54 Questions
What happens to mature neurons and myelin that have been damaged?
They do not divide or replace themselves
What is the function of dendrites in a neuron?
Transmit impulses to the cell body
Which type of neuron carries impulses from receptors in the periphery to the CNS?
Sensory/afferent neurons
What is the role of interneurons?
Provide connections between and transmit signals between afferent and efferent neurons
What is the term for the electrical events that travel along the entire neuron?
Action potential
What is the difference between the inside and outside of a neuron in terms of electrical charge?
The inside is more negative
What is the function of Schwann cells in the PNS?
Stimulate myelin production and maintenance
One of three components of the action potential in the neuron is the resting membrane potential (RMP) which is the membrane potential (or state of tension) inside a plasma membrane, measured relative to the fluid just outside in the absence of significant electrical activity.
True
- C7 through T1 injuries allow individuals to straighten their arms, but they may result in impaired fine motor skills. Paraplegia usually results from injuries at the thoracic level. Trunk and lower body control are lost at T1, with return of sitting balance and abdominal muscle control from T9 through T12. Injuries in the lumbar and sacral segments result in loss of control of the lower extremities. Spinal cord injuries may affect bowel, bladder, and sexual function.
True
What is the primary function of the axon in a neuron?
To transmit signals away from the cell body
What type of cells form the myelin that covers neurons in the CNS?
Neuroglia
What is the term for the difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of a neuron?
Membrane potential
What is the function of motor neurons?
To transmit signals from the CNS to muscles and glands
What is the role of gap junctions in the body?
To regulate the contraction of cardiac muscle
The cell body (soma) is filled with cytoplasm and contains organelles, including the nucleus, that support the metabolic demands of the cell.
True
SNA supporting cells include neuroglia, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglia, and ependymal cells.
True
The SNS is responsible for increased heart rate, smooth muscle relaxation of the bronchioles, decreased GI movement and constriction of anal and bladder sphincter, vasoconstriction and elevated BP, increased respirations, pupil dilation, increased sweat gland secretion.
True
The PNS is responsible for decreased heart rate, constriction of bronchial smooth muscle, increased peristalsis of GI and bladder, relaxation of anal and urinary sphincter, vasodilation of arteries supplying external genitalia, constriction of pupils, increased pancreatic, salivary, and eye secretions.
True
The BBB/Blood-Brain-Barrier protects the brain from foreign substances, hormones and neurotransmitters in the systemic circulation, and also protects against drastic environmental fluctuations.
True
Increased ICP, respiratory depression/failure, and herniation of the brainstem may occur with TBI.
True
SCI responses range from mild paresthesia (abnormal sensation, such as burning, pricking, tickling, or tingling) to quadriplegia (paralysis of all four extremities).
True
Contusions, wounds, tumors, abscesses, and hemorrhages are common causes of astrogliosis which is when astrocytes respond to local tissue injury through proliferation forming a glial scar (astrogliosis).
True
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of disorders resulting from damage to upper motor neurons that stem from an event that occurs during prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal periods and has 2 classifications which are motor dysfunction type and anatomic involvement.
True
What is the term that describes the swelling of neurons due to injury?
Chromatolysis
Which part of the brain is responsible for conscious perception of touch, pressure, temp, and pain?
Parietal lobe
What is the term for the phagocytosis and inflammatory responses caused by a dead neuron damaging neighboring cells?
Neuronophagia
What is the primary function of the occipital lobe?
Conscious perception of visual stimuli
What is the term for the decrease in neuron size due to injury or disease?
Atrophy
What is a treatment of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) due to ischemic injury?
All of the above
Which lobe of the brain is responsible for reasoning, planning, speech, and movement?
Frontal lobe
What system (in the white matter) in the brain controls voluntary movement?
Pyramidal motor system
Which of the following is a clinical manifestation of pressure injury?
Severe nausea
What type of neurons have the capacity to regenerate, repair, and reinnervate?
PNS neurons
Spastic cerebral palsy is characterized by the inability of muscles to:
Relax
What is status epilepticus characterized by?
Continuous tonic-clonic seizures
What type of structures are formed in the nucleus or cytoplasm of neurons?
Intraneuronal inclusions
Which part of the brain is responsible for conscious perception of auditory and olfactory stimuli?
Temporal lobe
What is a possible outcome of ischemic injury to neurologic tissue?
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP)
What is a characteristic of Athetoid/dyskinetic cerebral palsy?
Inability to control muscle movement
What is a characteristic of Ataxic cerebral palsy?
Inability to control balance and coordination
A motor dysfunction classification of cerebral palsy is Ataxic which is the inability to control balance and coordination.
True
Common symptoms of ICP include headache, vomiting, papilledema (swelling of the optic nerve), and mental deterioration.
True
- A 2 year old patient presents to the ER with lack of coordination and balance, impaired cognitive function, speech / seizure disorder, presence of abnormal movements/reflexes, and limited fine motor skills. The patients mother states that the patient was delayed in walking, sitting, and reaching for toys. What can the nurse suspect?
Cerebral Palsy
- A patient presents to the ER with unilateral vision loss, altered color perception, nystagmus (irregular eye movements, pain, pseudobulbar affect (uncontrollable laughing or crying), cognitive loss, bladder and bowel disfunction, altered gait/balance, spasticity, paresthesias, slurred speech and fatigue. What could the nurse suspect?
Multiple Sclerosis
- An infant is born and shows increased head circumference, scalp vein distention, bulging/enlarged fontanelles, separation on bony structures/suture line, prominent scalp veins, frontal bossing, sunset eyes, lethargy, hyperactive reflexes, and vomiting. The infant also presents with a shrill, high-pitched cry and her mother states she has had difficulty feeding. What can the nurse suspect?
Hydrocephalus
- A patient presents to the ER with increased BP, Altered HR (tachy then brady), mostly bradycardic, decreased LOC, papilledema, decreased respiration, and increased temp. What can the nurse suspect?
Intracranial pressure
__________ affects the hemi-section of the spinal cord usually resulting from stabbing or gunshot injury to one side of the cord.
Brown-Sequard syndrome
- Patient presents to the ER with tremors of the hands, arms, legs, and face while their body is at rest; slowed shuffling movement, stooped posture, muscle rigidity which is causing feeding difficulties, monotone speech, and stiff expression. What could the nurse suspect?
Parkinson disease
Which drugs are used to control muscle spasms in Cerebral Palsy?
Botulinum toxin A, Dantrolene, Baclofen
Which form of multiple sclerosis is characterized by slow, chronic deterioration and no remissions?
Primary progressive
What provides evidence for immunopathology in patients with multiple sclerosis?
Presence of IgG and IgM in the CSF
What type of immune response predominance is seen in multiple sclerosis patients?
Th1 immune response
What is the initial presentation of multiple sclerosis before it progresses to other forms?
Clinically isolated syndrome
Which form of multiple sclerosis is most common and is characterized by periods of acute neuro symptoms (flare-ups, exacerbations, relapses) alternating with periods of remissions?
Relapsing-remitting
Study Notes
Cerebral Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy has no known cure, but drugs like Lamotrigine and Valproate are used to control seizures.
- Botulinum toxin A, Dantrolene, and Baclofen are used to control muscle spasms.
Multiple Sclerosis
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease characterized by the degeneration of myelin (demyelination) in CNS neurons.
- Presence of IgG and IgM in the CSF provides evidence for immunopathology and predominance of the Th1 immune response.
- MS can present in different forms, including:
- Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS): the initial presentation of MS.
- Relapsing-remitting (RR): characterized by periods of acute neuro symptoms alternating with periods of remissions.
- Primary progressive: slow, chronic deterioration of neuro function with occasional plateaus.
- Secondary progressive: initially presents with RR characteristics, followed by a pattern of slow chronic deterioration.
Neuron Function
- The axon carries impulses away from the cell body.
- The cell body (soma) is filled with cytoplasm and contains organelles, including the nucleus, that support the metabolic demands of the cell.
- Dendrites are multiple, branched extensions of the cell body that transmit impulses to the cell body.
- Sensory/afferent neurons carry impulses from receptors in the periphery to the CNS.
- Motor/efferent neurons carry signals away from the CNS to targets in the body that regulate activity.
- Interneurons provide connections between and transmit signals between afferent and efferent neurons.
Neuroglia and Supporting Cells
- Neuroglia form the myelin that covers the neurons of the CNS.
- SNA supporting cells include neuroglia, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, microglia, and ependymal cells.
- PNS supporting cells include Schwann cells, which stimulate myelin production and maintenance.
Action Potentials
- Action potentials are electrical events that travel along the entire neuron, allowing charged ions to flood through channels in the semipermeable membrane around the neuron.
- Membrane potential is the difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of the cell.
Synapses
- Electrical synapses transmit impulses by passing current-carrying ions through small openings known as gap junctions.
- Chemical synapse is a small gap between neurons or between neurons and other cells, transmitting impulses via stimulation of neurotransmitters.
Injuries and Conditions
- Chromatolysis is the swelling of neurons due to injury.
- Atrophy is a decrease in neuron size.
- Neuronophagia is phagocytosis and inflammatory responses caused by a dead neuron damaging neighboring cells.
- Ischemic injury occurs when there is inadequate perfusion to neurologic tissue and can lead to ICP.
Test your knowledge on the structure and function of neurons with this quiz. Learn about the axon, cell body, motor neurons, neuroglia, and membrane potential.
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