Neuro Exam Flashcards
What is the standard order of the neuro exam?
Mental Status Cranial Nerves Motor System Coordination/gait [cerebellar mainly] Sensory System
What are the five primary modes of sensation?
fine touch vibration proprioception pain temperature
Where in the nervous system do nerve fibers cross over?
Fine touch, vibration, and proprioception cross over in the brainstem. Whereas, pain and temperature cross over in the spinal cord.
Where do motor neurons cross over?
Motor neurons cross over in the brainstem.
Describe Brown-Sequard Syndrome.
Brown-Sequard syndrome is when there is loss of motor, fine touch, vibration, and proprioception on the same side as the injury [they don’t cross until the brainstem] and when there is a loss of pain & temperature sensation on the opposite side as the injury [they cross in the spinal cord].
Define ipisilateral.
belonging to or occurring on the same side of the body
[Bing Definition]
Define contralateral.
relating to or denoting the side of the body opposite to that on which a particular structure or condition occurs
[Bing Definition]
What does it mean when someone has hemisection of the spinal cord?
Hemisection of spinal cord = injury to half the spinal cord
What are some signs of UMN [upper motor neuron] weakness?
Spastic [stiff, uncoordinated] paralysis, Babinski’s sign, hyperreflexia
What are some signs of LMN [lower motor neuron] weakness?
Flaccid paralysis, fasciculations and fibrillations, atrophy, hyporeflexia
Describe the assessments made during the mental status part of the neuro exam.
- Level of consciousness
- Orientation [What’s your name? Today’s date? Where are we?]
- Memory [ask them to remember three random words & repeat; have the repeat again later]
- Attention [repeat a series of numbers, spell a word backwards]
How many pairs of cranial nerves does a human have?
12 pairs of cranial nerves
What are the names of the cranial nerves [use the mnemonic]?
On old Olympus’ towering top a Fin and German viewed some hops:
Olfactory Optic Oculomotor Trochlear Trigeminal Abducens Facial Auditory Glossopharyngeal Vagus Spinal accessory Hypoglossal
What is Babinski’s Reflex?
Babinski’s reflex is when there is dorsiflexion of the great toe and downward fanning of the other toes when the lateral foot is stroked from the heel to the ball of the foot then across the ball of the foot towards the great toe. The normal response is for the toes to plantar flex. Presence of Babinski’s reflex indicates disease in the corticospinal tract [or that they are an infant].
