Paramedicine I - Neurology Exam Review

Which structures are located within the cerebrum?

Which structures are located within the diencephalon?

Which structures are located within the cerebellum?

Which structures are located within the brainstem?

In simple terms, what is a TBI (traumatic brain injury)?

What are the proposed mechanisms of primary brain injury?

What are the proposed mechanisms of secondary brain injury?

What are the potential consequences of primary brain injury?

What are the potential consequences of secondary brain injury?

Which components in the brain determine/control ICP?

How can the brain’s own compensatory mechanisms contribute to rapidly rising ICP?

How are level of consciousness and cranial nerve reflexes used to assess changes in
neurologic status in the brain-injured patient?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of linear skull fractures?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of depressed skull fractures?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of diastatic skull fractures?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of basilar skull fractures?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of open (compound) skull fractures?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of closed (simple) skull fractures?

What is coup-contrecoup?

What are the common long-term sequelae of stroke, and how are they managed?

What are the causes and usual presentations of cerebral aneurysm?

What are the causes and usual presentations of arteriovenous malformation?

What are the risks associated with the insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway into a patient with a
basilar skull fracture?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of a focal brain injury?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of a diffuse brain injury?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of a polar brain injury?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of an epidural hemorrhage?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of a subdural hemorrhage?

What are the causes and identifying characteristics of a subarachnoid hemorrhage?

How do the clinical manifestations of ischemic stroke vary depending on the location of
cerebral artery obstruction?

What are the consequences of weakened arterial walls at points of bifurcation?

What are the main underlying pathologic hallmarks of Huntington’s disease?

What are the causes of facial paralysis in Bell palsy, and how is this condition different from
other chronic disorders of neurologic function?

What are the roles of immune mechanisms in Guillain–Barré syndrome?

What are the roles of immune mechanisms in ALS?

What are the roles of immune mechanisms in MS?

How does cerebral palsy manifest in newborns?

How does hydrocephalus manifest in newborns?

How does spina bifida manifest in newborns?

What are the similarities between MS and ALS?

What are the differences between MS and ALS?

What are the proposed neurotransmitter alterations in Parkinson disease, and how are
drugs used to restore balance?

How is Alzheimer’s disease diagnosed and managed?

What are the main underlying pathologic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease?

What is the prodromal phase of seizure activity?

What is a seizure aura?

What are tonic seizures?

What are hypertonic seizures?

What is the post-ictal phase of seizure activity?

In regards to seizures, what is automatism?

What are clonic/myoclonic seizures?

What are the indications for bypassing a local hospital
and transporting to a designated stroke centre?

What are the contraindications for bypassing a local hospital and transporting to a designated stroke centre?

What are the contraindications for the use of thrombolytic agents in patients presenting with a CVA?

What are the indications for the use of thrombolytic agents in patients presenting with a CVA?

What is the pathophysiology of cerebral concussions?

What is the pathophysiology of diffuse axonal injuries?

What is the pathophysiology of cerebral contusions?

What is the pathophysiology of epidural hematomas?

What is the pathophysiology of acute subdural hematomas?

What is the pathophysiology of subacute subdural hematomas?

What is the pathophysiology of chronic subdural hematomas?

What is the pathophysiology of intracerebral hemorrhages?

What is the pathophysiology of subarachnoid hemorrhages?

What is the pathophysiology of brainstem infarcts and/or hemorrhages?

What is the pathophysiology of hemorrhage CVAs?

What is the pathophysiology of occlusive CVAs?

What is the pathophysiology of TIAs?

What is the most common cause of cerebral concussions?

What is the most common cause of diffuse axonal injury?

What is the most common cause of cerebral contusion?

What is the most common cause of epidural hematoma?

What is the most common cause of acute subdural hematoma?

What is the most common cause of subacute subdural hematoma?

What is the most common cause of chronic subdural hematoma?

What is the most common cause of intracerebral hemorrhage?

What is the most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage?

What is the most common cause of cerebral aneurysms?

What is the most common cause of brainstem infarcts/hemorrhage?

What is the most common cause of occlusive CVA?

What is the most common cause of hemorrhagic CVA?

How does oxygen influence ICP?

How does carbon dioxide influence ICP?

In which scenarios is it acceptable to provide assisted ventilation and/or hyperventilation in patients with increasing ICP?

How can arterial bleeding contribute to increasing ICP?

How can venous bleeding contribute to increasing ICP?

How can edema formation contribute to increasing ICP?

How can tumors contribute to increasing ICP?

How can shunt blockages contribute to increasing ICP?

How can increasing ICP cause neuronal compression?

How can increasing ICP cause brainstem torsion/compression?

How can increasing ICP cause brain coning?

How can increasing ICP cause tentorial herniations?

How can increasing ICP cause uncal herniations?