Spine Anatomy
Neurophysiology
MSK
CCS Neuro
BCS Mixed Bag
100

At what level does the spinal cord usually end 

L1/2

100
Resting membrane potential is maintained predominately by which two ions  

Potassium and Sodium 

100

What are the two main phases of gait 

Stance and swing

100

Which fibres cross at the optic chiasm 

Nasal fibres 

100
A patient has pancreatitis and jaundice from a gallstone, where is the stone likely lodged?

Ampulla of vater 

200

Where does the C8 spinal nerve exit?

Above T1 

200

What kind of nervous supply does the skin have? 

Sympathetic only but it uses Ach 

200

What are the main actions of parathyroid hormone 

Promotes the formation of RANKL by osteoblasts which stimulates osteoclast activity 

Increases reuptake of calcium and decreases the reuptake of phosphate in the kidney 

Increases GIT absorption of calcium and phosphate

200

A patient has a positive Babinski relfex, in which direction are their toes moving?

Up going 

200

What three medications are part of the triple therapy for gastric ulcers? 

amoxicillin (bactericidal), clarithromycin (bacteristatic), and esomeprazole

300

Where are Lumbar punctures usually performed and what is a landmark for this location 

Between L3/4 or L4/5 

Landmark is the top of the iliac crest which indicates the location of L4

300

Define Saltatory condution 

How the presence of myelin allows the impulse to jump between the nodes of Ranvier (unmyelinated segments), allowing quicker transmission of the signal 

300

The ribs ossify by first creating a hyaline cartilage scaffold. What type of ossification is this? 

Endocondral ossification

300

Why does referred pain occur? 

Neurons from multiple regions of the body converge on the same second order neuron and the brain cannot distinguish where the pain signal has come from. It assumes the signal is somatic eg from skin as this is more common. 

300

Name 4 factors that can prevent wound healing 

Foreign body 

Malnutrition 

Repeated trauma 

Infection 

Systemic diseases eg diabetes 

Poor blood flow

400

What information do the posterior and anterior root nerves transmit? 

Posterior root carries sensory information while anterior carries motor 

400

What is the difference between pain and nociception 

Pain is the subjective sensory and emotional response to damage

Nociception is the biological process of the body detecting noxious stimuli 

400

Name four symptoms that would make you concerned of cauda equina syndrome 

Loss of bladder function 

Loss of bowel function 

Saddle anesthesia 

Loss of feeling and movement in the lower limbs 

Pain 

400

Name three differences in symptoms between upper and lower motor neuron lesions 

Tone and reflexes are increased in upper motor lesions but decreased in lower motor neuron lesions 

fasculaiations may be present in lower motor neuron lesions but not upper motor lesions 

atrophy occurs with lower motor neuron lesions and not upper 

400

What transporter is inserted into the cell membrane following insulin stimulation

GLUT4

500

Name the layers to be pierced when completing a lumbar puncture


  • Skin
  • Subcutaneous tissue
  • Supraspinous ligament
  • infraspinous ligament
  • Ligamentum flavum
  • Epidural space
  • Dura mater
  • Arachnoid mater
  • Subarachnoid space


500

A patient is diagnosed with Brown Sequard syndrome following a hemisection injury. What functions would they lose on each side of the body and why 

  • Ipsilateral loss of discriminative fine-touch, proprioception and vibration from impairment to the dorsal column–medial lemniscus pathway 

  • Contralateral loss of noxious sensation, temperature and non-discriminative touch, one to two spinal segments below the injury because of impairment to the spinothalamic tract 

500

Where are the four main types of collagen found 

  • Type I collagen is most common in tendons and bones 

  • Type II is elastic cartilage that gives joint support 

  • Type III is in muscles, arteries, and organs 

  • Type IV is the basement membrane

500

A patient hears a signal stronger on their left ear in the Weber test and the Rinne test is normal. What kind of hearing loss do they have?

Sensorineural hearing loss on the right 

500

A 24-year-old medical student presents for routine screening. They have no symptoms and no known history of hepatitis. Their hepatitis B serology is:

Test.    Result

HBsAg Positive

Anti-HBs Negative

Anti-HBc IgM Positive

Anti-HBc IgG Negative

HBeAg. Positive

Discuss the patient's hepatitis status, including if they have been previously vaccinated and if they are currently infectious 

The patient has no evidence of vaccination and they have a current Hep B infection