CNRN Certification Study - terms/symptoms/anatomy

Vocabulary flashcards covering core neuroanatomy, neurophysiology formulas, neurotrauma, spinal cord emergencies, stroke syndromes, neuro-oncology, neuromuscular disorders, and bedside patient management based on the 2026 CNRN exam blueprint.

Frontal Lobe

Brain region responsible for executive function, judgment, personality, motor planning, and contains Broca speech area in the dominant hemisphere.

Parietal Lobe

Brain region responsible for somatosensory processing, spatial awareness, and integration of sensory input.

Temporal Lobe

Brain region responsible for memory, auditory processing, Wernicke speech area, and frequently serves as a seizure focus.

Occipital Lobe

Brain region responsible for vision and visual interpretation.

Cerebellum

Brain structure responsible for coordination, balance, motor learning, and smooth movement.

Brainstem

Brain region containing cranial nerves, the reticular activating system, and respiratory/cardiovascular centers.

Basal Ganglia

Deep brain structures involved in movement regulation and muscle tone.

Thalamus

Brain structure serving as a sensory relay network and facilitating consciousness.

Cerebral Perfusion Pressure (CPP)

Neurologic measurement defined by $CPP = MAP - ICP$; cerebral perfusion falls when $ICP$ rises or $MAP$ drops.

Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)

Estimate of average driving pressure for organ perfusion, calculated as $MAP \approx \frac{SBP + 2 \times DBP}{3}$.

Monro-Kellie Doctrine

Physiological principle stating that skull volume equals brain plus blood plus CSF ($\text{Skull Volume} = \text{Brain} + \text{Blood} + \text{CSF}$), meaning an increase in one component must be offset or $ICP$ rises.

Cushing Response

Late sign of increased $ICP$ and impending brain herniation characterized by hypertension with a widened pulse pressure, bradycardia, and irregular respirations.

Epidural Hematoma

Arterial bleeding often associated with a temporal skull fracture, classically presenting with a lucid interval followed by rapid neurologic deterioration.

Subdural Hematoma

Venous bleeding between the dura and arachnoid layers, more common in older adults or patients taking anticoagulants.

Diffuse Axonal Injury

Traumatic brain injury involving shearing of axons resulting in coma out of proportion to CT findings.

Basilar Skull Fracture

Fracture at the base of the skull characterized by clinical signs such as CSF rhinorrhea, CSF otorrhea, periorbital ecchymosis, Battle sign, and hemotympanum.

Central Cord Syndrome

Spinal cord injury pattern causing upper extremity weakness greater than lower extremity weakness, often following cervical hyperextension.

Anterior Cord Syndrome

Spinal cord injury pattern resulting in motor loss and pain/temperature loss below the lesion with preserved dorsal column function.

Brown-Séquard Syndrome

Incomplete spinal cord injury characterized by ipsilateral motor and proprioception loss with contralateral pain and temperature loss.

Autonomic Dysreflexia

Potentially life-threatening condition occurring in spinal cord lesions at or above $T6$, triggered by noxious stimuli like bladder distention, causing severe hypertension, pounding headache, flushing/sweating above the lesion, and bradycardia.

Spinal Shock

Transient state of acute flaccid paralysis, areflexia, and loss of autonomic function below the lesion following spinal cord injury.

Neurogenic Shock

Hemodynamic instability caused by loss of sympathetic tone following high spinal cord injury, presenting with hypotension, bradycardia, and warm, dry skin.

Left MCA Stroke Syndrome

Vascular stroke presentation marked by right face and arm weakness, aphasia, right visual field cut, and left gaze preference.

Right MCA Stroke Syndrome

Vascular stroke presentation marked by left spatial neglect, left weakness, impulsivity, anosognosia, and left visual field cut.

ACA Stroke Syndrome

Vascular stroke presentation characterized by leg weakness greater than arm weakness, abulia, urinary incontinence, and personality changes.

Myasthenia Gravis

Autoimmune neuromuscular junction disorder characterized by fatigable muscle weakness, ptosis, diplopia, dysphagia, and respiratory muscle weakness.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Post-infectious polyneuropathy presenting with ascending muscle weakness, areflexia, paresthesias, and risk of autonomic instability and respiratory failure.

Multiple Sclerosis

Demyelinating central nervous system disease characterized by relapsing neurologic deficits, optic neuritis, fatigue, weakness, and heat sensitivity.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Progressive neurodegenerative disease involving upper and lower motor neurons, causing muscle weakness and respiratory failure while cognition is often preserved.

Wernicke Encephalopathy

Acute metabolic disorder caused by thiamine deficiency, characterized by the clinical triad of confusion, ophthalmoplegia, and ataxia.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES)

Neurologic condition triggered by severe hypertension, eclampsia, renal disease, or immunosuppression, presenting with headache, visual symptoms, and seizures.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

Neurologic condition classically characterized by the clinical triad of gait disturbance, cognitive decline, and urinary incontinence.

Parkinson Disease

Progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, resting tremor, and postural instability.

External Ventricular Drain (EVD)

Invasive device used for CSF drainage and $ICP$ monitoring, requiring strict reference leveling, correct drainage height, sterile handling, and clamping during positioning or transport per protocol.

symptoms of a stroke in the frontal lobe

disinhibition, poor judgement, contralateral weakness, expressive aphasia, impaired initiation.

symptoms of a stroke in the parietal lobe

contralateral sensory loss, neglect, difficulty with spatial awareness, and difficulty with language comprehension.

symptoms of a stroke in the temporal lobe

receptive aphasia, memory disturbance, auditory hallucinations, complex partial seizures

symptoms of stroke in the occipital lobe

homonymous hemianopia, cortical blindness, visual agnosia

symptoms of stroke in the cerebellum

ataxia, dysmetria, intention tremor, coordination issues (wide based gait)

symptoms of stroke in the brainstem

altered consciousness, pupillary changes, dysphagia, abnormal respirations, crossed findings

symptoms of a stroke in the basal ganglia

bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, difficulty with movement initiation

symptoms of a stroke in the thalamus

sensory loss, altered pain perception, motor disturbances, thalamic pain syndrome

symptoms of a stroke in the spinal cord

sensory changes, bowel/bladder dysfunction

subtle changes in LOC is often the earliest sign of ___ decline.

neuroligc

unilateral fixed/dilated pupils can signal CN __ compression and herniation

cranial nerve III

Neuro nursing considerations for Noncontrast CT head

frequent first line acute neuro imaging, check transport safety, airway monitoring and contrast status if ordered with CTA/CTP.

neuro nursing implications for CTA/MRA

assess contrast allergy/renal policy. monitor access site if invasive angiography.

what pain is described as “tingling, shooting, burning”

neuropathic pain

which of the benign headaches is more common in the male population?

cluster headaches. A type of primary headache disorder characterized by severe, unilateral pain, often accompanied by autonomic symptoms.

menieres disease is a neurogological disorder affecting the ___ nerve, also known as cranial nerve VIII

acoustic

is Alzheimers disease a cortical or subcortical dementia?

Alzheimer's disease is considered a cortical dementia, primarily affecting the cerebral cortex and leading to cognitive decline and memory loss.

Cortical dementia, such as AD, involves the degeneration of the cortical area of the brain and affects memory. This is demonstrated by severe significant neuronal loss and brain atrophy.

An example of subcortical dementia is

parkinsons disease

what is an example of a subcorbital dementia is ______

parkinsons disease- where the subcortical area of the brain controls motor skills.

one of the most common forms of parkinsonism is ______ induced.

medication

what is the neurological disorder that is a result of an imbalance between the production and reabsorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CS)?

hydrocephalus, characterized by increased intracranial pressure and enlargement of the ventricles.

an obstruction of CSF between the third and fourth ventricle is classified as which type of hydrocephalus: Communicating or non-communicating?

Noncommunicating hydrocephalus is the obstruction to flow of CSF and is often caused by brain tumors, cysts, scarring, or infections. The obstruction commonly occurs in the ventricles, but can occur anywhere in the ventricular/CSF system.

what is the most common cause of communicating hydrocephalus?

decreased reabsorption

forms of congenital hydrocephalus

chiari malformations

spina bifida

aqueductal stenosis

causes of acquired hydrocephalus

meningitis

hemorrhage

tumors

encephalitis

TBI

inflammation of bones and cartilage of joint

osteoarthritis

symptomatic, degenerative changes of osteoarthritis, which include degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis

spondylosis

myelopathy

involves compression of the spinal cord and tends to be the result of central stenosis

involves compression of nerve roots and is associated with lateral recesses and foraminal stenosis

radiculopathy

disc protrusion into the spinal canal can cause what type of stenosis?

central stenosis

disc protrusion into the spinal canal can cause what type of stenosis?

central stenosis

Disc protrusion can narrow the central cord canal, causing a central stenosis . Hypertrophy of the facet joints can result in compression of nerve tracts. Osteophytes can impinge either laterally or centrally, causing cord or nerve involvement.

• Which portion of the spinal cord do the sensory impulses enter from the peripheral nerves?

• Dorsal horn

The dorsal horn receives the sensory impulses from the peripheral nerves, and the ventral horn contains the cells that send out the motor impulses. In neuropathic pain, sympathetic nerve fibers sprout in the dorsal horn. This is called deafferentation of pain. It results in increased nociceptive neurons and responsiveness in the CNS.

what portion of the inner ear is involved in the symptoms of menieres disease

the labyrinth

the symptoms of menieres disease are associated with a change in fluid volume within a portion of the inner ear the labyrinth of the inner ear is responsible for maintaining balance and hearing. Changes in fluid volume, particularly in the endolymph, can lead to the characteristic symptoms such as vertigo, tinnitus, and hearing loss.

• What area of the brain is critical for memory?

hippocampus

• What is produced in the brain that results in the main pathological change in AD?

myloid plaque and neurofibrillary fibers are produced in the brain and can be found primarily on autopsy. The symptoms seen in AD are the result of the death of many neurons in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex.The primary pathological change in Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain, leading to neuron death.

Definitive diagnosis of AD is on autopsy.

• What is the neurotransmitter responsible for inhibition of muscle tone?

• Dopamine

The neurotransmitter responsible for inhibiting muscle tone is dopamine. The neurons in the substantia nigra are responsible for producing and projecting dopamine to the striatum in the basal ganglia. The excitatory neurotransmitter (in opposition) is acetylcholine. In PD, the nigra–striatal pathway degenerates, resulting in an imbalance between dopamine and acetylcholine. Acetylcholine then has a greater effect, resulting in increased muscle tone.

• Where does the CSF get reabsorbed in the brain?

arachnoid villi