A & P
Axons leaving the CNS are wrapped in layers of myelin with indentations called the _____________, which further increases the rate of transmission because the impulse can jump from node to node.
Nodes of Ranvier
The _________ is the distal portion of the brainstem and regulates heart rate and blood pressure.
Medulla
An abnormal neurologic condition in which the language function is defective or absent because of an injury to certain areas of the cerebral cortex is defined as _______.
Aphasia
Because it yields greater contrast in the images of soft tissue structures, this diagnostic exam is considered the test of choice for many neurologic diseases.
MRI
You are assessing the motor function of a patient who arrived in the clinic this morning. As you assess the musculoskeletal system, you note the muscles are weak, soft, flabby and lacking normal muscle tone. This is defined as _________.
Flaccid
The waxy substance that covers the neuron fibers and increases the rate of transmission of impulses is the ________.
Myelin
A _____ is the basic cell of the nervous system. It is a separate unit composed of three structures: the cell body, the axon and the dendrites.
Neuron
To calm the body after a crisis, the _____________________ becomes dominant, slowing the heartbeat and decreasing the blood pressure.
Parasympathetic system
As you assess the lab results for your patient, you note the CSF is normal. A normal CSP level is ______ lymphocytes per milliliter.
0-10
What is the nurse assessing when asking the patient, “Who is the president of the United States?” during a level of consciousness assessment?
Assessment of knowledge
What are the two main structural divisions of the nervous system?
Central and the peripheral
A patient has recently suffered a stroke with left-sided weakness and has problems with choking, especially when drinking thin liquids. What nursing interventions would be most helpful in assisting this patient to swallow safely?
Tuck chin when swallowing
How would a nurse record the behavior when a patient with Alzheimer’s disease attempts to eat using a napkin rather than a fork?
Agnosia
A _____________ is a diagnostic procedure used to identify lesions by observing the flow of radiopaque dye through the subarachnoid space.
Myelogram
Which symptom is specific to migraine headaches?
They are preceded by an aura
What is the cranial nerve that supplies most of the organs in the thoracic and abdominal cavities and carries motor fibers to glands that produce digestive juices and other secretions?
Vagus nerve
The peripheral nervous system contains two main divisions. They are:
Somatic and autonomic
As neurons are lost with aging, neurologic function deteriorates. Which of the following findings is a normal neurological change in an aging patient?
Slowed reflexes
Assessment of cranial nerve function is another important part of the neurologic assessment. The Acoustic nerve (VIII) functions in several ways. This includes:
Hearing
Sense of balance (equilibrium)
The level of consciousness described as “unable to follow simple commands; thinking slow”, is what level of consciousness?
Disorientation
The sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system are under the control of the ________, which influences the heartbeat, the contraction and relaxation of the walls of the blood vessels, and hormone secretion.
Hypothalamus
The ____________ connects the midbrain to the medulla oblongata, serving as a “bridge”. This area is responsible for sending impulses to surrounding structures.
Pons
You are performing an assessment on a patient in the Emergency Department. This patient arrived stating she was feeling funny and did not know what was wrong. During your assessment you identify the patient has unequal pupils. What is the term used to describe unequal pupils?
Anisorcia
___________ is a quick, practical, standardized system for assessing the degree of conscious impairment in the critically ill. This tool is also used for predicting the duration and ultimate outcome of a coma.
Glasgow Coma Scale
What is the cardinal sign of increased intracranial pressure in a brain injured patient?
Decrease in the level of consciousness