Neurological Function

Question 1

What is the Central Nervous System contained of?

Answer 1

Brain & Spinal Cord

Question 2

What is the Peripheral Nervous System contained of?

Answer 2

Cranial Nerves & Spinal Nerves

Question 3

What is the functional unit of the brain?

Answer 3

Neuron

Question 4

What are the 3 parts of a neuron?

Answer 4

Dendrite, Cell Body, Axon

Question 5

Which part of the brain allows conceptualization, abstraction, motor ability, judgement, and the ability to write words?

Answer 5

Frontal

Question 6

Which part of the brain has the ability to plan, reason, concentrate, or adjust behavior?

Answer 6

Pre-Frontal Cortex (Frontal)

Question 7

Which part of the brain coordinates series of movements or intricate complex movements?

Answer 7

Pre-Motor Cortex(Frontal)

Question 8

Which part of the brain affects the ability to speak?

Answer 8

Broca’s area (Frontal)

Question 9

Which part of the brain holds the integrating and coordinating center for perception and interpretation of sensory information such as pain, touch, spatial orientation, and speech?

Answer 9

Parietal

Question 10

Which part of the brain sends instructions to muscles to cause voluntary movements?

Answer 10

Motor Cortex (Parietal)

Question 11

Which part of the brain contains memory storage, integration of auditory stimuli?

Answer 11

Temporal

Question 12

Which part of the brain includes language comprehension or the understanding of language?

Answer 12

Wernicke’s area

Question 13

Which part of the brain is the visual center and includes the understanding of written material?

Answer 13

Occipital

Question 14

What four parts are in the Diencephalon?

Answer 14

Thalamus, Epithalamus, Subthalamus, Hypothalamus

Question 15

Which part of the diencephalon houses the pain threshold?

Answer 15

Thalamus

Question 16

What 3 parts are contained in the brainstem?

Answer 16

Midbrain, Pons, Medulla

Question 17

Which part of the brainstem is the vital center for cardiac, respirations, gag, swallowing, and cough?

Answer 17

Medulla

Question 18

What does the Cerebellum do?

Answer 18

Controls fine movement, balance, and position sense

Question 19

What are the 3 main functions of the cerebellum?

Answer 19

1) Keeping body oriented in space & maintaining truncal equillibrium
2) Controlling antigravity muscles
3) Checking or halting voluntary movements

Question 20

What happens if cerebellar fx is impaired?

Answer 20

loss of muscle tone, weakness, fatigue, posturing

Question 21

What do we use to assess Cerebellar function?

Answer 21

Romberg’s- Alternate touch to nose, hands back & forth, fingers up/down, etc.

Question 22

What is decorticate posturing?

Answer 22

Arms flexed, wrist/fingers flexed, adduction of upper extremities, extension of lower extremity, feet plantar, unilateral/bilateral

Question 23

What is decerebrate posturing?

Answer 23

Everything hyperextended except hands- injury is AT the LEVEL of the BRAINSTEM- POOR Prognosis

Question 24

What are meninges? How many parts?

Answer 24

Connective tissue that covers brain/spinal cord

Dura mater, arachnoid layer, pia mater

Question 25

What is cerebrospinal fluid?

Answer 25

Clear, colorless fluid that has minimum WBC, NO RBC's, and circulates within subarachnoid space and allows fluid to shift from cranial cavity to spinal cavity while carrying nutrients

Question 26

What is the function of CSF?

Answer 26

Cushion, support, nutrition, removes metabolites, empties into venous system through jugular veins

Question 27

What is the Circle of Willis?

Answer 27

Cerebral Circulation that allows continuous blood supply because of communication between the arteries

Question 28

How many of each vertebrae do we have? Cervical, Throacic, lumbar, saccral, coccyx

Answer 28

7 Cervical, 12 Thoracic, 5 Lumbar, 5 Fused Saccral, 1 Coccyx

Question 29

What is a Dermatome Chart?

Answer 29

An important tool for locating the site of injurt to the spinal cord and dorsal roots

Question 30

What does the ANS do? What are the two parts of the ANS?

Answer 30

Regulates heart, lungs, blood vessels, digestive organs/glands Sympathetic/Parasympathetic

Question 31

What does the sympathetic nervous system do?

Answer 31

Adrenergic receptors "Fight or Flight" response

Question 32

What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

Answer 32

Cholinergic receptors "Relax & Rest" response

Question 33

What are the characteristics of an Upper Motor Neuron lesion?

Answer 33

loss of voluntary control, increased muscle tone, no muscle atrophy, hyperactive & abnormal reflexes

Question 34

What are the characteristics of a Lower Motor Neuron lesion?

Answer 34

loss of voluntary control, decreased muscle tone, flaccid muscle paralysis with atrophy, absent or decreased reflexes

Question 35

What is the nursing care for a PET scan?

Answer 35

Increase fluids, advise radiation exposure is minimum, results will be in a few days

Question 36

What do you need to ask a patient before they have an MRI?

Answer 36

Do you have any metal objects implanted or a Vagus Nerve Stimulator?

Question 37

What is the nursing care needed after a myelogram (x ray)?

Answer 37

HOB up 30 degrees, Bed Rest 3-4 hours, rehydrate, assess ability to void, advise of photophobia, watch for seizures

Question 38

What is teaching needed for a pt planned to have an EEG?

Answer 38

Delay sleep prior to study, hold sedatives and NO caffeine

Question 39

What is nursing care/teaching needed for an EMG?

Answer 39

Explain procedure, muscles may ache, "feels like injection"

Question 40

What are the four things a lumbar puncture are used for?

Answer 40

1) Assess for blood in CSF 2) Detection of Spinal subarachnoid space 3) intrathecal administration of antibiotics 4) Measure ICP

Question 41

What does nursing care for a lumbar puncture include?

Answer 41

Consent needed, Void prior, assist w/position pt, prone position after procedure to decrease CSF leak (Headache if leak), encourage fluid intake, Blood patch may be needed