Neurological System Screen Flashcards
what can be found in a neurologic exam
coordination, gait, and equilibrium issues
sensory issues
reflexes
what does the cerebellum work with to do what
basal ganglia to maintain posture, muscle tone and equilibrium
what is the first thing to be observed during a cerebellar exam
muscle tone
- atrophy on one side vs the other
- look for any fasciculations
- look for clasp knife or cogwheel rigidity
what is pronator drift
when patient is seated with arms supinated out in front of themselves, arm or arms will pronate and begin to drop
if cerebellar damage occurs, how will speech be affected
slow enunciation
hesitation
poor rhythm
what are the coordination tests
finger to nose
heel to shin
diadochokinetic
rebound
what does the finger to nose test assess
dysmetria
what does the heel to shin test observe
dysmetria
what are the ways to test gait/balance
gait analysis
romberg
tandem rom
tandem gait
damages in the afferent neuron from the ____ could lead to ____
from muscle spindle = decreased tendon reflex
from cutaneous receptor = decreased sensation and cutaneous reflex
between afferent to efferent = decrease deep tendon reflexes and weakness
damage to CNS neurons could lead to
loss or decrease function
or increase or uncontrolled expression of a function
damage to the PNS could cause
weakness
decreased reflexes
and/or decreased sensation
what is superficial sensation
perception of light touch, pressure, temperature, and pain via exteroceptors in skin/subcutaneous tissue
what is deep sensation
perception of position, kinesthesia and vibration via proprioceptors in mm, tendon, lig, jts and fascia
why should we evaluate somatosensation
establish more precise differential diagnosis
effectively establish prognosis
develop plan of care
identify need for referrals
provide and communicate accurate reproducible data
s/s of somatosensory impairment
pins and needles / numbness
disregard of body parts
lack of awareness to pain/injury
feeling of hot or cold
clumsiness / unsteady mobility
what is radiculopathy
nerve root damage that affects a dermatome
peripheral nerves supply what
sensory innervation to a particular area of skin in extremity that overlaps dermatomes
decreased light touch sensation across multiple sites on UE or LE indicates
lesion in contralateral brain/brainstem
decreased light tough in all extremities more distally suggests
peripheral polyneuropathy
sensory loss in hand/fingers suggests
central cord syndrome
sensory loss in saddle pattern suggests
cauda equina lesion
light touch deficits can be categorized as
0 - absent
1 - altered / impaired
2 - normal
NT - not testable
how are DTRs graded
0 - no reflex
1+ - minimal response
2+ - normal reflex
3+ - brisk response
4+ - hyperreflexive
