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IIFT - Basics of Neurology 1000+ MCQ [Solved] PDF Download

Thursday 9th of March 2023

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1. Topic: Horner's Syndrome
Subject: Medicine
A 70-year-old man presented with ptosis, myosis and anhydrosis on the left side. Which one of the following is the most likely cause of this condition?

A. Tumour induced exophthalmos
B. Fourth cranial nerve palsy
C. Apical pulmonary carcinoma
D. Enlarged thyroid gland
Answer : C
2. Topic: Seizure
Subject: Medicine
A 32-year-old female experiences an episode of unresponsiveness associated with jerking movements of her arms and legs. Which one of the following presentations would make a diagnosis of true seizure more likely?

A. Post-event confusion
B. Eye closure during the event
C. A history of fibromyalgia
D. A history of chronic back pain
Answer : A
3. Topic: Horner's Syndrome
Subject: Medicine
A 70-year-old man presented with ptosis, myosis and anhydrosis on the left side. Which one of the following is the most likely cause of this condition?

A. Tumour induced exophthalmos
B. Fourth cranial nerve palsy
C. Apical pulmonary carcinoma
D. Enlarged thyroid gland
Answer : C
4. Topic: Fragile X Syndrome
Subject: Medicine
You are asked to see a mentally challenged 45-yearold male from a nearby group home who has groin pain. On examination you notice that he has large ears, a prominent jaw, and large symmetric testicles.
These findings are consistent with:

A. A variant form of Down syndrome
B. Aspergers syndrome
C. Klinefelters syndrome
D. Fragile X syndrome
Answer : D
5. Topic: Absence Seizures
Subject: Medicine
The treatment of choice for absence seizures is:

A. Lamotrigine
B. Ethosuximide
C. Phenobarbital
D. Phenytoin
Answer : B
6. Topic: Mini Mental Status Exam (or MMSE)
Subject: Medicine
In healthy adults, performance on the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination is affected by which one of the following?

A. Educational attainment
B. Socioeconomic status
C. Gender
D. Race
Answer : A
7. Topic: Dementia
Subject: Medicine
A 60-year-old white female presents for her annual physical examination. She tells you that since her last visit she has begun taking ginkgo biloba to improve her memory. She takes no other medications. The evidence supporting a benefit from ginkgo biloba is best for which one of the following?

A. Tinnitus
B. Benign prostatic hyperplasia
C. Dementia
D. Intermittent claudication
Answer : C
8. Topic: Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Subject: Medicine
An 81-year-old female is brought to your office by her son. He reports a decrease in his mothers memory and prolonged delays in her responses to questions. She also has developed urinary incontinence. MRI shows dilated ventricles, but no other pathology, and a lumbar puncture reveals a normal opening pressure.
Which one of the following would provide additional evidence of normal pressure hydrocephalus?

A. Monocular visual loss
B. Internuclear ophthalmoplegia
C. Headache
D. Apraxia of gait
Answer : D
9. Topic: Trigeminal Neuralgia
Subject: Medicine
A 55-year-old man complains of extremely severe, sharp, shooting pain in his face. He describes the episodes as being like a bolt of electricity that are brought about by touching a specific area, last about 60 seconds, and occur many times during the day. Neurologic examination is completely normal, but it is noted that part of his face is unshaven because he fears to touch that area. Gadoliniumenhanced MRI shows no abnormalities of the trigeminal nerve.
Which of the following is the most appropriate initial treatment?

A. Anticonvulsants
B. Aspirin
C. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
D. Vasoconstrictors
Answer : A
10. Topic: Adverse Drug Effect
Subject: Medicine
Which one of the following is most associated with falls in older adults?

A. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
B. Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
C. Metformin (Glucophage)
D. Memantine (Namenda)
Answer : A
11. Topic: Postherpetic Neuralgia
Subject: Medicine
When given during acute herpes zoster (varicella) infection, which one of the following drugs has been shown to reduce the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia?

A. Imipramine (Tofranil)
B. Capsaicin (Zostrix)
C. Amitriptyline
D. Acyclovir (Zovirax)
Answer : D
12. Topic: Alzheimer's Disease
Subject: Medicine
Which one of the following is most predictive of the progression from mild cognitive impairment to frank Alzheimers dementia?

A. Self-reported memory deficits
B. Memory deficits reported by a family member
C. A normal MRI scan of the brain
D. The absence of the apolipoprotein E4 allele
Answer : B
13. Topic: Temporal Arteritis
Subject: Medicine
A 70-year-old woman returns to the office because of aching and weakness in her arms to the point where she cannot lift her arm to brush her hair. Physical examination shows no muscle tenderness or other evidence of joint disease in both arms. The aching improves when she takes the prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). She also describes tenderness over the right temporal area of her scalp. Physical examination of the scalp shows no lesions.
Which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

A. Increase the dose of the NSAID
B. Order determination of erythrocyte sedimentation rate
C. Order determination of serum rheumatoid factor
D. Order x-ray films of the cervical spine
Answer : B
14. Topic: Glasgow Coma Scale
Subject: Medicine
A 27 year old man is brought into the ER after a bicycling accident. A car door suddenly opened in front of him, of which he smashed into and was thrown 15 feet. On examination, he is drowsy and confused. He opens his eyes when his name is called. Whe he speaks, you understand his words but the sentences do not make sense. He moves all four limbs but does not respond to any commands. He is able to pull both hands away when pinched and squirms when his sternum is rubbed, making no effort to stop you.
What is his Glasgow Coma Scale score?

A. 11
B. 10
C. 9
D. 8
Answer : B
15. Topic: Seizure
Subject: Medicine
Of the following, which is the most frequent cause of seizures in the elderly?

A. Alcohol withdrawal
B. Stroke
C. Head trauma
D. Hypoglycemia
Answer : B
16. Topic: Alzheimer's Disease
Subject: Medicine
Which one of the following has NOT been identified as a risk factor for Alzheimer-type dementia (AD)?

A. Trisomy 18
B. Head trauma
C. Advanced age
D. Obesity and hypertension
Answer : A
17. Topic: Seizure
Subject: Medicine
A 36-year-old male with a history of a seizure disorder is brought to the emergency department with generalized tonic-clonic activity. Emergency medical personnel report this has been ongoing for 20 minutes.
After initial resuscitative measures, the preferred medication in this situation is:

A. Phenytoin (Dilantin)
B. Fosphenytoin (Cerebyx)
C. Naloxone
D. Lorazepam (Ativan)
Answer : D
18. Topic: Essential Tremor
Subject: Medicine
A 66 year old white female consults you because she has developed a tremor of her right hand that interferes with her ability to do needlework. She has noticed that the tremor improves when she rests her hands in her lap and gets worse when she holds them up against gravity. She has developed a slight quiver to her voice as well. Her symptoms started gradually over 6 months ago and have progressed slowly. She remembers her mother having similar problems in her later years. She takes no medications, and her physical examination corroborates her history. No other abnormalities are noted. A multiple chemistry screen and TSH level are normal.
Which one of the following is most likely to alleviate her tremor?

A. Propranolol (Inderal)
B. Paroxetine (Paxil)
C. Carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet)
D. Bromocriptine (Parlodel)
Answer : A
19. Topic: Seizure
Subject: Medicine
A 52-year-old man with a history of seizure attacks suffered from loss of consciousness and tonic and clonic muscular contractions. His tongue fell back into his throat and he choked. What is the best diagnostic test for assessment of the presenting condition of this patient?

A. X-rays
B. CT-Scan
C. Electroencephalogram
D. Discography
Answer : C
20. Topic: Mini Mental Status Exam (or MMSE)
Subject: Medicine
A 63-year-old retired teacher shared with his primary care physician (PCP) during a routine office visit that he has noticed increasing difficulty with his memory. Otherwise he is in good health and requiring no medication.
Which one of the following psychological tests is a valuable screening device to be used by primary care physicians in this type of situation?

A. MMPI
B. WAIS
C. Thematic Apperception Test
D. Mini-Mental State Exam
Answer : D
21. Topic: Trigeminal Neuralgia
Subject: Medicine
A man complains that recently when he shaves he has a shooting type of pain in his face. It happens once in a while and then goes away. You suspect trigeminal neuralgia.
What is the treatment of choice?

A. Fluoxetine
B. Prednisone
C. Acyclovir
D. Carbamazepine
Answer : D
22. Topic: Cauda Equina Syndrome
Subject: Medicine
A 65-year-old male presents with a 1-month history of problems passing urine. He says that his bladder will feel full when he needs to urinate, but the urine stream is weak and his bladder does not feel as if it has emptied completely. The symptoms have become increasingly severe over the past week. Other symptoms include upper respiratory congestion for 3 days which he has treated with an over-thecounter decongestant with some relief, constipation with no passage of stool in the past 9 days, and increasing low back pain incompletely relieved with ibuprofen, with associated weakness in both legs. Examination shows a healthy-appearing male who is moderately overweight. He is afebrile and vital signs are normal. There is no abdominal tenderness and no masses are detected. A rectal examination reveals a large amount of hard stool in the rectum; a markedly enlarged (4+), boggy, tender prostate gland; laxity of the anal sphincter; and numbness in the perianal area. Urinalysis shows trace protein and 10-20 WBCs/hpf. Ultrasonography shows a post-void residual volume of 250 mL (normal for age <100).
Which one of the following must be done urgently in this patient?

A. Foley catheterization
B. Hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics
C. Digital disimpaction of the rectum, and Fleet enemas until clear
D. MRI of the lumbosacral spine
Answer : D
23. Topic: Benign Positional Vertigo
Subject: Medicine
Which one of the following is characteristic of benign positional vertigo?

A. A duration of 10-15 minutes
B. Associated hearing loss and tinnitus
C. Associated diplopia and facial numbness
D. Being triggered by turning the head
Answer : D
24. Topic: Temporal Lobe Lesion
Subject: Medicine
A 40 year old man presents with sporadically occurring behaviour automatisms and olfactory hallucinations. Which one of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A. Schizophrenia
B. Schizophreniform psychosis
C. Hysterical personality disorder
D. Temporal lobe lesion
Answer : D
25. Topic: Alzheimer's Disease
Subject: Medicine
A 62 year old woman has demonstrated increasing loss of recent memory over a 5 year period, now associated with reduced affect and nominal dysphasia. She dresses neatly and social amenities are preserved. There are no localizing motor or sensory findings.
Which one of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A. Cerebral vascular disease
B. Hydrocephalus
C. Huntington's disease
D. Alzheimer's disease
Answer : D
26. Topic: Temporal Arteritis
Subject: Medicine
A 75-year-old female presents with a 2-month history of bilateral headache, diffuse myalgias, and diplopia. On examination she has substantially diminished vision in her left eye, but no other neurologic findings. A moderately tender, cordlike structure is palpable just anterior to her ear and extending up to her lateral scalp. Blood tests show a markedly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate.
Which one of the following would be most appropriate at this point?

A. Clopidogrel (Plavix)
B. High-dose corticosteroids
C. NSAIDs
D. Dipyridamole/aspirin (Aggrenox)
Answer : B
27. Topic: Seizure
Subject: Medicine
A 52-year-old male with a history of seizure attacks suffered from loss of consciousness and tonic and clonic muscular contractions. His tongue fell back into the throat and he choked. What is the most likely diagnosis of this presentation?

A. Petit mal seizure
B. Grand mal seizure
C. Myoclonic seizure
D. Atonic seizure
Answer : B
28. Topic: Osmotic Demyelination
Subject: Medicine
Osmotic demyelination can result when which one of the following is corrected too rapidly?

A. Hypocalcemia
B. Hypoglycemia
C. Hypomagnesemia
D. Hyponatremia
Answer : D
29. Topic: Cholinergic Toxidrome
Subject: Medicine
A 37 year old male arrives at the Emergency Department unconscious. He is warm and sweaty. His heart rate is 52 bpm, his BP is 90/60. His pupils are constricted, his eyes are teary, and he is drooling. You assume he is suffering from a toxidrome.
What antidote will you give him?

A. Flumazenil
B. Naloxone
C. Glucagon
D. Atropine
Answer : D
30. Topic: Brown-Sequard Syndrome
Subject: Medicine
Which of the following would not be expected in a right-sided Brown-S�quard syndrome?

A. Right-sided hemi-paresis
B. Right-sided loss of proprioception
C. Left-sided decreased sensitivity to pinprick
D. Left-sided decreased vibration sense
Answer : D
31. Topic: Brain Death
Subject: Medicine
A 30 year old man has been on life support systems for the past 48 hours following blunt head trauma. Brain death cannot be established in this patient if there is the presence of which of the following?

A. Carotid blood flow
B. Cremasteric reflexes
C. Elevated serum aminoglycoside concentrations
D. Hypothermia
Answer : D
32. Topic: Seizure
Subject: Medicine
A patient is on carbamazepine for his new onset seizures. He has now had 3 attacks in last 2 weeks. His serum level of carbamazepine is within the therapeutic range.
What is the next step in management?

A. Repeat CT scan and EEG
B. Add another agent (eg. Phenytoin)
C. Re-check carbamazepine level in 2 weeks
D. Check CBC, CMP and TSH/FT4
Answer : B
33. Topic: Seizure
Subject: Medicine
A 68-year-old man with a history of urolithiasis, suffered from a seizure attack which involved loss of consciousness with tonic and clonic muscular contractions. His tongue fell back into his throat and he choked.
Which of the following medications is contraindicated in this patient's treatment?

A. Levetiracetam
B. Phenytoin
C. Topiramate
D. Carbamazepine
Answer : C
34. Topic: Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Subject: Medicine
A previously alert, otherwise healthy 74-year-old black male has a history of slowly developing progressive memory loss and dementia associated with urinary incontinence and gait disturbance resembling ataxia.
This presentation is most consistent with:

A. Normal pressure hydrocephalus
B. Alzheimers disease
C. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
D. Multiple sclerosis
Answer : A
35. Topic: Peripheral Neuropathy
Subject: Medicine
A 68-year-old male presents to your department complaining of a very horrible sensation in his legs that started out 4 weeks ago as pins and needles tickling him but now has progressed and feels like being stabbed in his feet. He has started to use a walker because he feels that when he walks it feels like stepping on eggshells. The pain has not been responsive to acetaminophen and ibuprofen. The patients past medical history is significant for diabetes type II treated with metformin and glimepiride. The patient has not been very compliant with medications, especially metformin because he feels it causes him an upset stomach. His most recent HbA1C level was 9.8%. He also has hypercholesterolemia treated with lovastatin and hypertension treated with Lisinopril and amlodipine. His vital signs are temperature 37.4°C, BP is 125/70 mmHg, pulse 85/min, and respirations 15/min. The dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses are +2 bilaterally. No distal muscles weakness or atrophy is observed. Manual esthesiometer with monofilaments is used and reveals decreased sensation from the midfoot distally on both feet. There is no evidence of erythema, edema, or any wounds on either foot. He has tenderness to light touch on both feet. Labs reveal normal Vitamin B12 and thyroid function.
Which of the following would be the most appropriate treatment for this patients pain?

A. Daily metformin compliance
B. Metoclopramide
C. Pregabalin
D. Alpha lipoic acid
Answer : C
36. Topic: Diagnostic Investigations
Subject: Medicine
A 50-year-old male is brought to the emergency department because of a syncopal episode. Prior to the episode, he felt bad for 30 minutes, then developed nausea followed by vomiting. During a second bout of vomiting he blacked out and fell to the floor. His wife did not observe any seizure activity, and he was unconscious only for a few seconds. His history is otherwise negative, his past medical history is unremarkable, and he currently takes no medications. A physical examination is normal.
Which one of the following would be the most helpful next step?

A. CT of the head
B. Carotid ultrasonography
C. A CBC and complete metabolic profile
D. An EKG
Answer : D
37. Topic: Status Epilepticus
Subject: Medicine
A 58-year-old male with a history of seizure attacks suffered from a 30min loss of consciousness with repetitive seizures with no recovery of consciousness between attacks. What is the best initial treatment for his condition?

A. Lorazepam
B. Phenytoin
C. Phenobarbital
D. Carbamazepine
Answer : A
38. Topic: Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
Subject: Medicine
A 76-year-old male is brought to your office by his son. The patient complains of dizziness that has slowly been worsening over the past year. His description is vague, but he says that he notices the dizziness when he tries to walk. The review of systems is normal, except for increasing problems with his prostate in the last 6 months, with dribbling and accidents at times. The patient admits to going more often, and sometimes without warning. The son states that his father seems more forgetful, slower of speech, and not as full of life as he used to be. A neurologic examination reveals the patient to be oriented x 3, with a somewhat flat affect and a wide-based, slow, shuffling gate. The examination is otherwise normal. His Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score is 22 out of 30. No tremor is noted. A CBC, creatinine level, TSH level, vitamin B12 level and VDRL are all normal.
Which one of the following should you do next?

A. Order a brain MRI
B. Prescribe sertraline (Zoloft)
C. Prescribe carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet)
D. Order physical therapy
Answer : A
39. Topic: Tension headache.
Subject: Medicine
A woman presents with chief complaint of tightening, band-like headaches that usually occur upon rising in the morning. What is the most likely diagnosis?

A. Migraine headache
B. Premenstrual headache
C. Tension headache
D. Cluster headache
Answer : C
40. Topic: Organophosphate poisoning
Subject: Medicine
What is the mechanism of action in organophosphate poisoning?

A. Cholinesterase inhibition
B. Cholinesterase activation
C. Catecholamine inhibition
D. Catecholamine activation
Answer : A
41. Topic: Horner's Syndrome
Subject: Medicine
A 66-year-old diabetic man presents with constriction of the pupil, drooping of the upper lid, and anhidrosis on the left. Which one of the following nerves is most likely involved?

A. Oculomotor
B. Sympathetic
C. Trochlear
D. Trigeminal
Answer : B
42. Topic: Brain Death
Subject: Medicine
A 57-year-old white male with coronary artery disease suffered a cardiac arrest while jogging 10 days ago. He was resuscitated after 45 minutes but has remained unresponsive and on a ventilator since then.
Which one of the following is required to diagnose brain death in this patient?

A. Hypothermia
B. Continuous mechanical ventilation
C. The absence of spontaneous body movements
D. Electroencephalographic confirmation
Answer : D
43. Topic: Essential Tremor
Subject: Medicine
A 75 year old white male complains of a tremor which has been progressive over the past 2 years. The tremor interferes with writing, pouring liquids, and eating soup. He has no other medical problems. He abstains from alcohol and tobacco products. Physical examination is remarkable for an action tremor of the upper extremities and a head tremor. No rigidity or gait disorder is noted. Of the following agents, which one is most appropriate as initial drug therapy for this problem?

A. Alprazolam (Xanax)
B. Clonazepam (Klonopin)
C. Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
D. Propranolol (Inderal)
Answer : D
44. Topic: Hepatic Encephalopathy
Subject: Medicine
A 50-year-old man with a history of hemochromatosis presents to the emergency room vomiting up bright red blood. He had his most recent phlebotomy yesterday. His blood pressure is 110/85 mm Hg, his pulse 115/min; his face is flushed, and he is diaphoretic. During the physical examination splenomegaly and a venous pattern on his chest and abdomen are noted. He seems somewhat drowsy and confused but has no focal neurologic signs.
What is the probable source of this patient's confusion?

A. Severe anemia
B. Hepatic encephalopathy
C. Subarachnoid hemorrhage
D. Vitamin B12 deficiency
Answer : B
45. Topic: Guillain-Barr� syndrome
Subject: Medicine
Guillain-Barr� syndrome is not associated with which of the following?

A. Proximal muscle weakness
B. Areflexia
C. Infection with C. jejuni
D. Treatment with corticosteroids
Answer : D
46. Topic: Status Epilepticus
Subject: Medicine
A 58-year-old male with a history of seizure attacks suffered from a 30 min loss of consciousness with repetitive seizures with no recovery of consciousness between attacks. What is the disorder this patient is suffering from?

A. Tonic-clonic seizure
B. Absence seizure
C. Atonic seizure
D. Status epilepticus
Answer : D
47. Topic: Dementia
Subject: Medicine
All of the following dementias can benefit from specific treatments, except:

A. Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)
B. Alzheimers disease
C. Sarcoidosis
D. Creutzfeldt Jakob disease
Answer : D
48. Topic: Huntington Chorea
Subject: Medicine
A patient previously diagnosed with Huntington chorea (HC) comes for a family planning consult with his wife. He states that his father had the disease and his mother was unaffected. They ask you what is the likelihood having a son with this condition?

A. Zero
B. 25%
C. 50%
D. 75%
Answer : B
49. Topic: Dementia
Subject: Medicine
Clinical features of multi-infarct dementia may include all of the following, except:

A. Parkinsonism
B. Deteriorating course
C. Evidence of cerebrovascular disease
D. Focal neurologic signs
Answer : A
50. Topic: Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Subject: Medicine
A 25-year-old male presents 5 hours after the onset of the worst headache of my life. His temperature is 37.0°C (98.6°F), blood pressure 140/90 mm Hg, respiratory rate 20/min, and pulse rate 90 beats/min. The patient is lethargic but oriented; there are no focal neurologic findings, but neck stiffness is present. Unenhanced CT of the head is negative. You elect to perform a lumbar puncture. At this time, which one of the following findings in bloody spinal fluid would indicate a diagnosis of subarachnoid hemorrhage?

A. Yellow-orange cerebrospinal fluid supernatant
B. A WBC:RBC ratio of 1/1000
C. A protein (g/L) to RC (count/L) of 1/1000
D. A glucose level below 2.2 mmol/L
Answer : A

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