CNS Neurorehabilitation and Recovery Flashcards

A patient with right hemisphere stroke presents with left neglect and is at high fall risk. Which nursing/rehabilitation intervention is MOST effective for safety?

Answer: Place all items on the patient's left side to force attention

Placing items and stimuli on the neglected (left) side challenges the patient to attend to that hemispace, which is both therapeutic and safety-promoting.

Which outcome is the BEST indicator that dysphagia rehabilitation has been effective in a post-stroke patient?

Answer: Modified Barium Swallow study shows no aspiration on target consistencies

Instrumental assessment such as MBSS is the gold standard for objectively documenting resolution of aspiration and guiding diet advancement.

Which type of aphasia is characterized by fluent speech with paraphasias, poor auditory comprehension, and impaired repetition?

Answer: Wernicke's aphasia

Wernicke's aphasia results from posterior temporal lobe injury and presents with fluent but often meaningless speech and severely impaired comprehension.

A CNS specialist is setting short-term rehabilitation goals. According to SMART goal criteria, which element is most often missing in poorly written neurological rehab goals?

Answer: Time-bound

Rehabilitation goals frequently lack a defined timeframe, making it impossible to evaluate whether the goal has been achieved within an expected window.

Which intervention has the strongest evidence for reducing the risk of post-stroke depression in the rehabilitation setting?

Answer: Structured psychosocial support combined with aerobic exercise

Combined psychosocial support and aerobic exercise have demonstrated efficacy in reducing post-stroke depression and improving overall rehabilitation outcomes.

A patient with incomplete spinal cord injury demonstrates greater motor recovery than expected. This phenomenon is best explained by:

Answer: Spinal shock resolving and unmasking preserved spinal pathways

Spinal shock causes temporary areflexia and apparent complete injury; its resolution over days to weeks can reveal preserved motor function below the lesion.