Question

Depressed brain function causes 

A. Disorders of function which are independent of the cause of the depression. 

B. Loss of unskilled movements before loss of skilled movements. 

C. Restlessness and delirium before stupor and coma. 

D. A progressive fall in the amplitude of waves in the EEG. 

E. Depression of ventilation before loss of consciousness.

Answer 1

A. True Alcohol, lack of oxygen, low blood sugar and hypothermia all impair cellular function in the brain and lead to a recognizable syndrome of neurological effects. 

B. False Higher critical functions depending on cortical cells are first to go, e.g. driving ability. 

C. True Coma implies that cellular depression has reached the less sensitive cells in the brainstem mediating consciousness. 

D. False Amplitude increases initially to give delta waves in light coma before falling later. 

E. False This brainstem function is preserved until the later stages of deep coma.