Neurologic exam Flashcards
What are the 7 main components of the neurologic exam?
- Mental status/language
- CNs
- Motor
- Sensory
- Cerebellar
- Reflexes
- Gait
(GRS MCs)
by looking at level of consciousness you’re looking at the ______ which is testing what 3 parts of your brain?
- Reticular Activating System (RAS)
- medulla, thalamus, cortex
A patient who’s unarousable and is unaware of themselves and their environment is _____
- in a coma
A coma involves all or a combination of ______(3)
- cortex
- thalamus
- RAS
Content of thought is looking at what 2 lobes?
- frontal
- temporal (anterior)
How do you test their content of thought/cognitive status?
- MMSE
Results of the MMSE vary with____
education and age
- this is why you always ask how far they’ve gone in school!!!!<–test question
Strength grade 0
no movement of isolated muscle
Strength grade 1
flicker of movement
Strength grade 2
able to move perpendicular to gravity only
Strength grade 3
able to move against gravity (if someone can raise their elbow they automatically have a grade 3, if they can walk–their psoas needs to be able to pull against gravity–they automatically have a 3)
Strength grade 4
able to move against gravity and resistance
Strength grade 5
full strength
Strength grades 1-4 indicate _____
paresis (weakness)
Strength grade 0 indicates
plegia
Increased muscle tone can be due to (2)
- spasticity (increased tone in only one muscle or the other–flexor or extensor–resulting in stiff movement)
- rigidity
For how long should a patient be able to sense vibration at the distal extremities?
- 20-(patient’s age in decades)
What 2 things are you looking for on the cerebellar exam?
- appendicular ataxia (finger to nose or heel to shin testing)
- axial ataxia (gait testing)
NOTE: ataxia is basically a tremor of the trunk muscles
Deep tendon reflexes test the state of _____
the spinal cord
Reflex grade 0
no reflex
Reflex grade 1
hypoactive reflex (not a big deal)
Reflex grade 2
normoactive reflex
Reflex grade 3
hyperactive reflex (upper motor neuron problem)
Reflex grade 4
clonus (reflex continues without further stimulation)
