Cranial Nervous Examination Flashcards Preview

C21 Phase 1 > Cranial Nervous Examination > Flashcards

Flashcards in Cranial Nervous Examination Deck (38)
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1
Q

Cranial nerve I name and function

A

Olfactory nerve - smell

2
Q

Cranial nerve II name and function

A

Optic nerve - vision

3
Q

Cranial nerve III name and function

A

Oculomotor - eye movement

4
Q

Cranial nerve IV name and function

A

Trochlear - eye movement

5
Q

Cranial nerve V name and function

A

Trigeminal - facial sensation/chewing

6
Q

Cranial nerve VI name and function

A

Abducens - eye movement

7
Q

Cranial nerve VII name and function

A

Facial - facial expression

8
Q

Cranial nerve VIII name and function

A

Vestibulocochlear - hearing and balance

9
Q

Cranial nerve IX name and function

A

Glossopharyngeal - soft palette movement

10
Q

Cranial nerve X name and function

A

Vagus - swallowing

11
Q

Cranial nerve XI name and function

A

Accessory - shoulder elevation and head turning

12
Q

Cranial nerve XII name and function

A

Hypoglossal - tongue movement

13
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerve I do you assess

A

Ability to smell

14
Q

How do you assess ability to smell

A

Ask if the patient has noticed any change in their sense of smell

15
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerve II do you assess

A

Visual acuity
Visual fields
Pupillary reflexes
Fundus

16
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerves III, IV and VI do you assess

A

Eye movements

Accommodation

17
Q

How do you assess visual acuity

A

Ask the patient to read something out at a distance, covering one eye (wearing their glasses or contacts if they have them)

18
Q

How do you assess visual fields

A
Inattention (look at my nose and point to which side i make a gesture to)
Visual fields (one eye at a time, compare your own visual fields to the patients' using a pin)
Blind spot (compare your own blind spot to the patients')
19
Q

How do you assess pupillary reflexes

A

Shine a torch into patient’s eyes

Swinging torch test

20
Q

How do you assess the fundus

A

By ophthalmoscopy

21
Q

How do you assess eye movements

A

Note ptosis and abnormal position

Ask patient to follow finger side to side and then in an H pattern

22
Q

How do you assess accommodation

A

Ask patient to look at finger as you move it closer towards them and observe convergence

23
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerve V do you assess

A

Sensory
Motor
Reflexes

24
Q

How do you assess facial sensation (V)

A

Ask patient to close eyes and inform you when they feel you touch their forehead, cheek and jaw on both sides

25
Q

How do you assess facial motor function (V)

A

Ask patient to open jaw against resistance

Palpate jaw muscles while asking them to clench their jaw

26
Q

How do you assess facial reflexes (V)

A

Corneal reflex - can be assessed with cotton wool on the nostril (same nerve)
Jaw jerk reflex

27
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerve VII do you assess

A

Facial tone
Motor
Sensory

28
Q

How do you assess facial tone (VII)

A

Look for signs:
reduced wrinkling
drooping of mouth

29
Q

How do you assess facial motor function (VII)

A

Raise eyebrows
Screw up eyes
Puff out cheeks

30
Q

How do you assess facial sensory function (VII)

A

Ask:
Have you noticed any changes in taste
Have you become increasingly bothered by loud noises

31
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerve VIII do you assess

A

Hearing

32
Q

How do you assess hearing in cranial nerve exam

A

Occlude one ear and whisper to patient asking them to repeat. Repeat on other side.

33
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerve IX, X, XII do you assess

A

Palate function

Tongue function

34
Q

How do you assess palate function

A

Movement of uvula (ask patient to say ahhhh)
Speech
Swallowing water

35
Q

How do you assess tongue function

A

Appearance (wasting, fasciculating, spastic)

Movement (left to right, resistance against cheek)

36
Q

Which attributes of cranial nerve XI do you assess

A

Motor

37
Q

How do you assess motor function (XI)

A

Shrug shoulders

Turn head against resistance

38
Q

Further investigations after cranial exam

A
Peripheral neural exams
Formal hearing test
Nerve conduction study
Bloods
CT/MRI head