Alterations in the Nervous System - Part I

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the alterations of the nervous system, cognitive function, pathophysiological conditions, and pain regulation.

Which system is primarily responsible for regulating the state of awareness and arousal in consciousness?
A) Autonomic nervous system
B) Reticular activating system
C) Limbic system
D) Somatosensory system

B) Reticular activating system

Which components are evaluated in the Glasgow Coma Scale?
A) Visual, auditory, and motor responses
B) Heart rate, breathing, and consciousness
C) Eye, verbal, and motor responses
D) Eye, verbal, and sensory responses

C) Eye, verbal, and motor responses

Which term describes a transient disorder of awareness resulting from cerebral dysfunction, often caused by drug intoxication or metabolic disorders?
A) Delirium
B) Dementia
C) Coma
D) Agnosia

A) Delirium

How is a vegetative state distinguished from a coma?
A) It involves total motor paralysis
B) It involves awareness without wakefulness
C) It is a permanent state of brain death
D) It involves wakefulness without awareness

D) It involves wakefulness without awareness

Which of the following is NOT a criterion for brain death?
A) Irreversible loss of brainstem reflexes
B) Preservation of autonomic breathing
C) Absence of blood flow to the brain
D) No electrical activity in the brain

B) Preservation of autonomic breathing

What is the fundamental physiological cause of a seizure?
A) Sudden decrease in blood flow to the brain
B) Rapid increase in intracranial pressure
C) Accumulation of amyloid plaques
D) Sudden, excessive electrical activity within the brain

D) Sudden, excessive electrical activity within the brain

What is the term for the inability to process and recognize sensory information, such as tactile or visual stimuli?
A) Agnosia
B) Aphasia
C) Ataxia
D) Anomia

A) Agnosia

Which of the following is a common clinical manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease?
A) Decline in problem-solving abilities and emotional instability
B) Improved long-term memory
C) Acute onset of motor paralysis
D) Sudden loss of auditory perception

A) Decline in problem-solving abilities and emotional instability

Which condition can contribute to increased intracranial pressure (IICP)?
A) Hypotension
B) Decreased cerebral blood flow
C) Hyperglycemia
D) Excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

D) Excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

What is the typical normal range for cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP)?
A) 40-50 mmHg
B) 90-110 mmHg
C) 60-80 mmHg
D) 120-140 mmHg

C) 60-80 mmHg

What are the two primary types of cerebral edema?
A) Vasogenic and cytotoxic
B) Respiratory and metabolic
C) Acute and chronic
D) Primary and secondary

A) Vasogenic and cytotoxic

What describes the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain ventricles?
A) Encephalitis
B) Hydrocephalus
C) Microcephaly
D) Meningoiditis

B) Hydrocephalus

What type of receptors are responsible for detecting harmful chemical, mechanical, and thermal stimuli?
A) Photoreceptors
B) Chemoreceptors
C) Proprioceptors
D) Nociceptors

D) Nociceptors

Why is temperature regulation crucial for the human body?
A) To ensure rapid digestion
B) To prevent muscle atrophy
C) For maintaining homeostasis
D) To increase cognitive processing speed

C) For maintaining homeostasis

What are the two major phases of sleep?
A) REM and NREM sleep
B) Light sleep and heavy sleep
C) Deep sleep and shallow sleep
D) Alpha and beta sleep

A) REM and NREM sleep

In clinical settings, chronic pain is generally defined as pain persisting for longer than which duration?
A) 2 weeks
B) 3 to 6 months
C) 1 month
D) 1 year

B) 3 to 6 months

What is the primary function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB)?
A) To produce cerebrospinal fluid
B) To regulate intracranial pressure
C) To facilitate the transmission of nerve impulses
D) To selectively block harmful agents while allowing necessary substances

D) To selectively block harmful agents while allowing necessary substances

Which of the following is NOT typically listed as a cause of cognitive impairment?
A) Brain injuries
B) Neurological disorders
C) Substance use
D) Physical exercise

D) Physical exercise

What term refers to the complete loss of comprehension or production of language?
A) Dysphagia
B) Apraxia
C) Aphasia
D) Alexia

C) Aphasia

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is primarily influenced by which of these factors?
A) Levels of carbon dioxide (CO_{2})
B) Peripheral joint mobility
C) Dietary fiber intake
D) Bone density

A) Levels of carbon dioxide (CO_{2})

What is the role of endogenous opioids in pain modulation?
A) To increase sensitivity to pain
B) To bind to opioid receptors and block pain signals
C) To regulate body temperature
D) To assist in sleep induction

B) To bind to opioid receptors and block pain signals

Hypothermia is clinically defined as a body temperature falling below which threshold?
A) 37^{\circ}C
B) 36^{\circ}C
C) 35^{\circ}C
D) 34^{\circ}C

C) 35^{\circ}C

What mechanism initiates the development of a fever?
A) Reduction in core blood flow
B) Increasing the rate of shivering
C) Sweating excessively
D) Resetting the hypothalamic thermostat via pyrogens

D) Resetting the hypothalamic thermostat via pyrogens

How is psychogenic pain defined?
A) Pain caused or prolonged by mental or emotional factors
B) Pain caused by physical injury to nerves
C) Pain resulting from internal organ damage
D) Pain that occurs only during sleep

A) Pain caused or prolonged by mental or emotional factors

Which temperature regulation change is commonly observed in aging individuals?
A) Increased sweating
B) Enhanced sensitivity to cold
C) Slowed blood circulation
D) Increased metabolic rate

C) Slowed blood circulation

What is the cause of referred pain?
A) Shared spinal segments between the source and perception area
B) Psychological stress
C) Local tissue inflammation only
D) Total lack of nociceptors

A) Shared spinal segments between the source and perception area

What are secondary sleep disorders?
A) Sleep disorders occurring in childhood
B) Natural changes in sleep patterns due to aging
C) Disorders caused by light exposure
D) Alterations in sleep quality caused by primary diseases

D) Alterations in sleep quality caused by primary diseases

A Glasgow Coma Scale (GCSGCS) score of which value or lower is generally indicative of a coma?

A) 12

B) 10

C) 8

D) 5

C) 8

What characterizes the 'tonic' phase of a seizure?

A) Muscle contraction with increased muscle tone

B) Alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles

C) Complete loss of muscle tone

D) Immediate recovery of consciousness

A) Muscle contraction with increased muscle tone

What characterizes the 'clonic' phase of a seizure?

A) Stiffening of the limbs

B) Alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles

C) Brief loss of consciousness without motor activity

D) Persistent state of confusion

B) Alternating contraction and relaxation of muscles

What is considered a normal range for Intracranial Pressure (ICP) in a resting adult?

A) 5-15 mmHg

B) 20-30 mmHg

C) 40-50 mmHg

D) 80-100 mmHg

A) 5−15 mmHg

Which pathological features are core hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease brain tissue?

A) Negri bodies and Lewy bodies

B) Demyelinating lesions and plaques

C) Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

D) Spongiform encephalopathy complexes

C) Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles

Which clinical triad is associated with late-stage increased intracranial pressure (IICP)?

A) Tachycardia, hypotension, and tachypnea

B) Bradycardia, hypertension, and irregular respirations

C) Fever, neck stiffness, and photophobia

D) Hyperglycemia, polyuria, and polydipsia

B) Bradycardia, hypertension, and irregular respirations

What is the term for the compensatory mechanism where cerebral vessels change diameter to maintain a constant blood flow despite changes in systemic blood pressure?

A) Cerebral autoregulation

B) Hemostatic reflex

C) Neuroplasticity

D) Blood-brain filtering

A) Cerebral autoregulation

Which type of dementia is specifically linked to chronic alcohol abuse and Vitamin B1B1 (thiamine) deficiency?

A) Vascular dementia

B) Frontotemporal dementia

C) Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

D) Huntington’s disease

C) Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

What term describes the perception of pain from a stimulus that does not normally provoke pain, such as a light touch?

A) Hyperalgesia

B) Allodynia

C) Paresthesia

D) Neuropathy

B) Allodynia

Which type of posturing is characterized by rigid extension of all four extremities, indicating severe brainstem damage?

A) Decorticate

B) Decerebrate

C) Opisthotonos

D) Flaccid

B) Decerebrate

What is the period of confusion and exhaustion following a seizure called?

A) Aura

B) Prodroma

C) Postictal state

D) Tonic state

C) Postictal state

A patient understands speech but has significant difficulty producing words. This is characteristic of:

A) Wernicke's aphasia

B) Broca's aphasia

C) Global aphasia

D) Anomia

B) Broca's aphasia

What is a brief episode of neurological dysfunction caused by focal brain ischemia without permanent tissue death?

A) Ischemic Stroke

B) Hemorrhagic Stroke

C) Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

D) Cerebral Contusion

C) Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

The displacement of brain tissue from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure through rigid openings is called:

A) Edema

B) Hydrocephalus

C) Herniation

D) Infarction

C) Herniation

Which condition is a medical emergency characterized by a core temperature above 40 degrees celsius and altered mental status?

A) Heat exhaustion

B) Heat stroke

C) Malignant hyperthermia

D) Pyrexia

B) Heat stroke

Which term refers to abnormal behaviors that occur during sleep, such as sleepwalking or night terrors?

A) Dyssomnias

B) Parasomnias

C) Insomnia

D) Hypopnea

B) Parasomnias

What is the term for a continuous seizure lasting more than 55 minutes or recurrent seizures without regaining consciousness between episodes?

A) Absence seizure

B) Myoclonic seizure

C) Status epilepticus

D) Atonic seizure

C) Status epilepticus