- 60-90 seconds
Generalized: Postictal Phase
Name the 8 possible occurances during this phase:
What is Todd’s paralysis?
- deep sleep
- muscle soreness
- headache
- amnesia
- visual disturbances
- dysphagia
- aphagia
- duration varies
Todd’s paralysis: temporary motro deficit of ARM or LEG that can last u to 24 hours.
Recovery position:
Take at least 10 seconds to study image.
What is the recovery position?
EEG for diagnosis of Seizures:
What are important things to know about EEGs being done before and after?
Deprive patient of sleep for 24hrs. Labs for electrolytes, anemia, heart problems and DM. CT and MRI may be done to look for structural problems
Seizures: Nursing management during and after
What are 3 things to prevent injury?
What are other nursing management responsibilities?
- side-lying position
- suction available
- bed in low position, padded siderails up
*if possible loosen clothing
Support and documentation are other nursing management responsibilities.
*patient is at risk for respiratory distress have O2 available
Seizure Nursing observation and documentation
- circumstances prior to seizure
- Occurrence of an Aura
- First obvious sign of seizure
- types of movements
- area of body involved
- eyes- pupil size, open/closed, turned to one side?
- Presence of automatisms
- incontinence
- paralysis/wekness of extremities pose-24hrs
- inability to speak post
- movements at end
- sleeps afterward, cognitive staus after
Epilepsy:
Condition in which a patient has spontaneous unproveoked recurring ______ caused by a chronic underlying condition. Eitiology attributed to a group of abnormal ______ (seizure focus) that undergo spontaneous firing- possibly due to ______(gliosis).
*there is new evidnece that other cells may be the problem
seizures; neurons; scarring
Epilepsy:
Incidence rate (new onset) high in ___ year of life, _______ in childhood & teens, plateuing in _______ ____, and sharp _____ in elderly.
1st; declining; middle age; rise
Epilepsy:
Previously a stigma but acceptable now. What is primary and secondary?
What are the causes?
primary- idiopathic
secondary- cause is known and the epilepsy is a syptom of another underlying cause
Causes:
idiopathic- genetic/gevelopmental defect
acquired- hypoxemia
Epilepsy: Medical management
Individualized due to the varied forms of the condition. Management is aimed at _______ and _________ of seizures
prevention; management
Epilepsy: Medical management
What testing will be done for epilepsy?
- EEG
- CT
- MRI
- SPECT
- Tox screen
- Genetics
Epilepsy: Medical management
Pharmacologic Therapy
There are many available. Start with _____ med with ________ dose. Monitor ______
single; increasing; levels
Epilepsy: Medical management
Pharmacologic Therapy
May need to switch med if ot working. When ____ or with _____ change/stress may need dose adjustment.
sick; weight