A n P
dendrite, axon, and cell body
What are parts of a neuron
an inability to comprehend or express language
What is aphasia
the first indication of increased ICP
What is a Decreasing level of responsiveness
What autonomic functions are regulated by the Medulla Oblongata
What is the Heart rate, Blood pressure, and Respirations
tetanus infection is caused by
an anaerobic, spore-forming bacillus
A dendrite conducts nerve impulses towards
What is the cell body.
The largest category of primary malignant brain tumors that arise from cells in the central nervous system
What is a glioma
A typical change in blood pressure observed in increased intracranial pressure
What is an increase in the pulse pressure
Medulla Oblongata allows communication between
What is The brain and the spinal cord
A depressed skull fracture cause brain damage by
What is displacing or pushing down part of the skull bone below the level of the skull, causing pressure on the brain.
The functions this area of the brain is responsible for, is emotional reactions or feelings
What is the limbic system
Feelings of dread, high anxiety, or exquisite pleasure can be elicited by stimulation of areas in which structure of the brain?
What is the Limbic system
An enlarging brain abscess has what effect on cardiovascular activity
What is systemic vasoconstriction and a slow heart rate (bradycardia)
A probable source of an embolus causing a cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
What is the common carotid artery
The most likely cause of secondary damage to the brain after a a head injury is?
What is Hematoma or infection
Loss of awareness and mental function but continued brainstem function is referred to as
What is a vegetative state
impaired ability to speak or write fluently or appropriately
What is expressive aphasia
berry aneurysms in the brain although asymptomatic may cause changes in the CSF, what change might we see?
What is the presence of RBC's or blood
At the neuromuscular junction, this chemical transmitter is released producing a muscle contraction.
Acetylcholine
In Guillain-Barr syndrome, what does the pathophysiology include
What is inflammation and demyelination of peripheral nerves, leading to ascending paralysis
Lack of activity on an EEG, absence of all reflexes and lack of spontaneous respirations are all requirements necessary for:
What is declaring brain death?
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the body. It is responsible for
What is mood, emotions, and sleep
In bacterial meningitis, where does swelling and purulent exudate form
What is the pia mater, arachnoid, and surface of the entire brain
The most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain
What is Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
Expressive aphasia is most likely to result from damage to
What is the left frontal lobe.
Normal cerebral spinal fluid should look?
What is clear and colorless
What is the function of the reticular activating system (RAS)?
What is it promotes neuron activity during tasks that require alertness
Significant signs of acute bacterial meningitis include
Severe headache, nuchal rigidity, and photophobia
Heart rate changes as intracranial pressure increases; te heart rate will become
What is slower, bradycardia
Whe a small tear in a vein, which causes blood to accumulate slowly, between the dura and the arachnoid area, it is referred to as a
What is a Subdural hematoma
Primary brain tumors rarely
What is metastasize outside the CNS
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) occurs when:
What is: there is a temporary localized reduction of blood flow in the brain.
The exotoxin in Tetnus causes strong skeletal muscle spasms; death in tetnus is usually caused by
What is respiratory failure
Cerebrospinal fluid constantly flows in this part of the brain.
What is the subarachnoid space
The most common portal of entry for Neisseria meningitidis in all children/teens is
What is inhalation via the respiratory tract such as through talking, coughing, sneezing, singing, breathing or yawning.
Secondary brain tumors usually arise from
What is Tumors that have metastasized from the breast or lungs
A potentially serious complication, secondary to a cervical spine injury is caused by a sensory stimulus like a distended bladder or decubitus ulcer. It triggers a massive sympathetic reflex response that cannot be controlled from the brain.
What is Autonomic dysreflexia
When autonomic dysreflexia occurs in a person with cervical spinal injury, we typically see
What is a sudden marked increase in blood pressure with bradycardia
The emergency room doctor suspects bacterial meningitis. The most important diagnostic test to perform would be
What is a Lumbar puncture
The most common cause of a CVA is
What is Occlusion of an artery by an atheroma
Transient ischemic attacks can indicate
What is a risk for potential cerebrovascular accidents.
This mild traumatic brain injury, can cause reversible interference with brain function, and sudden excessive movement of the brain, it can disrupt neurologic function and sometime lead to loss of consciousness
What is a concussion
When brain tissue is moves upward from the Infratentorial compartment and blocks the aqueduct of Sylvius, which manifestations will the nurse observe
What is Hydrocephalus and coma
A contrecoup injury, be secondary to acceleration or deceleration injuries; in this type of injury the brain
What is: brain bounces off the skull on the opposite side, causing injury to that opposite side as it hits against the rough skull
Characteristic pathophysiology changes in Alzheimer’s disease?
What is:
There is progressive cortical atrophy, which leads to dilated ventricles and widening of the sulci
Neurofibrillary tangles in the neurons and senile plaques are found in large numbers in the affected parts of the brain.
A deficit of the neurotransmitter ACh also occurs in the affected brain MEMORY
Berry aneurysms in the brain, usually develop at
What is the points of bifurcation in the circle of Willis
This kind of injury occurs when a person jumps feet first from high building, dives into pool and hits bottom with head, the bone is crushed or shattered bone in multiple fragments
What is a compression fracture
Manifestations of a TIA include
What is
Intermittent short episodes of impaired function, such as muscle weakness in an arm or leg.
visual disturbances, or numbness and paresthesia in the face
Transient aphasia or confusion may develop.
A condition in which excess CSF accumulates within the skull, compressing the brain tissue and blood vessels
What is Hydrocephalus
This illness involves a progressive demyelination of the neurons of the brain, spinal cord, and cranial nerves.
What is Multiple sclerosis (MS) involves a progressive demyelination of the neurons of the brain, spinal cord, and cranial nerves.
Loss of myelin interferes with the conduction of impulses in the affected fibers. It affects all types of nerve fibers—motor, sensory, and autonomic—and occurs in diffuse patches throughout the nervous system
In cases of encephalitis, such as St. Louis encephalitis, how are the viruses transmitted?
What is Mosquito and tick bites
This fracture is caused by trauma in which the brain tissue is exposed to the environment; tissue is likely to be severely damaged because bone fragments may penetrate it, the risk of infection is high.
What is a Compound fracture
Which manifestation(s) suggests acute bacterial meningitis
What is Photophobia or light sensitivity,
reports of severe headache,
extreme stiff neck when hyperextended
A.changes in mentation
The spinous processes do not fuse, and a dimple or a tuft of hair is present on the skin over the site
What is Spina bifida occulta
it is a progressive degenerative disease affecting both UMNs in the cerebral cortex and lower motor neurons in the brain stem and spinal cord.
Sensory neurons, cognitive function, and cranial nerves III, IV, and VI to the eye muscles are not affected.
there is no cure for this fatal disease.
What is Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also referred to as Lou Gehrig disease
A client stubs his toe while walking in the night. What area of the brain alerts the client to the incoming or afferent signal?
What is the reticular activating system (RAS)
This fracture occurs at the base of the skull and is often accompanied by leaking of CSF through the ears or nose.
This fractures may occur when the forehead hits a car windshield with considerable force leading to a battle axe sign and raccon eyes.
What is a Basilar fracture
Warning Signs of Cerebrovascular Accident include
What is
Temporary loss of speech, failure to comprehend, or confusion
Sudden transient weakness, numbness, or tingling in the face, an arm or leg, or on one side of the body
Sudden severe headache
Clinical manifestations of Parkinson's include
What is fatigue, muscle weakness, muscle aching, decreased flexibility, less spontaneous change in facial expression, tremors in the hands at rest, and “pill-rolling”
an autoimmune disorder that impairs the receptors for ACh at the neuromuscular junction.
Dysphagia and aspiration are significant problems!
Cause is unknown; many patients have thymus disorders, such as hyperplasia or benign tumors
What is Myasthenia gravis
three membranes layers that cover and protect your brain and spinal cord (central nervous system).
What is the dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater — protect and anchor your brain and provide a support system for blood vessels, nerves, lymphatics and the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds your central nervous system.
A condition in which the CSF through the ventricular system is blocked, usually at the aqueduct of Sylvius, leading to increased water and pressure on the brain
What is noncommunicating or obstructive hydrocephalus
Possible manifestations of cerebral palsy include
What is
spastic paralysis due to damage to the pyramidal tracts (diplegia)
athetoid or choreiform involuntary movements
loss of coordination with fine movements
spastic paralysis due to damage to the pyramidal tracts (diplegia), the motor cortex (hemiparesis), or
general cortical damage (quadriparesis); characterized by paralysis, hyperreflexia, and increased muscle tone
• dyskinetic disease due to damage to the extrapyramidal tract, basal nuclei, or cranial nerves; manifested by athetoid or choreiform involuntary movements and loss of coordination with fine movements
• ataxic cerebral palsy resulting from damage to the cerebellum and manifesting as loss of balance and coordination
Progressive muscle weakness, lack of reflex response, ascending flaccid paralysis, pain, general muscle aching
Paralysis may move upward—vision and speech may be impaired.
Related to Postinfection polyneuritis, immunization, recent viral infection
What is Guillain–Barré Syndrome
The CSF contains glucose, proteins, lipids, and electrolytes, providing essential CNS nutrition. Too much protien would indicate
What is a brain tumor
CSF is analyzed for
What is pressure, appearance, protein, glucose, cell count, and identification of cells.1 It can be stained and cultured to look for bacteria and other infectious organisms.
A progressive degenerative disorder that affects motor function through loss of extrapyramidal activity.
What is Parkinson disease
What are the characteristics of an absence seizure
What is a generalized seizure more common in children, lasts for 5 to 10 seconds, and may occur many times during the day.
A brief loss of awareness (child may simply stare into space) and sometimes transient facial movements, which may occur several times a day, with no memory of the episode
The most serious form of spina bifida. Herniation of the spinal cord and nerves along with the meninges and CSF occurs, resulting in considerable neurologic impairment
What is Myelomeningocele
Caused by a flavivirus and is spread by mosquitoes, with certain birds as an intermediate host.
Leads to flulike symptoms with low-grade fever and headache, sometimes followed by confusion and tremors.
What is west nile virus
Spinal nerves and cranial nerves can be:
Afferent – which carries information from
Efferent – which carries information from
What is
Afferent SENSORY– they carry information from the body to the brain to alert the brain
Efferent MOTOR – they carry information from the brain to muscles and glands to conduct action
caused by spontaneous excessive discharge of neurons in the brain. This state may be precipitated by inflammation, hypoxia, or bleeding in the brain.
What is a Seizure
an arboviral infection spread by mosquitoes, occurs more frequently in the summer months, common in young children.
What is Western equine encephalitis
a combination of expressive and receptive aphasia that results from major damage to the brain, including the Broca area, the Wernicke area, and many communicating fibers throughout the brain.
What is Global aphasia
When the optic tract or occipital lobe is damaged, vision is lost from the medial half of one eye and the lateral half of the other eye; this is called
What is homonymous hemianopia