Neurologic System Flashcards
7 cards from real PANCE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Neurologic System flashcards as text
A 68-year-old man presents with sudden onset of left-sided weakness and slurred speech that resolved completely within 45 minutes. MRI shows no infarct. What is the most appropriate next step?
Answer: Admit for urgent evaluation and stroke risk stratification
TIA carries high early stroke risk; urgent inpatient or rapid outpatient evaluation within 24 hours with ABCD2 scoring, imaging, and cardiac monitoring is indicated.
Which dermatome corresponds to the umbilicus?
Answer: T10
T10 innervates the umbilicus, a landmark useful for assessing spinal cord injury level.
A patient with Parkinson disease develops visual hallucinations after starting a new medication. Which drug is the most likely culprit?
Answer: Pramipexole
Dopamine agonists such as pramipexole are the most common cause of hallucinations in Parkinson disease patients.
A 35-year-old woman has episodes of sudden muscle weakness triggered by laughter. She also reports excessive daytime sleepiness. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer: Narcolepsy with cataplexy
Narcolepsy with cataplexy presents with excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden loss of muscle tone triggered by strong emotions.
On lumbar puncture in bacterial meningitis, which CSF finding best distinguishes it from viral meningitis?
Answer: Glucose < 45 mg/dL with elevated protein
Bacterial meningitis characteristically shows low CSF glucose (< 45 mg/dL or CSF:serum ratio < 0.4) and markedly elevated protein, unlike viral meningitis.
A 55-year-old man has a 3-month history of progressive distal lower extremity weakness, areflexia, and glove-and-stocking sensory loss. Nerve conduction studies show reduced amplitudes and slow velocities. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Answer: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)
CIDP presents with progressive or relapsing symmetric limb weakness, areflexia, and demyelinating features on nerve conduction studies lasting > 8 weeks.
Which of the following is the first-line treatment for absence seizures?
Answer: Ethosuximide
Ethosuximide is first-line for pure absence seizures; it blocks T-type calcium channels in thalamic neurons.