Neurological & Musculoskeletal Systems

Question 1

Neurological older adult changes

Answer 1

-General atrophy with steady loss of neurons at 65
-Loss of muscle bulk, strength, tone in face/neck/around the spine, impaired fine motor coordination and agility
-Slow retraction time
-Muscle tremors
-Gait slow and deliberate
-Decreased touch, pain, smell, taste sensation
-Dizziness & loss of balance with position changes

Question 2

What are older adults at an increased risk for neurologically?

Answer 2

-Stroke
-Falls & injuries

Question 3

Neurological Hx

Answer 3

Headache (persistent and chronic migraines)
Head injury (previous head injuries, loss of consciousness)
Dizziness or vertigo (presyncope, syncope, vertigo)
Seizures (epilepsy, aura)
Tremors (new and unrelated to substances)
Weakness (paresis, paralysis)
Uncoordination (dysmetria)
Numbness or tingling (anesthesia, paresthesia)
Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Difficulty speaking (dysarthria, aphasia)
Significant Hx (stroke, SCI, meningitis, alcoholism, drug use)
Environmental & occupational hazards (exposure to lead or insecticides)

Question 4

Vertigo

Answer 4

Constant feeling of dizziness without fainting

Question 5

How many seizures in a 24h period to be considered apilepsy?

Answer 5

2 or more seizures in a 24h period

Question 6

Aura

Answer 6

From epilepsy start smelling something that’s not there for example

Question 7

Paresis

Answer 7

Weakness of involuntary movements (ex. Weak to grab a cup)

Question 8

Dysmetria

Answer 8

Inability to control range of motion

Question 9

Dysarthria

Answer 9

Difficulty forming words

Question 10

Aphagia

Answer 10

They can’t understand others speech

Question 11

Meningitis

Answer 11

Inflammation of fluid around the brain membrane (meninges)

Question 12

What’s the biggest risk for falls in older adults?

Answer 12

Dizziness

Question 13

Name 3 cognitive function changes in older adults?

Answer 13

-Decrease memory
-Changes in mental functioning
-Confusion

Question 14

What can tremors and senile tremors be related to?

Answer 14

Activity or substances

Question 15

Visions changes in older adults

Answer 15

Sudden vision changes especially with weakness or loss of consciousness

Question 16

Cranial nerve 1-12 name and function

Answer 16

1. Olfactory - smell
2. Optic - vision
3. Oculomotor - EOM, eyelid opening, pupil constriction, lens shape
4. Trochlear - Downward & inward EOM
5. Trigeminal - Sensations of face, scalp, cornea, mucous membranes of mouth and nose, muscles of mastication
6. Abducens - lateral movement of eye
7. Facial - facial movement, closing of eyes and mouth, speech, taste (anterior 2/3rd of tongue), saliva & tear production
8. Acoustic - hearing, equilibrium
9. Glossopharyngeal - production of speech and swallowing, taste (posterior 1/3rd of tongue), gag and carotid reflex
10. Vagus - Talking and swallowing, sensation from carotid body and sinus, pharynx and viscera, carotid reflex
11. Spinal accessory - Movement trapezius/sternomastoid muscles
12. Hypoglossal - movement of tongue