Physician Assistant Neurological System Disorders Flashcards
6 cards from real Physician Assistant practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Physician Assistant Neurological System Disorders flashcards as text
Which of the following distinguishes essential tremor from Parkinson's tremor?
Answer: Essential tremor is an action/postural tremor; Parkinson's is a resting tremor
Essential tremor is a postural/action tremor that occurs during movement, while Parkinson's tremor is characteristically present at rest and suppressed by movement.
A patient with myasthenia gravis will show which characteristic pattern on repetitive nerve stimulation?
Answer: Decremental response
Myasthenia gravis is characterized by a decremental response on repetitive nerve stimulation due to depletion of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction.
A 60-year-old male smoker presents with ptosis, diplopia, and proximal muscle weakness that improves with exercise. Which paraneoplastic syndrome is most likely?
Answer: Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome
Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome is a paraneoplastic syndrome most commonly associated with small cell lung cancer, causing proximal weakness that paradoxically improves with repeated movement.
Which imaging modality is the preferred initial study for a patient presenting with acute stroke symptoms?
Answer: Non-contrast CT head
Non-contrast CT head is the first-line imaging study in acute stroke to rapidly exclude hemorrhage before considering thrombolytic therapy.
A patient with Alzheimer's disease has deficiency of which neurotransmitter?
Answer: Acetylcholine
Alzheimer's disease is associated with loss of cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert, leading to acetylcholine deficiency, which is the basis of cholinesterase inhibitor therapy.
Bell's palsy involves dysfunction of which cranial nerve?
Answer: CN VII (Facial)
Bell's palsy is idiopathic peripheral CN VII (facial nerve) palsy causing ipsilateral upper and lower facial weakness, distinguishing it from central causes which spare the forehead.