NEUROLOGY LECTURE – KEY POINTS

Fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering major neurological structures, disorders, assessments, and management points from the lecture notes.

The sympathetic nervous system can be mimicked by the drug __.

Shabu (sympathomimetic)

__ is considered parasympathomimetic in its autonomic effect.

Marijuana

The ridges on the cerebral surface are called __.

gyri

Broca’s area, located in the frontal lobe, when damaged causes __ aphasia.

expressive

The __ lobe is the visual center of the brain.

occipital

The thalamus functions primarily as the brain’s __ station.

sensory relay

The hypothalamus is responsible for thermoregulation and __.

emotions

The __ is known as the brain’s memory center.

hippocampus

The medulla is nicknamed the “President of __” due to its control of breathing rate.

respiration

Posture, balance, and coordination are chiefly regulated by the __.

cerebellum

Safety assessment for cerebellar function commonly includes the __ test.

Rhomberg’s

Cranial nerve I (CN I) is the __ nerve and is purely sensory.

olfactory

Visual acuity is tested with the Snellen chart to assess cranial nerve __.

II (optic)

Extra-ocular movements are primarily controlled by cranial nerves III, IV, and __.

VI

Cranial nerve V is both sensory and motor and is nicknamed “tri-__-minal” for its chewing function.

chew

Cranial nerve VIII is the __ nerve and is assessed via whisper or ticking-clock tests.

vestibulocochlear

Difficulty swallowing and loss of gag reflex indicate damage to cranial nerve __.

IX (glossopharyngeal)

The only cranial nerve that innervates organs outside the head and neck is the __ nerve.

vagus (X)

Inability to move the tongue or articulate N, T, D, L sounds suggests injury to cranial nerve __.

XII (hypoglossal)

Severe, shooting facial pain triggered by light touch is characteristic of __ neuralgia.

trigeminal

Unilateral facial paralysis without residual deficits is typical of __ palsy.

Bell’s

In the Glasgow Coma Scale, a best motor response of 3 indicates __ posturing.

decorticate

A GCS total score between __ represents a moderate brain injury.

9–12

According to the Monroe-Kellie hypothesis, the skull is a(n) __ space.

enclosed (fixed)

Cushing’s triad of hypertension, bradycardia, and bradypnea is pathognomonic for increased __.

intracranial pressure

Projectile vomiting in raised ICP results from stimulation of the __ (vomiting center).

area postrema

Patients with ↑ICP should be positioned in __-Fowler’s and not flat.

semi

The osmotic diuretic most often used to decrease ICP is __.

mannitol

Craniotomy above the tentorium requires the head to be __ after surgery.

elevated

The abnormal electrical discharge of neurons resulting in convulsions defines a __.

seizure

Blank stares lasting 10-20 seconds typify __ seizures (petit mal).

absence

When an aura is felt, the nurse should place the patient on the floor and __ the head.

cradle

Chronic phenytoin therapy can cause __ hyperplasia, necessitating good oral care.

gingival

Reduced cerebral blood flow from a clot or hemorrhage is known as a __.

stroke (CVA)

Right brain attack often produces __ hemiplegia.

left

Loss of the same half of visual fields in both eyes is called __ hemianopsia.

homonymous

The pathognomonic early sign of myasthenia gravis is __ (drooping eyelid).

ptosis

The drug of choice for ongoing management of MG is __.

pyridostigmine (or neostigmine)

Parkinson’s disease results from a deficiency of the neurotransmitter __.

dopamine

The classic “pill-rolling” resting tremor is the pathognomonic sign of __.

Parkinson’s disease

Levodopa is combined with __ to form Sinemet for Parkinson’s therapy.

carbidopa

Demyelination of CNS neurons with Charcot’s triad suggests __ sclerosis.

multiple

Scanning speech, intentional tremor, and nystagmus together constitute __ triad.

Charcot’s

Guillain-Barré syndrome classically follows a mild infection and causes __ paralysis.

ascending

Because respiratory muscles may fail in GBS, the first nursing priority is ensuring adequate __.

breathing (airway)

Alternating right-left eye patching helps manage diplopia in __ sclerosis.

multiple