Week 29: Consciousness

Question 1

What might result from a lesion to VTA ( considering its role in consciousness)

Answer 1

VTA is the region of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) where dopamine is produced. Dopamine is involved in motivating you to go do things. So lesion to VTA may result in the pt being less attentive and indecisive.

Question 2

What are some things you would expect to see in a patient with a diffuse brainstem injury?

Answer 2

• reduced level of arousal

Question 3

What are some things you would expect to see in a patient with a diffuse thalamus injury?

Answer 3

Disrupting the coordination of consciousness control.

Question 4

Define Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Answer 4

Blunt or penetrating injury to the brain resulting from trauma with a presenting Glasgow Coma Scale = 8 in the absence of confounding conditions (I.e., hypothermia, drug intoxication, withdrawal)

Question 5

What is cerebral perfusion pressure?

Answer 5

The drive of blood flow into the skull

Question 6

What is the Monro-Kellie Doctrine?

Answer 6

Cranial cavity is a closed rigid box, so a change in volume of one of the intracranial compartments can only occur as a result of a compensatory decrease in another compartment.