Question 1

A healthcare professional suspects a patient is brain dead. How would the professional assess for brain death?

Accepted Answer

A) Determine if the patient can make voluntary movements. 
B) Perform tests to assess if the patient is in a coma. 
C) Remove the patient's ventilator to see if spontaneous breathing occurs. 
D) Monitor the patient for eye movements that seem purposeful. 
A) Determine if the patient can make voluntary movements. 
B) Perform tests to assess if the patient is in a coma. 
C) Remove the patient's ventilator to see if spontaneous breathing occurs. 
D) Monitor the patient for eye movements that seem purposeful. C

Question 2

After a cerebrovascular accident, a man is unable to either feel or identify a comb with his eyes closed. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

A) Agraphia 
B) Tactile agnosia 
C) Anosognosia 
D) Prosopagnosia 
A) Agraphia 
B) Tactile agnosia 
C) Anosognosia 
D) Prosopagnosia B

Question 3

What area of the brain mediates the executive attention functions?

Accepted Answer

A) Limbic 
B) Prefrontal 
C) Parietal 
D) Occipital 
A) Limbic 
B) Prefrontal 
C) Parietal 
D) Occipital B

Question 4

Which assessment finding marks the end of spinal shock?

Accepted Answer

A) Return of blood pressure and heart rate to normal 
B) Gradual return of spinal reflexes 
C) Return of bowel and bladder function 
D) Evidence of diminished deep tendon reflexes and flaccid paralysis 
A) Return of blood pressure and heart rate to normal 
B) Gradual return of spinal reflexes 
C) Return of bowel and bladder function 
D) Evidence of diminished deep tendon reflexes and flaccid paralysis

Question 5

What type of cerebral edema occurs when permeability of the capillary endothelium increases after injury to the vascular structure?

Accepted Answer

A) Cytotoxic 
B) Interstitial 
C) Vasogenic 
D) Ischemic 
A) Cytotoxic 
B) Interstitial 
C) Vasogenic 
D) Ischemic

Question 6

Dilation of the ipsilateral pupil following uncal herniation is the result of pressure on which cranial nerve (CN)?

Accepted Answer

A) Optic (CN I) 
B) Abducens (CN VI) 
C) Oculomotor (CN III) 
D) Trochlear (CN IV) 
A) Optic (CN I) 
B) Abducens (CN VI) 
C) Oculomotor (CN III) 
D) Trochlear (CN IV)

Question 7

To quickly assess a patient's nervous system for dysfunction, what assessment should the healthcare professional perform as the priority?

Accepted Answer

A) Size and reactivity of pupils 
B) Pattern of breathing 
C) Motor response 
D) Level of consciousness 
A) Size and reactivity of pupils 
B) Pattern of breathing 
C) Motor response 
D) Level of consciousness

Question 8

A patient suffered a seizure for the first time. The spouse asks the healthcare professional to explain what a seizure is. What response by the professional is best?

Accepted Answer

A) Actions that occur without conscious thought because of a stimulus 
B) A sudden, explosive, disorderly discharge of brain cells 
C) A disease where a person has frequent seizures like this one 
D) A series of excessive, purposeless movements. 
A) Actions that occur without conscious thought because of a stimulus 
B) A sudden, explosive, disorderly discharge of brain cells 
C) A disease where a person has frequent seizures like this one 
D) A series of excessive, purposeless movements.

Question 9

A patient has finally been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after seeing several physicians. The patient expresses frustration that the diagnosis has taken so long. What information can the healthcare professional give to the patient about this situation?

Accepted Answer

A) Many diseases cause weakness and fatigue. 
B) Only upper motor neurons are involved. 
C) Several nerves are connected to each muscle. 
D) Lack of sensation makes it hard to describe. 
A) Many diseases cause weakness and fatigue. 
B) Only upper motor neurons are involved. 
C) Several nerves are connected to each muscle. 
D) Lack of sensation makes it hard to describe.

Question 10

Vomiting is associated with central nervous system (CNS) injuries that compress which of the brain's anatomic locations?

Accepted Answer

A) Vestibular nuclei in the lower brainstem 
B) Floor of the third ventricle 
C) Any area in the midbrain 
D) Diencephalon 
A) Vestibular nuclei in the lower brainstem 
B) Floor of the third ventricle 
C) Any area in the midbrain 
D) Diencephalon

Question 11

A patient is in status epilepticus. In addition to giving medication to stop the seizures, what would the healthcare professional place highest priority on?

Accepted Answer

A) Facilitating a CT scan of the head 
B) Providing oxygen 
C) Assessing for brain death 
D) Assessing for drug overdose 
A) Facilitating a CT scan of the head 
B) Providing oxygen 
C) Assessing for brain death 
D) Assessing for drug overdose

Question 12

What does diagnostic criteria for a persistent vegetative state include?

Accepted Answer

A) Absence of eye opening 
B) Lack of subcortical responses to pain stimuli 
C) Roving eye movements with visual tracking 
D) Return of autonomic functions 
A) Absence of eye opening 
B) Lack of subcortical responses to pain stimuli 
C) Roving eye movements with visual tracking 
D) Return of autonomic functions

Question 13

A healthcare professional reads in the patient's chart and notes the patient has Cheyne-Stokes respirations. What clinical finding would the professional correlate with this condition?

Accepted Answer

A) Sustained deep rapid but regular pattern of breathing 
B) Crescendo-decrescendo pattern of breathing, followed by a period of apnea 
C) Prolonged pause after the inspiratory period with occasional end-expiratory pause 
D) Completely random, irregular breathing pattern with pauses 
A) Sustained deep rapid but regular pattern of breathing 
B) Crescendo-decrescendo pattern of breathing, followed by a period of apnea 
C) Prolonged pause after the inspiratory period with occasional end-expiratory pause 
D) Completely random, irregular breathing pattern with pauses

Question 14

Clinical manifestations of Parkinson disease are caused by a deficit in which of the brain's neurotransmitters?

Accepted Answer

A) Gamma-aminobutyric acid 
B) Dopamine 
C) Norepinephrine 
D) Acetylcholine 
A) Gamma-aminobutyric acid 
B) Dopamine 
C) Norepinephrine 
D) Acetylcholine

Question 15

Which midbrain dysfunction causes pupils to be pinpoint size and fixed in position?

Accepted Answer

A) Diencephalon dysfunction 
B) Oculomotor cranial nerve dysfunction 
C) Dysfunction of the tectum 
D) Pontine dysfunction 
A) Diencephalon dysfunction 
B) Oculomotor cranial nerve dysfunction 
C) Dysfunction of the tectum 
D) Pontine dysfunction

Question 16

The healthcare professional notes that the patient's intracranial pressure is 12 mmHg. What action should the professional take?

Accepted Answer

A) Do nothing; this is a normal finding. 
B) Give medications to immediately lower the pressure. 
C) Give medication to immediately raise the pressure. 
D) Repeat the reading because the first one was inaccurate. 
A) Do nothing; this is a normal finding. 
B) Give medications to immediately lower the pressure. 
C) Give medication to immediately raise the pressure. 
D) Repeat the reading because the first one was inaccurate.

Question 17

A healthcare professional reads in a patient's chart that the patient shows behaviors suggestive of neurofibrillary tangles. What information does the healthcare professional plan to provide the spouse?

Accepted Answer

A) The patient will probably develop seizures. 
B) The patient will lose all motor function. 
C) The patient will have a gradual decline in function. 
D) The patient's intracranial pressure will rise. 
A) The patient will probably develop seizures. 
B) The patient will lose all motor function. 
C) The patient will have a gradual decline in function. 
D) The patient's intracranial pressure will rise.

Question 18

A patient demonstrates rippling under the skin on the arms. The patient's spouse asks the healthcare professional to explain why this occurs. What response by the professional is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

A) Loss of temperature regulation in distal, proximal, or midline muscles 
B) Atrophy of primary motor neurons 
C) Loss of sensation leading to flaccid paralysis 
D) Spastic movements due to increased deep tendon reflexes 
A) Loss of temperature regulation in distal, proximal, or midline muscles 
B) Atrophy of primary motor neurons 
C) Loss of sensation leading to flaccid paralysis 
D) Spastic movements due to increased deep tendon reflexes

Question 19

A patient had a seizure that consisted of impaired consciousness and the appearance of a dreamlike state. How does the healthcare professional chart this episode?

Accepted Answer

A) Focal seizure 
B) Complex focal seizure 
C) Tonic-clonic seizure 
D) Atonic seizure 
A) Focal seizure 
B) Complex focal seizure 
C) Tonic-clonic seizure 
D) Atonic seizure

Question 20

In Parkinson disease the basal ganglia influence the hypothalamic function to produce which clinical manifestations? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

A) Inappropriate diaphoresis 
B) Gastric retention 
C) Vomiting 
D) Diarrhea 
E) Urinary retention 
A) Inappropriate diaphoresis 
B) Gastric retention 
C) Vomiting 
D) Diarrhea 
E) Urinary retention

Exam 17: Alterations in Cognitive Systems, Cerebral Hemodynamics, and Motor Function

A healthcare professional suspects a patient is brain dead. How would the professional assess for brain death?

After a cerebrovascular accident, a man is unable to either feel or identify a comb with his eyes closed. What is this an example of?

What area of the brain mediates the executive attention functions?

Which assessment finding marks the end of spinal shock?

What type of cerebral edema occurs when permeability of the capillary endothelium increases after injury to the vascular structure?

Dilation of the ipsilateral pupil following uncal herniation is the result of pressure on which cranial nerve (CN)?

To quickly assess a patient's nervous system for dysfunction, what assessment should the healthcare professional perform as the priority?

A patient suffered a seizure for the first time. The spouse asks the healthcare professional to explain what a seizure is. What response by the professional is best?

A patient has finally been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) after seeing several physicians. The patient expresses frustration that the diagnosis has taken so long. What information can the healthcare professional give to the patient about this situation?

Vomiting is associated with central nervous system (CNS) injuries that compress which of the brain's anatomic locations?

A patient is in status epilepticus. In addition to giving medication to stop the seizures, what would the healthcare professional place highest priority on?

What does diagnostic criteria for a persistent vegetative state include?

A healthcare professional reads in the patient's chart and notes the patient has Cheyne-Stokes respirations. What clinical finding would the professional correlate with this condition?

Clinical manifestations of Parkinson disease are caused by a deficit in which of the brain's neurotransmitters?

Which midbrain dysfunction causes pupils to be pinpoint size and fixed in position?

The healthcare professional notes that the patient's intracranial pressure is 12 mmHg. What action should the professional take?

A healthcare professional reads in a patient's chart that the patient shows behaviors suggestive of neurofibrillary tangles. What information does the healthcare professional plan to provide the spouse?

A patient demonstrates rippling under the skin on the arms. The patient's spouse asks the healthcare professional to explain why this occurs. What response by the professional is most accurate?

A patient had a seizure that consisted of impaired consciousness and the appearance of a dreamlike state. How does the healthcare professional chart this episode?

In Parkinson disease the basal ganglia influence the hypothalamic function to produce which clinical manifestations? (Select all that apply.)

Cellular Biology

Altered Cellular and Tissue Biology: Environmental Agents

The Cellular Environment: Fluids and Electrolytes, Acids and Bases

Genes and Genetic Diseases

Genes, Environment-Lifestyle, and Common Diseases

Epigenetics and Disease

Innate Immunity: Inflammation and Wound Healing

Adaptive Immunity

Alterations in Immunity and Inflammation

Infection

Stress and Disease

Cancer Biology

Cancer Epidemiology

Cancer in Children

Structure and Function of the Neurologic System

Pain, Temperature Regulation, Sleep, and Sensory Function

Disorders of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems and the Neuromuscular Junction

Neurobiology of Schizophrenia, Mood Disorders, and Anxiety Disorders

Alterations of Neurologic Function in Children

Mechanisms of Hormonal Regulation

Alterations of Hormonal Regulation

Obesity and Disorders of Nutrition

Structure and Function of the Reproductive Systems

Alterations of the Female Reproductive System

Alterations of the Male Reproductive System

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Structure and Function of the Hematologic System

Alterations of Erythrocytes, Platelets, and Hemostatic Function

Alterations of Leukocyte and Lymphoid Function

Alterations of Hematologic Function in Children

Structure and Function of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems

Alterations of Cardiovascular Function

Alterations of Cardiovascular Function in Children

Structure and Function of the Pulmonary System

Alterations of Pulmonary Function

Alterations of Pulmonary Function in Children

Structure and Function of the Renal and Urologic Systems

Alterations of Renal and Urinary Tract Function

Alterations of Renal and Urinary Tract Function in Children

Structure and Function of the Digestive System

Alterations of Digestive Function

Alterations of Digestive Function in Children

Structure and Function of the Musculoskeletal System

Alterations of Musculoskeletal Function

Alterations of Musculoskeletal Function in Children

Structure, Function, and Disorders of the Integument

Alterations of the Integument in Children

Shock, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome, and Burns in Adults

Shock, Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome, and Burns in Children

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