Question 1

A brain injury known as a cerebral hemorrhage results in

Accepted Answer

A cerebral hemorrhage is defined as bleeding in the brain, typically due to the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. This bleeding can cause damage to brain tissue, leading to symptoms such as headaches, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, confusion, and difficulty speaking or understanding language.

Question 2

The herpes simplex virus responsible for cold sores and genital herpes can produce a type of secondary encephalitis.

Accepted Answer

The herpes simplex virus can cause both primary and secondary encephalitis, which can involve inflammation of the brain and neurological symptoms like seizures, confusion, and headaches. This type of encephalitis can be severe and even life-threatening if left untreated.

Question 3

The Halstead-Reitan battery is used to assess

Accepted Answer

The Halstead-Reitan battery is a neuropsychological assessment battery that is used to evaluate cognitive function, including abilities like attention, language, memory, and problem solving. It is not used to assess reflexes, sensation, or coma.

Question 4

It is estimated that half the people over 75 will suffer from Alzheimer's disease.

Accepted Answer

While the risk of Alzheimer's increases with age, it is not estimated that half of the people over 75 will suffer from it. The actual percentage varies by study, but it is significantly lower than 50%.

Question 5

Most neuropsychologists are

Accepted Answer

Neuropsychologists are licensed clinical psychologists who have undergone specialized training and education in the neurosciences. They must hold a doctorate degree in clinical psychology and have completed an internship in clinical neuropsychology. They are not necessarily medical doctors or specialists in neurology or psychiatry.

Question 6

Oligodendrocytes are destroyed by the autoimmune disease of multiple sclerosis.

Accepted Answer

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and damages the myelin sheath surrounding nerve fibers in the central nervous system. Oligodendrocytes are the cells responsible for creating and maintaining the myelin sheath, so their destruction is a key feature of the disease.

Question 7

Partial seizures are frequently accompanied by an aura, but generalized seizures typically occur without an aura.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Partial seizures, also known as focal seizures, often begin with an aura or warning sign, such as a strange feeling or sensation. In contrast, generalized seizures typically occur suddenly and without warning, without an aura.

Question 8

The Kennard Principle appears to predict recovery of language functions, but not necessarily other types of cognitive function, following brain damage.

Accepted Answer

The Kennard Principle states that recovery of language functions is more likely than recovery of other cognitive functions following brain damage, therefore, the statement is true.

Question 9

When low oxygen levels result from insufficiency in the blood supply to the brain, the resulting condition is known as

Accepted Answer

Ischemia refers to a lack of blood flow to a particular area of the body, including the brain. When there is insufficient blood supply to the brain, it can lead to low oxygen levels and result in conditions like stroke, cognitive impairment, and even death. Aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, and cavernous malformation are all specific types of brain lesions or abnormalities, but they do not necessarily involve low oxygen levels due to blood supply insufficiency.

Question 10

Strokes occur when the blood supply is affected by

Accepted Answer

Strokes occur when there is a hemorrhage or blockage in the blood supply to the brain. Low blood pressure (hypotension) can lead to decreased blood flow to the brain, but it is not the primary cause of strokes. The death of adjacent neurons and the presence of infarcts are consequences of a stroke, rather than the cause.

Question 11

An aneurysm can be the cause of

Accepted Answer

A cerebral (brain) hemorrhage occurs when there is bleeding in the brain, which can be caused by an aneurysm (a weakened, bulging area in an artery). A or C are incorrect as they refer to injuries or concussions, which are not directly related to aneurysms. B is incorrect as it refers to a blood clot, which is a different condition from an aneurysm.

Question 12

Larger numbers of strokes result from ischemia than from cerebral hemorrhages.

Accepted Answer

Ischemic strokes are more common than hemorrhagic strokes, with approximately 85% of all strokes being ischemic.

Question 13

Among the primary risk factors for stroke are

Accepted Answer

Obesity and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs are primary risk factors for stroke according to medical research. Low blood pressure, sodium insufficiency, and unusually low cholesterol levels are not considered primary risk factors for stroke. Sleep deprivation, while it may have negative health effects, is not a specific risk factor for stroke.

Question 14

An open head injury is another name for a concussion.

Accepted Answer

An open head injury is a type of injury where there is a break in the skull or scalp, while a concussion is a type of closed head injury where there is no break in the skull or scalp but there is still damage to the brain.

Question 15

Migraine headaches can result from information carried by the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) from the brainstem to the meninges.

Accepted Answer

Migraine headaches are often triggered by the release of inflammatory substances by the trigeminal nerve as it carries information from the brainstem to the meninges, which are the protective membranes surrounding the brain.

Question 16

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) can be transmitted from one patient to another in spite of typical hospital sterilization methods.

Accepted Answer

TSEs, also known as prion diseases, are caused by misfolded proteins called prions. These prions are highly resistant to typical sterilization methods such as autoclaving and can survive on contaminated surfaces for years. Therefore, transmission of TSEs can occur even after hospital sterilization procedures, making them a serious public health concern.

Question 17

Joseph is 78 years of age, and the recent appearance of certain cognitive symptoms has led his physician to diagnose him with Alzheimer's disease. Which of the following statements would be the most accurate with regard to Joseph's situation?

Accepted Answer

A definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can only be made with an autopsy, as it requires examining brain tissue. Passive chemotherapy treatment is not a current treatment for Alzheimer's, and the disease is not contagious. The risk of symptoms getting worse with Alzheimer's increases over time, rather than decreasing.

Question 18

The vast majority of those diagnosed with dementia-between 60 and 90 percent-suffer from ________ disease.

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-90% of cases. While Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases can also cause dementia, they are less common than Alzheimer's. Klinefelter's syndrome, a genetic condition that affects males, does not typically cause dementia.

Question 19

Reactive neuroplasticity involves structural changes in the brain due to learning.

Accepted Answer

Reactive neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to injury or damage, not learning. Learning-related changes are typically referred to as experience-dependent or activity-dependent plasticity.

Question 20

Alzheimer's disease involves several changes in the brain. Which of the following is NOT one of the affected structures?

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease affects several structures in the brain, including neurofibrillary tangles, beta amyloid proteins, and tau proteins. However, extrapyramidal cells are not typically impacted by the disease.

Quiz 15: Neuropsychology