Neuro Terms

Question 1

Akithesia

Answer 1

Motor restlessness; constant semi-purposeful movements of the arms and legs

Question 2

Asterixis

Answer 2

Sudden loss of muscle tone during sustained contraction of an outstretched limb

Question 3

Athetosis

Answer 3

Writhing, slow sinuous movements. Especially of the hands and wrists

Question 4

Chorea

Answer 4

Jerky small rapid movements, often disguised by the patient with a purposeful final movement.

Question 5

Dyskinesia

Answer 5

Purposeless and continuous movements, often of the face and mouth; frequently as a result of treatment with major tranquillisers for psychotic illness.

Question 6

Dystonia

Answer 6

Sustained contractions of a group of agonist and antagonist muscles, usually in flexion or extremes of extension; results in bizarre postures.

Question 7

Hemiballismus

Answer 7

Exaggerated chorea involving one side of the body; there are wild flinging movements that can injure the patient or bystanders

Question 8

Myoclonic jerk

Answer 8

Brief muscle contraction that causes a sudden purposeless jerking of the limb

Question 9

Myokymia

Answer 9

Repeated contraction of a small muscle group; often involves orbicularis oculi muscles

Question 10

Tic

Answer 10

Repetitive irrestistble movement that is purposeful or semi-purposeful

Question 11

Tremor

Answer 11

Rhythmic alternating movement

Question 12

Brudzinski sign

Answer 12

Spontaneous flexion of the hips during flexion of the neck by the examiner.
Indicates meningism.

Question 13

Kernig’s sign

Answer 13

Flex each hip in turn, then attempt to straighten the knee while keeping the hip flexed. Greatly limited by spasm of hamstrings (which causes pain) when there is meningism due to an inflammatory exudate around the lumbar spinal roots.