Neuroscience Analysis of Occupational Performance (OCTH 455)
and
Neuroscience (PTRS 850)
Spinal Cord practice questions

Analyze the behavioral symptoms to determine the neurological correlates of these individual's complaints. Identify the site of each lesion - be as specific as possible. What clinical tests or observations would be appropriate? If you choose to include a diagram in your answer, identify only the relevant structures (not ALL the structures). Provide details of how you reached each of your answers.

1. Ms. Shifty is a cashier at a local grocery store. She likes her job because she gets to see all the townspeople on a regular basis. Her job requires her to stand all day; this has not been a problem until lately. She recently has been noticing difficulty with standing on her feet all day. First of all, when she tries to step into her cubicle, she feels like she is dragging her right leg after her like a sack of potatoes. Then she feels like she's standing on a stump all day after she gets it into place. Luckily, her right side is farthest from the customers and the conveyor on which the food travels, so she can lean away from the problem, and use her counter for support. Her other concern is that she has gotten several cuts on her left leg lately, from the metal corners under her counter where the grocery bags are stored. She hasn't noticed these injuries until she takes off her hose and realizes they are ruined.

   When you think you have identified the source of Ms. Shifty's problem, read this.

2. Marcus is a welder at an ornamental ironworks business. Lately, Marcus has been having difficulty using his right hand to hold his welding torch; he frequently looses his grip on it, and the weight of the tool often causes him to drop it. This lead to another problem yesterday, when some molten metal from his project dropped onto his left leg while he was fumbling with his torch. Marcus wasn't even aware of that injury until he smelled burning fabric and flesh.

   When you think you have identified the source of Marcus' problem, read this.

3. Mr. Janus has been bothered by stiffness in his right leg for a week or so. He went out to his backyard to get into his hot tub, thinking that the warm bubbly water would relax his tense muscles. When he went to get into the water, he scalded the skin on his left foot and ankle because he did not initially notice how hot the water actually was. He did notice the temperature when he reached down with his left arm to stabilize himself as he climbed further into the tub. He then had to turn down the temperature and wait awhile before he could continue. A long soak in the hot tub did help his stiffness but the burn is still there.

   When you think you have identified the source of Mr. Janus's problem, read this.