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Neurological Assessment Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
A 62-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his wife because 'he's been acting strangely.' She noticed that during social gatherings he would not say much, and would mostly sit by himself. He barely bathes. When left in place he would stay there until he is told to move. He would not seek his favorite activities including watching football but when sat in front of the TV he seemed to enjoy it. On the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) testing, he could not complete the trails testing, his clock was disorganized, and he named only 3 items starting with the letter 'F' in 60 seconds. His free recall was poor but improved with cuing. His visuospatial functioning was relatively spared. He had paratonia, but no other abnormalities on motor exam. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed frontal atrophy, but no other focal abnormalities. Which of the following is most likely the diagnosis?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Apathy, disinhibition, and executive dysfunction with frontal atrophy suggest behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia. Alzheimer’s affects memory more, depression lacks atrophy, and Parkinson’s involves motor symptoms.
Question 2 of 5
The gap between the transmitting and receiving neurons in a chemical synapse is known as the
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The synaptic cleft is the small space between the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons where chemical transmission occurs.
Question 3 of 5
The brain and sensory system of a bilaterally symmetric organism function most like
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The brain directs the body like a pilot, processing sensory input and coordinating responses in bilaterally symmetric organisms.
Question 4 of 5
A physician friend of yours is telling you about a patient with a head injury who suddenly stopped breathing. Your friend explains that the bony rim was pressing against the breathing center. You guess that the 'bony rim' (whatever that is) must have been exerting pressure in the region of the
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The medulla oblongata in the brainstem controls breathing; pressure here (e.g., from a skull fracture) could halt respiration.
Question 5 of 5
Treatments for depression often include drugs that help correct imbalances in the levels of
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: SSRIs increase serotonin levels, addressing the neurotransmitter imbalance common in depression.