Abbreviated Neurologic Exam Checklist

Vocabulary flashcards covering essential terms and concepts from an abbreviated neurologic exam checklist.

Trauma-informed care approach

A clinical interaction style that emphasizes patient safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness, and empowerment; includes respecting personal space, standing at eye level, and explaining actions.

Level of consciousness (LOC)

A patient’s state of awareness and responsiveness, commonly described as alert, lethargic, obtunded, stuporous, or comatose.

Orientation

Assessment of a patient’s awareness of person, place, and time.

Cranial Nerve II (Optic)

The nerve responsible for vision; assessed with visual field testing and the afferent limb of the pupillary light reflex.

Visual field testing (confrontation)

Bedside method of comparing the patient’s peripheral vision to the examiner’s by having the patient identify moving or counting fingers in each quadrant.

Pupillary light reflex

Constriction of the pupil in response to light, mediated by CN II (afferent) and CN III (efferent), tested directly and consensually.

Accommodation

Pupillary constriction and lens thickening when focusing on a near object; part of the near-response triad.

Extraocular movements (EOM)

Eye movements controlled by CN III, IV, and VI; assessed in an H pattern to detect weakness or palsy.

H pattern

Standard movement pattern used to test the six cardinal directions of gaze during EOM assessment.

Cranial Nerve V (Trigeminal) sensory test

Light-touch examination of the forehead, cheeks, and jaw bilaterally to evaluate facial sensation.

Cranial Nerve VII (Facial) motor test

Observation of facial symmetry and asking the patient to raise eyebrows, close eyes tightly, puff cheeks, smile, and show teeth.

Muscle bulk

Visual assessment of overall muscle size and contour for atrophy or hypertrophy.

Muscle tone

The residual resistance to passive stretch in resting muscle; assessed by passive movement of limbs.

Fasciculations

Involuntary fine muscle twitches indicating lower motor neuron irritation.

Deltoid abduction (C5)

Shoulder movement used to test strength of the deltoid muscle and C5 spinal root.

Biceps reflex (C5-C6)

Deep tendon reflex elicited by striking the biceps tendon; normal response is elbow flexion.

Brachioradialis reflex (C5-C6)

Reflex elicited by tapping the brachioradialis tendon, producing forearm flexion and supination.

Light-touch sensation

Assessment of dorsal column function using a wisp of cotton or fingertip on skin.

Vibration sense

Evaluation of large-fiber sensory pathways by placing a tuning fork on distal bony prominences (e.g., phalanges).

Rapid alternating movements (RAMs)

Cerebellar test where the patient quickly alternates movements (e.g., pronation–supination) to assess coordination.

Finger-to-nose test

Cerebellar assessment in which the patient alternates touching their nose and the examiner’s finger to detect dysmetria.

Tandem gait (heel-to-toe walk)

Walking with the heel of one foot directly in front of the toe of the other; tests balance and cerebellar function.

Normal neurologic exam documentation phrase

Standardized wording summarizing normal findings, e.g., “Alert and oriented; 5/5 strength; reflexes 2+ and symmetric; gait steady without ataxia.”