Neuro Assessment Flashcards
what is part of the central nervous system
brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves I and II
what is part of the peripheral nervous system
cranial nerves III-XII; spinal nerves; autonomic nervous system
components of the neurological system
cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, and spinal cord
components of the cerebrum
brain hemispheres, thalamus, limbic system, hypothalamus, basal ganglia
parts of the frontal lobe
pre-frontal cortex, pre-motor cortex, primary motor cortex, broca’s area
prefrontal cortex
cognitive functioning, memory, judgment
premotor cortex
head and voluntary eye movement
primary motor cortex
voluntary motor movements
Broca’s area
motor control of speech
parietal lobe functions
sensory information processing of vision, hearing, taste, and touch (where the sense come together for understanding)
temporal lobe functions
hearing, acquiring memory, short term memory, Wernicke’s area, seizures
Wernicke’s area
processing spoken words
occipital love functions
visual perception
parts of the cerebral limbic system
thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus
thalamus
all sensory pathways with the exception of smell, conscious pain
hypothalamus
regulates hunger, temperature, thirst, and sexual arousal (tells the pituitary to release hormones)
hippocampus
converts short term to long term memories
cerebellum
balance
what are the parts of the brain stem
midbrain, pons, medulla
what cranial nerves are connected to the midbrain
III and IV
what cranial nerves are connected to the pons
V, VI, VII, and VIII
what cranial nerves are connected to the medulla
IX, X, XI, and XII
medulla
transfers messages from spinal cord and brain throughout body, breathing, heart function, digestion, sneezing, and swallowing
ascending tracts of the spinal pathway
carry sensory information to higher levels of CNS
descending tracts of the spinal pathway
carry impulses responsible for muscle movement; pyramidal (voluntary) tract; extrapyramidal system (involuntary movement)
dermatones
an area of skin that is supplied with the nerve fibers of a single, posterior, spinal root
autonomic nervous system
acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions, such as HR, digestion, RR, pupillary response, urination, and sexual arousal
components of neuro assessment
mental status/LOC; behavior; cranial nerves; motor; sensory; coordination
pain response in unconscious patients
painful/noxious stimuli; does the patient reflex?
mental status
orientation
person, place, time, situation
Glascow coma scale
LOC
less than 8 is DEAD
cranial nerve I
olfactory
cranial nerve II
optic (visual)
cranial nerve III
oculomotor (PERRLA)
aneurysm, tumors, vasculitis
cranial nerve IV
trochlear (outward, downward)
double vision when reading
cranial nerve V
trigeminal
sensation (corneal reflex, disturb patient to see reflex)
cranial nerve VI
abducens
assess for nystagmus, twitching, difficulty to follow gaze (EOM)
cranial nerve VII
facial
face muscles (look for symmetry)
cranial nerve VIII
acoustic/vestibulocochlear
Weber/Rinne’s test to test hearing loss
cranial nerve IX/X
glossopharyngeal/Vagus
taste, swallowing ability, gag
cranial nerve XI
spinal accessory
shrug shoulders, move head
cranial nerve XII
hypoglossal
tongue movement and ability to speak
motor function test
0- no movement to stimuli; 2- active movement not against gravity; 5- active movement against gravity with full resistance
cerebellar function
ability to walk straight? balanced?
what increases intracranial pressure
coughing, gagging, HOB, flat, pain
what are some signs of neurological compromise?
change in LOC/MS; subtle changes; know baseline mental status/vitals; pupillary and vitals are very late signs
