Neurological Disorders Flashcards
Neurological system
body’s communication network
Responsible for coordinating and organizing
3 Divisions of Neuro System
CNS - “control center” - Brain, brainstem, spinal cord
Peripheral - motor and sensory nerves that connect CNS to remote body parts. Relays/receives messages
Autonomic - Part of peripheral NS, regulates involuntary functions of internal organs and vascular system
PE
Check for significant symptoms:
HA - esp if more severe in a.m., awakens pt, or pain is unusually intense
Visual acuity - esp. sudden changes
Numbness/tingling
Clumsiness or complete loss of fxn in an extremity
Mood swings/personality changes
Change in seizures
Neuro Exam
Determine cerebral, cerebellar, motor, sensory, and cranial nerve fxn
Mental status, intellect & behavior - indicators for cerebral fxn
LOCMotor function - alert to comatose
Sensory function - impaired or absent sensation can point to brain, spinal cord, or peripheral nerve damage
CN function
Testing
Skull films - ID skull malformations, fx, thickening, changes in landmarks
CT - ID hemorrhage, intracranial tumors, malformation. cerebral atrophy, calcification, infarction
MRI - views CNS in greater detail than CT - procedure of choice for detecting MS, intralumenal clots and bloodflow in AV malformations and aneurysms, brainstem, post. fossa, and spinal cord lesions, early cerebral infarction, brain tumors
EEG - abnormal electrical activity in brain - seizures, drug OD
US - carotid lesions or changes in carotid bloodflow and velocity
Evoked potentials - eval visual, auditory, and somatosensory nerve pathways
Lumbar puncture - aspiration of CSF
Myelography - done after LP. shows spinal cord compression r/t back pain or LE weakness
Angiogram - shows CV abnormalities
Brain Scan - highlight intracranial masses, vascular lesions and other malformations
ICP monitoring - detect trends in ICP
Electromyography - detect lower motor neuron disorders, neuromuscular disorders, and nerve damage
