Central Nervous System & Special Senses

Topics in this chapter

• CNS Organization and Thalamic Integration
• Spinal Cord and Somatosensory Pathways
• Motor Control and Movement Disorders
• Cortical Functions, Language, and Stroke
• Retina, Phototransduction, and Visual Pathways
• Auditory Processing and Special Senses
• Synaptic Signaling and Neurotransmitters
• EEG, Sleep, and Wakefulness

Practice questions

1. Question 1Q-F79C8A

   A 56-year-old man presents with a stroke affecting the right internal capsule. Which of the following neurological deficits is most characteristic of this lesion?

   1. A.Contralateral spastic hemiplegia and contralateral hemisensory loss
   2. B.Ipsilateral spastic hemiplegia and contralateral lower facial weakness
   3. C.Contralateral flaccid paralysis with hyperreflexia limited to the upper limb
   4. D.Bilateral loss of pain and temperature sensation below the neck
   See the answer and solution
2. Question 2Q-47250E

   During a neurological examination, a patient is asked to read a Snellen chart. Which structure is primarily responsible for fine focusing and high-acuity photopic vision by providing the highest density of cones?

   1. A.Optic disc
   2. B.Fovea centralis
   3. C.Peripheral retina
   4. D.Cornea
   See the answer and solution
3. Question 3Q-9DAF89

   A patient with a pituitary macroadenoma compression on the optic chiasm most characteristically presents with which of the following visual field defects?

   1. A.Left homonymous hemianopia
   2. B.Bitemporal hemianopia
   3. C.Right nasal hemianopia
   4. D.Altitudinal hemianopia
   See the answer and solution
4. Question 4Q-53B54E

   Which of the following nuclei acts as the primary relay station in the thalamus for auditory signals before they reach the primary auditory cortex?

   1. A.Ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL)
   2. B.Lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)
   3. C.Medial geniculate nucleus (MGN)
   4. D.Ventral anterior nucleus (VA)
   See the answer and solution
5. Question 5Q-128DB1

   A lesion of the dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway at the level of the cervical spinal cord will result in which of the following findings ipsilaterally below the lesion?

   1. A.Loss of pain and temperature sensation
   2. B.Loss of crude touch and pressure
   3. C.Loss of conscious proprioception, vibration, and fine touch
   4. D.Spastic paralysis and hyperreflexia
   See the answer and solution