NSG 3250 ADULT HEALTH 1 I UNIT 5 ALTERATIONS
IN NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION I EXAM 3
1. What does Level of Consciousness (LOC) refer to?
*Answer√√ A person's awareness of self and environment and their ability to respond
appropriately.
2. What are the levels of consciousness on the continuum?
*Answer√√ Alert and fully oriented, confused, lethargic, obtunded, stuporous, comatose.
3. What changes occur as LOC decreases?
*Answer√√ Changes in pupillary response, eye opening, verbal response, and motor response.
4. What are early warning signs of neurologic deterioration?
*Answer√√ Restlessness, increased anxiety, behavioral changes, and slowed responses.
5. What characterizes a coma?
,*Answer√√ No purposeful response to stimuli, eyes closed, no verbal response, requires total care.
6. What is Akinetic Mutism?
*Answer√√ Patient appears awake but does not move or speak due to frontal lobe damage.
7. What defines a Persistent Vegetative State?
*Answer√√ Sleep-wake cycles present, no awareness of surroundings, reflexes may remain, no
purposeful interaction.
8. What is Locked-In Syndrome?
*Answer√√ Fully conscious and aware but unable to move or speak, can usually blink or move eyes
vertically.
9. What is a Minimally Conscious State?
*Answer√√ Minimal but definite awareness, may follow simple commands inconsistently.
10. What does the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) evaluate?
,*Answer√√ Eye opening, verbal response, and motor response, with scores ranging from 3 to 15.
11. What is considered a dangerous ICP level?
*Answer√√ Sustained ICP greater than 20 mmHg.
12. What does the Monro-Kellie Hypothesis state?
*Answer√√ The total volume inside the skull is
constant; if one component increases, another must decrease or ICP rises.
13. What is the role of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in ICP?
*Answer√√ High CO₂ causes cerebral vasodilation and increased ICP; low CO₂ causes
vasoconstriction and decreased cerebral blood flow.
14. What are the earliest signs of increased ICP?
*Answer√√ Subtle mental status changes, agitation, slowed speech, and delayed responses.
15. What is Cushing's response?
, *Answer√√ Hypertension, bradycardia, and irregular respirations indicating increased ICP.
16. What are primary headaches?
*Answer√√ Headaches not caused by another condition, such as migraines, tension headaches, and
cluster headaches.
IN NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION I EXAM 3
1. What does Level of Consciousness (LOC) refer to?
*Answer√√ A person's awareness of self and environment and their ability to respond
appropriately.
2. What are the levels of consciousness on the continuum?
*Answer√√ Alert and fully oriented, confused, lethargic, obtunded, stuporous, comatose.
3. What changes occur as LOC decreases?
*Answer√√ Changes in pupillary response, eye opening, verbal response, and motor response.
4. What are early warning signs of neurologic deterioration?
*Answer√√ Restlessness, increased anxiety, behavioral changes, and slowed responses.
5. What characterizes a coma?
,*Answer√√ No purposeful response to stimuli, eyes closed, no verbal response, requires total care.
6. What is Akinetic Mutism?
*Answer√√ Patient appears awake but does not move or speak due to frontal lobe damage.
7. What defines a Persistent Vegetative State?
*Answer√√ Sleep-wake cycles present, no awareness of surroundings, reflexes may remain, no
purposeful interaction.
8. What is Locked-In Syndrome?
*Answer√√ Fully conscious and aware but unable to move or speak, can usually blink or move eyes
vertically.
9. What is a Minimally Conscious State?
*Answer√√ Minimal but definite awareness, may follow simple commands inconsistently.
10. What does the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) evaluate?
,*Answer√√ Eye opening, verbal response, and motor response, with scores ranging from 3 to 15.
11. What is considered a dangerous ICP level?
*Answer√√ Sustained ICP greater than 20 mmHg.
12. What does the Monro-Kellie Hypothesis state?
*Answer√√ The total volume inside the skull is
constant; if one component increases, another must decrease or ICP rises.
13. What is the role of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in ICP?
*Answer√√ High CO₂ causes cerebral vasodilation and increased ICP; low CO₂ causes
vasoconstriction and decreased cerebral blood flow.
14. What are the earliest signs of increased ICP?
*Answer√√ Subtle mental status changes, agitation, slowed speech, and delayed responses.
15. What is Cushing's response?
, *Answer√√ Hypertension, bradycardia, and irregular respirations indicating increased ICP.
16. What are primary headaches?
*Answer√√ Headaches not caused by another condition, such as migraines, tension headaches, and
cluster headaches.
