Cerebellum

Question 1

What things are you looking for with cerebellar dysfunction?

Answer 1

DANISH  
Dysdiadochokinesis
Ataxia 
Nystagmus 
Intention tremor 
Speech impairment 
Hypotonia and pendular reflexes

Question 2

How do you test for speech dysfunction?

Answer 2

Assess for dysarthria (difficulty articulating in otherwise normal speech) by getting patient to sat tongue twisters - ‘Baby hippopotamus’ ‘British constitution’ - or getting them to repeat letters ‘C, C, C, C’ etc

Question 3

How do you test for an intention tremor?

Answer 3

Finger-nose test - get patient to alternate placing finger on nose then on your finger
Place your own finger far enough away that they have to reach to get it - will also expose dysmetria ie past-pointing, beyond your finger

Question 4

How do you test for ataxia?

Answer 4

Truncal ataxia (vermis lesions) - wide based 'drunken sailor' gait, starts and stops, lateral deviation and uneven steps 
Ipsilateral limb ataxia (hemisphere lesions) - demonstrated in finger-nose/heel-shin tests

Question 5

How do you test for nystagmus?

Answer 5

Get patient to keep their head still and follow your finger to the periphery of their vision, will see course and slow beats, most noticeable when looking towards the lesion

Question 6

How do you test for dysdiadochokinesis?

Answer 6

Get patient to alternate pronation/supination of their dominant hand into their opposite palm as rapidly as possible
Patient will be slow and uncoordinated if positive