Assessment Of The Neurological System Flashcards
(89 cards)
1
Q
A complex network of nerves and cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord, to various parts of the body
A
Nervous System
2
Q
Center of the nervous system
A
Brain
3
Q
6 parts of the brain
A
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Diencephalon
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla Oblungata
4
Q
Superior part of the brain
A
Cerebrum
5
Q
Coordinating voluntary movements
A
Cerebellum
6
Q
Primary relay and processing center for sensory information
A
Diencephalon
7
Q
Associated with vision, hearing, and others
A
Midbrain
8
Q
Bridge between parts of the nervous system
A
Pons
9
Q
Control center for heart and lungs
A
Medulla Oblungata
10
Q
Lobe that controls emotional expression, memory
A
Frontal lobe
11
Q
Lobe responsible for sensation, perception, and integration
A
Parietal lobe
12
Q
Lobe responsible for visual processing
A
Occipital lobe
13
Q
Lobe responsible for primary auditory perception
A
Temporal lobe
14
Q
Long thin tubular structure made up of nervous tissue which extends from the medulla oblungata to the lumbar region of the vertebral column
A
Spinal cord
15
Q
Functions primarily in the transmission of nerve signals from the motor cortex to the body
A
Spinal cord
16
Q
Parts of the nervous system outside the brain and spinal cord
A
Peripheral nervous system
17
Q
The 12 cranial nerves
A
- Olfactory
- Optic
- Oculomotor
- Trochlear
- Trigeminal
- Abducens
- Facial
- Vestibulocochlear
- Glossopharyngeal
- Vagus
- Accessory
- Hypoglossal
18
Q
- most common neurologic symptom
- pain may be mild or sever, acute or chronic, localized or generalized
- 90% benign 10% pathology
A
Headache
19
Q
Maybe a symptom of a serious medical problem
A
Headache
20
Q
Early indication of a change in neurologic status
A
Mental status change
21
Q
May begin slowly as forgetfulness, memory loss, and inability to concentrate to loss of consciousness
A
Mental status change
22
Q
Fainting sensation
A
Dizziness
23
Q
Sensation that the surroundings are spinning around
A
Objective vertigo
24
Q
Sensation that the person is spinning around; accompanied by nausea, vomiting, nystagmus, and tinnitus
A
Subjective vertigo
25
- can be a result of dizziness
- temporary loss of consciousness
- blacked out or had a spell
Syncope
26
Numbness or tingling sensation
Paresthesia
27
5 causes of paresthesia
1. Diabetes
2. Metabolic
3. Neurologic
4. CV Renal
5. Inflammatory
28
Smell
CN I Olfactory
29
Visual acuity, pupillary constrictions, extraocular movements
CN II (optic), CN III (oculomotor), CN IV (trochlear), CN VI (Abducens)
30
Taste
CN VII (facial, CN XI (Glossopharyngeal)
31
Hearing
CN III (Acoustic)
32
Touch
CN V (Trigeminal)
33
(6) Examination of the Neurological System
1. Level of Functioning
2. Mental Status
3. Cranial Nerves
4. Cerebral Function
5. Motor Function
6. Reflexes
34
(4) Terms used to describe the level of consciousness
Alert, Lethargic, Stuporous, Comatose
35
Follows command in a timely fashion
Alert
36
Appears drowsy, may drift off to sleep during examination
Lethargic
37
Requires vigorous stimulation (shaking, shouting) for a response
Stuporous
38
Does not respond appropriately to either verbal or painful stimuli
Comatose
39
Provides a more objective way to assess the patient’s LOC. Decrease score indicates impending neuro crisis
Glasgow Coma Scale
40
Lower level response and indicates that the patient pulls away from painful stimuli
Flexes and Withdraws
41
Ominous sign (indicates poor prognosis)
Abnormal position of the arms with legs extended and internally rotated, and feet plantar flexed
42
- flexion posturing
- arms are flexed, chest and hands are clenched and internally rotated
Decorticate
43
- extension posturing
- arms are extended, hands are clenched and hyper pronated
Decerebrate
44
Result of lesion and or above the brainstem in the cerebral cortex
Decorticate
45
Midbrain lesion
Decerebrate
46
What do you ask when assessing orientation?
Time, Place, and Person
47
Ask the date including the year and the day of the week
Time
48
- ask to state where he is
- identify environmental cues
Place
49
Usually remains intact the longest
Self-identity
50
- ask patient to state his name
- orientation to a person is an omnious sign
Person
51
Fourth area of orientation
Purpose
52
Three types of memory
Immediate, recent, remote memory
53
Repeat a series of numbers
Immediate memory
54
- what the patient had for breakfast
- name 3 objects and recall them later
Recent memory
55
- ask dates of major historical events
- ask birthdates or anniversary date
Remote memory
56
Inability to communicate
Aphasia
57
Rapid exaggerated changes in the mood
Emotional lability
58
- done in an interview
- must check for the following: known brain lesions, suspected brain lesions, memory deficits, confusion, vague behavioral complaints, aphasia, irritability, emotional lability
Mental status
59
Three types of sensation
1. Exteroceptive
2. Proprioceptive
3. Cortical
60
Superficial sensations that originate in the skin and mucous membranes
- examples. Light tough, temperature, and superficial pain
Exteroceptive senstations
61
- deep sensations with memory receptors on muscles, tendons, joints, and ligaments
- tested within the modalities of motion and position
Proprioceptive sensation
62
Those that require cerebral integrative and discriminative abilities
Cortical Sensations
63
(4) Examples of Cortical Sensations
1. Stereognosis
2. Graphestesia
3. Two-point discrimination
4. Extinction
64
Recognition of movements drawn on the skin
Stereognosis
65
Recognition of solid objects through touch
Graphestesia
66
Ability to discern that two points touching the skin are two different objects
Two-point Discrimination
67
Individual ability to perceive two simultaneous light touches
Extinction
68
They travel through distinct locations in the brain and because of this, assessing them can sometimes give us early and detailed information about an injury
Cranial nerves
69
Involves assessment of the muscle size, muscle strength, muscle tone, muscle coordination, gait, and movement
Motor function
70
Inspect all major muscle groups bilaterally for symmetry, hypertrophy, and atrophy
Muscle size
71
- Assess the power in major muscle groups against resistance
- use 5 point scale in all extremities, comparing one side to the other
Muscle strength
72
Performed in patients with neurological signs or symptoms of cerebral pathology (ex. Dizziness, loss of balance, poor coordination)
Cerebral Function
73
Performed as part of a neurologic exam, either a mini exam done to quickly confirm integrity of the spinal cord or a more complete exam performed to diagnose the presence and location of spinal cord injury or neuromuscular disease
Reflex test
74
Inability to recognize object
Agnosia
75
Complete or partial loss of voluntary muscle movement
Akinesia
76
Absence or impairment of ability to communicate through speech, writing, or signs
Aphasia
77
Inability to express language even though person knows what he wants to say; also known as Broca’s or motor aphasia
Expressive aphasia
78
Words can be spoken but are used incorrectly
Fluent aphasia
79
Slow, deliberate speech, few words
Nonfluent Aphasia
80
Inability to comprehend spoken or written words; also known as Wernicke’s or sensory aphasia
Receptive aphasia
81
Inability to carry our learned sequencial movements or commands
Apraxia
82
Inability to name object verbally, so patients talks around object or uses gesture to define it
Circumlocution
83
Lobe affected in auditory receptive
Temporal lobe
84
Lobe affected in visual receptive
Parieto-occipital nerve
85
Defective speech; inability to articulate words; impairment of tongue and other muscles needed for speech
Dysarthria
86
Impaired or difficult speech
Dysphasia
87
Difficulty with quality of voice; hoarseness
Dysphonia
88
Made-up, nonsense, meaningless words
Neologism
89
(4) common neurological disorders
ADHD, MIGRAINE, ALZHEIMER’S, PARKINSON’S
