NCS EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Types of Data - Correct Answers -Nominal (categories); Ordinal (in order but no rank -
agree/strongly agree); Interval (in order and has rank but not equal intervals - 1-4, 5-8,
etc..); Ratio (in order, has rank, equal intervals - temperature, age, weight)
Parametric tests - Correct Answers -Assume a normal distribution, uses a mean
Non-Parametric tests - Correct Answers -Data does not follow a normal distribution,
uses a median (can be used with smaller sample sizes)
T-Test - Correct Answers -Parametric 2 sample test
Mann-Whitney Test - Correct Answers -Non-parametric 2 sample test
ANOVA - Correct Answers -More than 2 samples, parametric
Kruskal-Willis test - Correct Answers -More than 2 samples, non parametric
Sensitivity - Correct Answers -The proportion of people with a disease who get a
positive finding (TRUE positive)
Specificity - Correct Answers -The proportion of people without a disease who get a
negative finding (TRUE negative)
Excitotoxicity - Correct Answers -increased glutamate activity
Apoptosis - Correct Answers -programmed cell death
Glia - Correct Answers -Oligodendrocytes in the CNS - myelin cells
Schwann cells in the PNS - myelin cells
SOD1 - Correct Answers -ALS - targets the brainstem
Amyloid Beta - Correct Answers -AD
Alpha Synuclein - Correct Answers -PD
,Dorsal root ganglion - Correct Answers -Sensory, afferent
SNS neurotransmitter - Correct Answers -Epinephrine
Parasympathetic nervous system neurotransmitter - Correct Answers -Acetylcholine
Glutamate - Correct Answers -Excitatory in CNS
GABA - Correct Answers -Inhibitory in CNS
Where is the reticular formation and what is it? - Correct Answers -In the brainstem,
supports basic life functions
Where do the CNs originate? - Correct Answers -All from the brainstem except 1, 2, 11
Dysprosody - Correct Answers -Disruption in the smooth production of speech
Cerebellar vermis - Correct Answers -midline portion, controls trunk and proximal limbs
Cerebellar hemispheres - Correct Answers -controls extremities
Hyperkinetic disorder of BG - Correct Answers -Huntington's Disease
PD is damage to what structure? - Correct Answers -The substantia nigra in the BG -
this is where DA is produced
Limbic system - Correct Answers -Olfaction (CN 1); memory (hippocampus); amygdala
(emotions); homeostasis (hypothalamus, pituitary)
Prosopagnosia - Correct Answers -Inability to recognize faces
Astereognosis - Correct Answers -failure to identify objects by touch
Anosognosia - Correct Answers -unawareness or denial of illness
apraxia - Correct Answers -impaired ability to carry out skills or movements in the
absence of motor impairment
Ideomotor apraxia - Correct Answers -Unable to perform a familiar skill on command
(can't use a key to unlock a door)
Ideational apraxia - Correct Answers -unable to correctly sequence movements to
complete a goal (doesn't put on toothpaste before using toothbrush)
Broca's area - Correct Answers -Speech production (expressive aphasia)
,Pharmacokinetics - Correct Answers -what the body does to a drug
Pharmacodynamics - Correct Answers -what a drug does to the body
What role does DA have in the CNS? - Correct Answers -Excitatory
What role does Acetylcholine have in the CNS? - Correct Answers -Inhibitory
What do meds for PD have to do? - Correct Answers -Increase DA levels or decrease
Acetylcholine levels in the CNS
Sinemet - what is it and how does it work? - Correct Answers -Carbidopa/Levodopa
DA does not cross the BBB. Levodopa can cross the BBB and then be converted into
DA. Carbidopa inactivates Dopa Decarboxylase that is found in the bloodstream, so that
Levodopa is not converted into DA before it crosses the BBB. Then once across the
BBB, Dopa Decarboxylase converts Levodopa into DA. 1 hour after taking it is when it's
most effective. Long term it can lead to dyskinesias. This is considered DA replacement
therapy
MAOB Inhibitors - Correct Answers -MAOB is found in the brain and it breaks down DA,
so this drug slows that process down making DA more available in the CNS
COMT Inhibitors - Correct Answers -COMT breaks down Levodopa, so this drug is often
used in conjunction with patients on Sinemet
Anticholinergics - Correct Answers -Decreases acetylcholine levels int he brain, reduces
PD symptoms. Often used early in disease with people who only have mild symptoms
like only a tremor
What drugs can be used for AD? - Correct Answers -Cholinesterase Inhibitors = makes
Acetylcholine more available which slows the destruction of neurons in the cortex and
hippocampus
How do Benzodiazepines work? - Correct Answers -GABA receptor drugs
How do seizure meds work? - Correct Answers -Block calcium or sodium channels and
enhances GABA receptors
Status epilepticus - Correct Answers -30 minutes of continuous seizure, this is a
medical emergency
Spasticity meds - Correct Answers -Baclofen - works centrally, GABA drug
Botox = blocks acetylcholine release at the NMJ, so activation and muscle contraction
can't occur
, What is grey matter? - Correct Answers -Nuclei
What is white matter? - Correct Answers -Axons
Lateralization and stroke - Correct Answers -fMRI has shown that there is a lack of
lateralization after stroke. If a healthy person moves their R arm, only the L hemisphere
lights up. If a person after stroke moves their R arm, entire brain lights up. Decreased
lateralization after stroke is also a result of a lack of inhibition to the intact side of the
brain.
What does DTI imaging look at? - Correct Answers -White matter pathways on imaging
BMI Scores - Correct Answers -< 18.5 is underweight
18.5-25 is normal
25-30 is overweight
30-35 is obese
Precede-Proceed Model - Correct Answers --Comprehensive 9 step model for doing
health promotion in the community
-Assess for need, plan, implement, evaluate the program
Reflex grading - Correct Answers -Grading is 0 to 4+
2+ is average
Reflex C5 - Correct Answers -Biceps
Reflex C6 - Correct Answers -Brachioradialis
Reflex C7 - Correct Answers -Triceps
Reflex L4 - Correct Answers -Patella
Reflex S1 - Correct Answers -Achilles
Hoffman's - Correct Answers -Quick extension to distal phalanx of middle finger
Positive is flexion of thumb and all fingers
Sign of UMN lesion
Pronator Drift Test - Correct Answers -hold arms up, eyes closed, positive is unilateral
downward drift, pronation, elbow flexion
Sign of UMN lesion
C5 MMT/Myotome - Correct Answers -Biceps
ANSWERS
Types of Data - Correct Answers -Nominal (categories); Ordinal (in order but no rank -
agree/strongly agree); Interval (in order and has rank but not equal intervals - 1-4, 5-8,
etc..); Ratio (in order, has rank, equal intervals - temperature, age, weight)
Parametric tests - Correct Answers -Assume a normal distribution, uses a mean
Non-Parametric tests - Correct Answers -Data does not follow a normal distribution,
uses a median (can be used with smaller sample sizes)
T-Test - Correct Answers -Parametric 2 sample test
Mann-Whitney Test - Correct Answers -Non-parametric 2 sample test
ANOVA - Correct Answers -More than 2 samples, parametric
Kruskal-Willis test - Correct Answers -More than 2 samples, non parametric
Sensitivity - Correct Answers -The proportion of people with a disease who get a
positive finding (TRUE positive)
Specificity - Correct Answers -The proportion of people without a disease who get a
negative finding (TRUE negative)
Excitotoxicity - Correct Answers -increased glutamate activity
Apoptosis - Correct Answers -programmed cell death
Glia - Correct Answers -Oligodendrocytes in the CNS - myelin cells
Schwann cells in the PNS - myelin cells
SOD1 - Correct Answers -ALS - targets the brainstem
Amyloid Beta - Correct Answers -AD
Alpha Synuclein - Correct Answers -PD
,Dorsal root ganglion - Correct Answers -Sensory, afferent
SNS neurotransmitter - Correct Answers -Epinephrine
Parasympathetic nervous system neurotransmitter - Correct Answers -Acetylcholine
Glutamate - Correct Answers -Excitatory in CNS
GABA - Correct Answers -Inhibitory in CNS
Where is the reticular formation and what is it? - Correct Answers -In the brainstem,
supports basic life functions
Where do the CNs originate? - Correct Answers -All from the brainstem except 1, 2, 11
Dysprosody - Correct Answers -Disruption in the smooth production of speech
Cerebellar vermis - Correct Answers -midline portion, controls trunk and proximal limbs
Cerebellar hemispheres - Correct Answers -controls extremities
Hyperkinetic disorder of BG - Correct Answers -Huntington's Disease
PD is damage to what structure? - Correct Answers -The substantia nigra in the BG -
this is where DA is produced
Limbic system - Correct Answers -Olfaction (CN 1); memory (hippocampus); amygdala
(emotions); homeostasis (hypothalamus, pituitary)
Prosopagnosia - Correct Answers -Inability to recognize faces
Astereognosis - Correct Answers -failure to identify objects by touch
Anosognosia - Correct Answers -unawareness or denial of illness
apraxia - Correct Answers -impaired ability to carry out skills or movements in the
absence of motor impairment
Ideomotor apraxia - Correct Answers -Unable to perform a familiar skill on command
(can't use a key to unlock a door)
Ideational apraxia - Correct Answers -unable to correctly sequence movements to
complete a goal (doesn't put on toothpaste before using toothbrush)
Broca's area - Correct Answers -Speech production (expressive aphasia)
,Pharmacokinetics - Correct Answers -what the body does to a drug
Pharmacodynamics - Correct Answers -what a drug does to the body
What role does DA have in the CNS? - Correct Answers -Excitatory
What role does Acetylcholine have in the CNS? - Correct Answers -Inhibitory
What do meds for PD have to do? - Correct Answers -Increase DA levels or decrease
Acetylcholine levels in the CNS
Sinemet - what is it and how does it work? - Correct Answers -Carbidopa/Levodopa
DA does not cross the BBB. Levodopa can cross the BBB and then be converted into
DA. Carbidopa inactivates Dopa Decarboxylase that is found in the bloodstream, so that
Levodopa is not converted into DA before it crosses the BBB. Then once across the
BBB, Dopa Decarboxylase converts Levodopa into DA. 1 hour after taking it is when it's
most effective. Long term it can lead to dyskinesias. This is considered DA replacement
therapy
MAOB Inhibitors - Correct Answers -MAOB is found in the brain and it breaks down DA,
so this drug slows that process down making DA more available in the CNS
COMT Inhibitors - Correct Answers -COMT breaks down Levodopa, so this drug is often
used in conjunction with patients on Sinemet
Anticholinergics - Correct Answers -Decreases acetylcholine levels int he brain, reduces
PD symptoms. Often used early in disease with people who only have mild symptoms
like only a tremor
What drugs can be used for AD? - Correct Answers -Cholinesterase Inhibitors = makes
Acetylcholine more available which slows the destruction of neurons in the cortex and
hippocampus
How do Benzodiazepines work? - Correct Answers -GABA receptor drugs
How do seizure meds work? - Correct Answers -Block calcium or sodium channels and
enhances GABA receptors
Status epilepticus - Correct Answers -30 minutes of continuous seizure, this is a
medical emergency
Spasticity meds - Correct Answers -Baclofen - works centrally, GABA drug
Botox = blocks acetylcholine release at the NMJ, so activation and muscle contraction
can't occur
, What is grey matter? - Correct Answers -Nuclei
What is white matter? - Correct Answers -Axons
Lateralization and stroke - Correct Answers -fMRI has shown that there is a lack of
lateralization after stroke. If a healthy person moves their R arm, only the L hemisphere
lights up. If a person after stroke moves their R arm, entire brain lights up. Decreased
lateralization after stroke is also a result of a lack of inhibition to the intact side of the
brain.
What does DTI imaging look at? - Correct Answers -White matter pathways on imaging
BMI Scores - Correct Answers -< 18.5 is underweight
18.5-25 is normal
25-30 is overweight
30-35 is obese
Precede-Proceed Model - Correct Answers --Comprehensive 9 step model for doing
health promotion in the community
-Assess for need, plan, implement, evaluate the program
Reflex grading - Correct Answers -Grading is 0 to 4+
2+ is average
Reflex C5 - Correct Answers -Biceps
Reflex C6 - Correct Answers -Brachioradialis
Reflex C7 - Correct Answers -Triceps
Reflex L4 - Correct Answers -Patella
Reflex S1 - Correct Answers -Achilles
Hoffman's - Correct Answers -Quick extension to distal phalanx of middle finger
Positive is flexion of thumb and all fingers
Sign of UMN lesion
Pronator Drift Test - Correct Answers -hold arms up, eyes closed, positive is unilateral
downward drift, pronation, elbow flexion
Sign of UMN lesion
C5 MMT/Myotome - Correct Answers -Biceps
