Study with the several resources on Docsity
Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan
Prepare for your exams
Study with the several resources on Docsity
Earn points to download
Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan
Neurology PANCE Questions and Answers 2026
Typology: Exams
1 / 11
This page cannot be seen from the preview
Don't miss anything!
Neurology PANCE Questions and Answers – Comprehensive Review for Physician Assistant Exam, Exams of Neurology Diseases of Peripheral Nerves
Sx: pill rolling tremor (resting) [activity will decrease tremor], bradykinesia, rigidity, face involvement, instability Myerson's sign → tapping bridge of nose causes sustained blink Tx: Levodopa/carbidopa (DOC), dopamine agonists (bromocriptine, pramipexole, ropinirole), anticholinergics, amatadine, MAOIs, COMT inhibitors What is Tourette syndrome? - ANSWERSx: motor tics, verbal tics, self- mutilating tics Tx: habit reversal therapy, dopamine blocking agents, alpha-adrenergics What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis? - ANSWERNecrosis of UMN & LMN → progressive motor degeneration Sx: muscle weakness, loss of ability to initiate and control motor movements UMN: spasticity, stiffness, hyperreflexia LMN: muscle atrophy, hyporeflexia, weakness, fasciculations Bulbar: dysphagia, dysarthria, speech problems Tx: riluzole slows progression (fatal after 3-5 yrs of onset) What is cerebral palsy? - ANSWERPerinatal or prenatal period Sx: spasticity, motor deficits PE: hyperreflexia, limb-length discrepancies, congenital defects
Tx: baclofen, diazepam What is Guillain-Barré syndrome? - ANSWERDemyelinating polyradiculopathy of peripheral nerves (caused by campylobacter jejuni) Sx: ascending weakness & paresthesias, ↓DTR, autonomic dysfunction, breathing difficulty Dx: CSF (high protein with normal WBC) Tx: plasmapheresis, IVIG (Prednisone CI) What is Myasthenia gravis? - ANSWERAutoimmune peripheral nerve disorder (MC in young women) → antibodies against Ach postsynaptic receptors Sx: ocular weakness, diplopia, ptosis, generalized muscle weakness, bulbar weakness, respiratory weakness Dx: (+)Ach receptor antibodies, (+) MuSK Edrophonium (Tensilon) test (rapid response to short acting IV) Tx: Achesterase inhibitors (pyridostigmine/neostigmine), immunosuppression (plasmapheresis, IVIG), thymectomy
What is a migraine headache? - ANSWERCommon migraine (no aura) Classic migraine (aura) Sx: pulsing/throbbing headache, N/V, photophobia, phonophobia, worse with physical activity Aura: scotomas, photopsia, teichopsia Tx: triptans or ergotamines (vasoconstrict), dopamine blockers What is a cluster headache? - ANSWERSuicide headache or alarm-clock headache Sx: unilateral periorbital/temporal pain (sharp), worse at night, Horner's syndrome Tx: 100% O2 (1st line), anti-migraine meds (SQ sumatriptan) Prophylaxis = verapamil What are classic CSF findings for various syndromes? - ANSWERMultiple sclerosis = ↑IgG (oligioclonal bands) Guillan-Barré = ↑protein with normal WBC Bacterial meningitis = ↑protein with ↑WBC, ↓glucose
Viral meningitis = normal glucose, ↑WBC Fungal/TB meningitis = ↓glucose, ↑WBC Idiopathic ICN HTN = ↑CSF pressure SAH = xanthocromia, blood in CSF What is concussion syndrome? - ANSWERMild traumatic brain injury → altered mental status Sx: confusion, amnesia, headache Dx: CT scan (acute), MRI Tx: rest What is delirium? - ANSWERAcute, abrupt transient confused state due to an identifiable cause What is dementia? - ANSWERProgressive, chronic intellectual deterioration Memory loss Includes: Alzheimer's, vascular, frontotemporal, diffuse lewy body, Creutzfeldt-Jakob
What is diffuse lewy body disease? - ANSWERLewy bodies: abnormal neuronal protein deposits (diffuse compared to parkinson) Visual hallucinations, delusions later in disease What is a transient ischemic attack? - ANSWER"mini stroke" = without acute infarction Sx: amaurosis fugax, weakness in contralateral hand, brainstem/cerebellar symptoms Dx: CT scan (initial TOC), carotid doppler, CT angiography, echocardiogram Tx: aspirin +/- dipyridamole or clopidogrel Thrombolytics = CI What is acute bacterial meningitis? - ANSWERBacterial infection of meninges Sx: fever/chills. headache, stiff neck (+) kernig's sign (+) brudzinski sign Dx: Lumbar puncture, head CT scan WBC predominantly neutrophils Tx: ceftriaxone + vancomycin
What is viral meningitis? - ANSWEREnterovirus family (coxsackie, echovirus) Sx: headache, fever, mild confusion (+) kernig's sign (+) brudzinski sign Normal cerebellar function Dx: CSF analysis (normal glucose), MRI Tx: supportive care (self-limited) What is encephalitis? - ANSWERViral infection of brain parenchyma (HSV-1) Sx: headache, fever, profound lethargy, abnormal cerebellar function, seizures Dx: CSF analysis Tx: supportive care, valacyclovir
