Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals Flashcards

Which anatomical structure is primarily damaged in carpal tunnel syndrome, a common repetitive strain disability?

Answer: Median nerve

Carpal tunnel syndrome results from compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel of the wrist, causing pain, numbness, and weakness.

A client with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiences demyelination. This primarily disrupts which physiological process?

Answer: Speed and reliability of nerve impulse conduction along axons

Demyelination destroys the insulating myelin sheath, slowing or blocking electrical impulse conduction along nerve fibers, causing the variable neurological symptoms of MS.

The proprioceptive system, important in rehabilitation for individuals with neurological disabilities, provides information about:

Answer: Body position and movement relative to space without visual input

Proprioception conveys information about joint position, muscle length, and body movement, enabling coordinated movement and balance even without visual input.

Which reflex arc component directly causes muscle contraction in response to a stretch stimulus, such as the patellar tendon reflex?

Answer: Alpha motor neuron

Alpha motor neurons directly innervate extrafusal muscle fibers, causing contraction in response to signals from muscle spindles during a stretch reflex.

The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is an important measurement for disability specialists working with clients who have spinal cord injuries because SCI frequently causes:

Answer: Neurogenic bladder leading to recurrent urinary tract infections and kidney damage

SCI causes neurogenic bladder dysfunction, leading to urinary stasis, recurrent UTIs, vesicoureteral reflux, and eventual renal impairment if not managed appropriately.

When a disability specialist reviews a client's chart noting 'atrophy of the thenar eminence,' this indicates weakness or wasting of muscles in which location?

Answer: The fleshy base of the thumb on the palm

The thenar eminence is the fleshy muscle mass at the base of the thumb, and its atrophy is classically associated with median nerve damage or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is a potentially life-threatening complication in individuals with spinal cord injuries at or above which level?

Answer: T6

Autonomic dysreflexia occurs in individuals with SCI at T6 or above, where a noxious stimulus below the lesion triggers a massive sympathetic response not modulated by descending inhibition.