Neurology

Question 1

what is the largest part of the brain

Answer 1

• cerebrum

- it has two hemispheres

Question 2

cerebrum

Answer 2

• intellectual function (memory, speech and language, complex perception, judgment)
• interpretation of sensory experiences (touch, pain, vibration, position, heat, cold, hearing)
• control of motor functions

Question 3

cerebellum

Answer 3

• small brain
• movement and control center
• has many connections with the cerebrum and the spinal cord
• ipsilateral referent innervations

Question 4

ipsilateral

Answer 4

same side

Question 5

contralateral

Answer 5

opposite side

Question 6

which group of people is it common to have an injury to the cerebellum

Answer 6

-alcoholics (they will have this distinct way of walking)

Question 7

the brain stem

Answer 7

rely info from the cerebrum to the spinal cord and the cerebellum and vice versa

Question 8

what autonomic centers are in the brain stem

Answer 8

• breathing
• consciousness
• control of body temperature

Question 9

cranial nerves

Answer 9

• 12 pairs of them

- they arise from the brain stem and innervate the head (mostly)

Question 10

meninges

Answer 10

three protective membranes around the brain

• dura mater
• arachnoid mater
• pia mater

Question 11

Dura Mater

Answer 11

-this is the hard outer layer
-leather like consistency
the tough elastic bag that surrounds the brain and spinal cord

Question 12

arachnoid mater

Answer 12

this has a consistency resembling a spider web

Question 13

what is between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater

Answer 13

brain fluid

Question 14

the ventricular system

Answer 14

the fluid filled caverns and canals inside the brain constitute the ventricular system
(this is the fluid that an infection would be present in if someone has meningitis)

Question 15

the spinal cord

Answer 15

• encased in the bony vertebral column
• very compact at the cervical level
• spinal nerves exit the spinal cord through notches between each vertebra of the vertebral column

Question 16

describe a spinal nerve

Answer 16

• composed of two roots dorsal and ventral)
• dorsal root (back) is sensory (afferent to the brain)
• the ventral root (front) is somatic to the brain (efferernt)

Question 17

what are the five sections of the spinal column

Answer 17

• cervical
  -thoracic
  -lumbar
  -sacrum
  -coccygis
  all of them are incased in strongwomen ligaments

Question 18

Peripheral nervous system

Answer 18

there are two types:

• somatic
• visceral (the autonomic functions that the body does that you don’t need to think about Ex. digestion, innervation of internal organs, glands, blood vessels)

Question 19

somatic PNS

Answer 19

spinal nerves that innervate the skin, joints, and muscles that are under voluntary control

Question 20

somatic motor neurons

Answer 20

• command muscle contraction
• the cell bodies if the motor neurons lie within the CNS and the axons are mostly in the PNS
• they have a ventral root

Question 21

somatic sensory neurons

Answer 21

• innervate and collect info from the skin, muscles, and joins
• cell bodies are outside the CNS
• dorsal roots

Question 22

Which nervous system controls the flight or fight/ rest and digest

Answer 22

this is the Visceral PNS

Question 23

what is it referring to when it says first or second neurons

Answer 23

the first neuron is located in the brain and then goes out and is able to modulate a second neuron that is then controlling something
-THEY ARE BOTH EFFERENT

Question 24

Upper motor neuron lesion

Answer 24

this causes:

• decreased or lack of strength and motor control
• changes in muscle tone (will be hypotonic at first and then get hypertonic
• increased reflex arch
• will have spasticity (will cause slight loss of muscle tone to to less use of muscles

Question 25

lower motor neuron lesions

Answer 25

- fasciculations - paralysis - decreased strength - atrophy due to loss of innervation - decreased or absent reflex

Question 26

fasciculations

Answer 26

twitches in muscles and cause content movement

Question 27

what are some important things to know about the spinal cord

Answer 27

- different functions are placed at different parts of the spine - motor pathways change sides - sensory pathways do not change sides - pain and temp change sides of at the level where they exit

Question 28

complete spinal cord lesions

Answer 28

loss of all somatic, sensory and automatic function at the level and below where the lesion occurred

Question 29

incomplete spinal cord injuries

Answer 29

- less specific symptoms | - depending upon where the damage is located and how much damage occurred

Question 30

central cord syndrome

Answer 30

loss of motor function and sensation in the upper extremities

Question 31

brown- sequared syndrome

Answer 31

damage to half of the spinal cord -causes ipsilateral weakness or paralysis to one side of the body and then contralaterial loss of sensation (temp/pain) to the other side of the body

Question 32

what is something that is lost ipsilaterally with brown squared syndrome

Answer 32

you lose proprioception which is the ability to close your eye and recognize and know where you hands are (or other body parts)

Question 33

anterior spinal cord syndrome

Answer 33

- this is damage to 2/3 of the spinal cord - caused by ischemia o the anterior spinal artery - loss of motor function, pain, temp sensation - loss of autonomic function --> hypotension

Question 34

ischemia

Answer 34

inadequate blood supply

Question 35

spinal shock

Answer 35

- this occurs in both 1st and 2nd neurons - acute paralysis, loss of reflexes - lasting hours to weeks - caused by trauma or ischemia to the spinal cord - will gradually regain sensation

Question 36

cauda equine syndrome

Answer 36

- something in the spine is compressing it and causing them to lose feeling (could be a slipped disk or a tumor or stenosis[calcification of the cord making it smaller and most likely will be an older patient) - emergency CAT/MRI and emergency surgery

Question 37

what are potential effects of cauda equine syndrome?

Answer 37

- loss of bladder function (cannot urininate) - loss of splinter function with fecal incontinence - focal symptom from legs - loss of sensation in the shorts area

Question 38

localized spinal injury or compression

Answer 38

lesser and sometimes localized symptoms

Question 39

what are below injuries referring to?

Answer 39

-things that are lost below the spinal cord injury due to lack of connection through the nerves -examples: loss of sweating loss of temp regulation failing regulation of circulation hypotension bradycardia orthostatic hypotension loss of bowel and badder reflexes

Question 40

pia mater

Answer 40

a thin membrane that adheres closely to the surface of the brain -separated from the arachnoid by fluid filled space