Memorizing Brainstem Lesions

[Roy7]

Help.

Going through HY neuroanatomy chapter on brainstem lesions, and while I can visualize each lesion it takes me a year to find the symptoms, tracts involved, and location.

Does anyone have any easy way of doin this?

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[skichika]

Memorize the symptoms first, and then work back from there. Since they are likely to give you the sx and not the diagram(though I'm pretty sure they ask both ways), you might want to start thinking "symptoms-->pathways-->lesion location", or even just "collection of symptoms = lesion" instead of the other way around. I find it's easier to remember a guy with sensory deficits on one side of his face and the other side of his body instead of a bunch of annoying tracts...just my 2cents.

 

[blz]

there's not many levels to know - just practice drawing them out. you can also make some sense of the location of differnent nuclei based upon the embryology (alar- sensory more medial, basal - motor more lateral). also, it helps to tie in function and the location of where key events are occuring (decussations, medial lemniscus, etc.) considering that FA doens't even mention or show brainstem lesions, it may not be that high yield - so dont go too crazy with this stuff - just know the major lesions associated with common pathologies.

 

[Carbo/Taxol]

Studying and memorizing all the brainstem tracts really isnt very high-yield. For one, it is highly unlikely you will even remember them between now and whenever you take your test....and frankly, from what I remember of my Step 1, they really did not ask about all of the specific tracts. Typically you are asked about lesions in the brainstem/brain/spinal cord and resultant symptoms or vice versa (i.e. "name the lesion"). Just focus on the major tracts (spinothalamic, etc.)

 

[SeventhSon]

Help.

Going through HY neuroanatomy chapter on brainstem lesions, and while I can visualize each lesion it takes me a year to find the symptoms, tracts involved, and location.

Does anyone have any easy way of doin this?

practice doing it both ways. Predict sx from location of lesion and memorize the path involved for each sx. That way you have 2 different banks in your head to pull from.

I have to think that out of all the things you are going to be tested on step1, neuroanatomy is far more mechanistic and predictable and hence is better to study early on than many other subjects...

 

[goodies]

so would u recommend reading HY neuro?

 

[goodies]

why are there so few questions on neuroanatomy on all of those question banks? is neuro not high yield or what?

 

[domer621]

UWorld has over 300 questions just for Neuro... a lot of people mention they had 15-20 neuro questions on their exam, so I think it's worth knowing.

 

[Roy7]

I got em down, I just made a list of symptoms w/each lesion (pica, aica, etc), and I'd try to find out what the cause was I'd visualize the anatomy to the best of my ability to make sure I know both anatomy and pathology.

That being said, I still dont know my cranial nerve pathways at all (what nerve goes through what foramen etc.).

 

[goodies]

well, there's definitely a lot of neuropath on the test (ie. astrocytoma, multiple sclerosis, glioblastoma multiforme), but i'm talking about straight up neuroanatomy... ie. tracts, nuclei, brain stem lesions, nystagmus and COWS, the stuff inside HY neuro.....

i don't recall seeing more than 30 questions on "neuroanatomy" in UW, usmleRX, or qbank.

 

[blz]

well, there's definitely a lot of neuropath on the test (ie. astrocytoma, multiple sclerosis, glioblastoma multiforme), but i'm talking about straight up neuroanatomy... ie. tracts, nuclei, brain stem lesions, nystagmus and COWS, the stuff inside HY neuro.....

i don't recall seeing more than 30 questions on "neuroanatomy" in UW, usmleRX, or qbank.

yea, i wouldn't waste time memorizing useless neuroanatomy unless it has a direct neuropath correlate. that's the only way ive seen neuroanat tested.

 

[Coffee Machine]

Bringing this thread back from the dead because I have the same question now. It seems like more people have neuroanatomy on their test these days... Any tips?

 

[targ489]

Cranial nerve usually points to the lesion for brainstem lesions, so at least knowing where the nuclei helps here.

3-4 midbrain
5-8 pons
9,10,12 medulla
11 spinal cord

Then figuring out upper versus lower motor sx to evaluate cortex versus spinal cord lesions.

I know this sounds stupid, but drawing the patient as it's being described in the question stem really helps.

 

[notbobtrustme]

rule of 4, google the paper and adjunct illustration.

It puts everything into clear perspective.

 

[Fatalis]

A good way to start is to remember that cranial nerves that are located in the middle are motor while sensory are laterally; compare lateral and medial meduallary syndrome and you will see what I am talking about.

 

[sanj238]

for me looking at images was great. I learned them all because I can visualize all of them and theyre all in similar locations so it becomes easier. instead of rote memory its just imaginig it in your head. much easier this way!