Neurological System, HA Exam 3

Vocabulary flashcards covering major neurological structures, cranial nerves, assessment tests, and key clinical terms from the lecture.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The brain and spinal cord; integrates and coordinates all bodily functions.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

All neural tissue outside the CNS, including cranial nerves, spinal nerves, and reflex arcs.

Brain

Primary organ of the CNS housed in the skull; controls cognition, sensation, and motor activity.

Spinal Cord

CNS pathway in the vertebral canal transmitting impulses to and from the brain.

Cranial Nerves

Twelve paired nerves emerging from the brain that control sensory and motor functions of head and neck.

Spinal Nerves

31 pairs of mixed nerves arising from the spinal cord, supplying the body below the head.

Reflex Arc

Involuntary neural pathway producing a reflex action without conscious thought.

Cerebellum

Brain structure that coordinates balance, posture, and skilled movements.

Brainstem

Midbrain, pons, and medulla; regulates vital functions such as respiration and heart rate.

Midbrain

Upper part of brainstem involved in visual and auditory reflexes.

Pons

Middle brainstem section relaying signals between cerebrum and cerebellum; aids breathing.

Medulla Oblongata

Lower brainstem controlling heart rate, blood pressure, and swallowing.

Hypothalamus

Brain region regulating temperature, hunger, thirst, and pituitary hormone release.

Thalamus

Relay station for sensory impulses traveling to the cerebral cortex.

Basal Ganglia

Deep brain nuclei coordinating voluntary movement and posture.

Corpus Callosum

Large fiber bundle connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Internal Capsule

White-matter tract carrying motor and sensory fibers between cortex and spinal cord.

Monovision

A technique where one eye is corrected for distance vision and the other eye is corrected for near vision

Olfactory Nerve

(CN I) Sensory nerve for the sense of smell.

Optic Nerve

(CN II) Sensory nerve transmitting visual information from retina to brain.

Color, size, and shape

Test for visual acuity

Oculomotor Nerve

(CN III) Motor nerve controlling most extra-ocular muscles, pupil constriction, and lens shape.

Test for pupil size, regularity, direct & consensual light reflex

Trochlear Nerve

(CN IV) Motor nerve moving the eyeball downward and inward via the superior oblique muscle.

Trigeminal Nerve

(CN V) Mixed nerve providing facial sensation and muscles of mastication.

Assess temporal and masseter

Abducens Nerve

(CN VI) Motor nerve abducting the eye via the lateral rectus muscle.

Facial Nerve

(CN VII) Mixed nerve for facial expression, taste anterior 2/3 tongue, and tear/saliva secretion.

Assess by puffing cheeks and closing eyes tightly shut

Vestibulocochlear (Acoustic) Nerve

(CN VIII) Sensory nerve for hearing and equilibrium.

Assess with whisper test

Glossopharyngeal Nerve

(CN IX) Mixed nerve for taste posterior 1/3 tongue, gag reflex, and swallowing.

Note soft palate & uvula movement as patient says “ahhh”

Note quality of voice

Vagus Nerve

(CN X) Mixed nerve controlling speech, swallowing, heart rate, and GI motility.

Assess patient by asking to swallow a drink of water

Spinal Accessory Nerve

(CN XI) Motor nerve innervating sternomastoid and trapezius for head turn and shoulder shrug.

Assess by shoulder shrugging and neck strength

Hypoglossal Nerve

(CN XII) Motor nerve for tongue movement and articulation.

Assess by sticking tongue out and saying “light tight dynamite”

Snellen chart

Diagnostic for distance visual acuity, 20 ft away

Jaeger chart and Rosenbaum chart

Diagnostic test for near visual acuity, only 14 inches away

20/20

What the patient can see at 20 feet, a normal person could see at 20 feet

20/30 Vision

What the patient can see at 20 feet, a normal person could see at 30 feet (patient has worse vision)

Amblyopia

Lazy eyeball

Oh (I)

Olfactory nerve pneumonic

Oh (II)

Optic Nerve pneumonic

Oh (III)

Oculomotor nerve pneumonic

To (IV)

Trochlear nerve pneumonic

Touch (V)

Trigeminal nerve pneumonic

And (VI)

Abducens nerve pneumonic

Feel (VII)

Facial nerve pneumonic

Virgin (VIII)

Vestibulocochlear nerve pneumonic

Girls’ (IX)

Glossopharyngeal nerve pneumonic

Vagina (X)

Vagus nerve pneumonic

Ah (XI)

Accessory (Spinal) nerve pneumonic

Heaven (XII)

Hypoglossal nerve pneumonic

Pneumonic for Types of Cranial Nerves (Sensory, Motor, or Both)

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Ptosis

Drooping of the upper eyelid, often due to CN III dysfunction. (Lazy eyelid)

Strabismus

Misalignment of the eyes caused by neuromuscular imbalance (Deviated gaze)

Nystagmus

Involuntary rapid eye movements, may indicate vestibular or cerebellar dysfunction. Alcohol can cause this

Accommodation

Process of the eyes focusing on an object going from far to up close

Anosmia

Loss or absence of the sense of smell.

Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

Tool scoring eye opening response, verbal response, and motor responses; 3–15 total; ≤8 suggests coma.

Eye opening must respond to pain, speech, and spontaneous (score to 4)

Motor response must respond to extension, flexion, pain, and verbal command (scores to 6)

Verbal response must respond to being alert and oriented to time and place (scores to 5)

Romberg Test

Balance assessment with patient standing eyes closed; sway indicates cerebellar or proprioceptive loss.

Rapid Alternating Movements (RAM)

Cerebellar test requiring quick alternating hand or finger motions.

Finger-to-Nose Test

Coordination test where patient touches nose then examiner’s finger repeatedly.

Spinothalamic Tract

Anterolateral pathway carrying pain, temperature, and crude touch sensations.

Posterior (Dorsal) Column Tract

Sensory pathway for vibration, position sense, and fine touch.

Stereognosis

Ability to recognize an object by touch alone.

Graphesthesia

Ability to identify traced numbers or letters on the skin.

Two-Point Discrimination

Minimum distance at which two tactile points are felt separately.

Deep Tendon Reflex (DTR)

Involuntary contraction of a muscle after tendon is stretched; graded 0–4+.

Plantar Reflex

Superficial reflex where foot stimulation normally causes toe flexion; Babinski sign is abnormal in adults.

Biceps Reflex

DTR causing elbow flexion when biceps tendon is tapped.

Decorticate Rigidity

Abnormal flexed posture indicating corticospinal tract damage above the brainstem. (Arms and wrists are flexed)

Decerebrate Rigidity

Abnormal extended posture indicating brainstem lesion below red nucleus. (Arms are extended, forearm is pronated, and wrist is flexed)

PERRLA

Pupils Equal, Round, Reactive to Light and Accommodation; normal pupillary response.

Ataxia

Unsteady, staggering gait or incoordination due to cerebellar dysfunction.

Kinesthesia

Sense of joint position and movement.