20 Lab 2: Cranial Nerve Tests
Sherry Neville-MacLean and Erin Mazerolle
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lab, it is expected that you will…
- be more familiar with the names of the 12 cranial nerve (CN) pairs
- become more familiar with associating the CN pair number with the CN pair name
- have gained a deeper understanding of the CNs’ functions
- explore the spinal cord and ventricle models and be prepared to answer questions about them
Cranial Nerve Tests
You should have already signed a confidentiality statement about your responsibilities for keeping other people’s data safe.
Confidentiality Agreement
St. Francis Xavier University Department of Psychology
PSYC 231 – Brain and Behaviour I
Lab Confidentiality Statement
Students who are enrolled in PSYC 231 will collect data and pertinent information from fellow students, and this information will be shared for the purpose of instruction.
I understand that while participating in this course, and by signing this form, I agree to:
1. Keep all data shared with me confidential by not discussing or sharing the information in any form or format (e.g. photograph, computer hard drive, USB storage drives, cloud storage, e-mail) with anyone other than the lab instructor or members of my group.
2. Keep all data in any form or format (e.g. photograph, computer hard drive, USB storage drives, cloud storage, e-mail) secure while it is in my possession. This includes:
• closing any data analysis software and/or files when temporarily away from the computer;
• permanently deleting any e-mail communication containing the data;
3. Erase or destroy all data and information in any form or format that is not returnable to the lab instructor (e.g., information stored on my computer hard drive) upon completion of the research tasks.
____________________________________
Name of student
____________________________________
Signature of student
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Student ID
____________________________________
____________________________________
Date
____________________________________
Name of Lab Instructor
____________________________________
Signature of the Lab Instructor
____________________________________
Date
Department of Psychology
St Francis Xavier University
Antigonish NS, B2G 2W5
You will be read the following informational sheet about this lab, and you will read and sign a consent form. Then, in groups of 3-6, you will design tests to check the function of each of the cranial nerves. These tests should not be harmful, intrusive, or invasive. For example, while you might use a Q-tip to touch someone’s skin, ask someone to mimic chewing, or ask someone to self-report on their sensations or abilities, you will not be piercing skin or asking someone to ingest anything. Fill out the sheet provided to you in lab.
For confidentiality reasons, DO NOT RECORD STUDENT NAMES ON THE SHEET.
St. Francis Xavier University Department of Psychology
PSYC 231 – Brain and Behaviour I
Lab Activity Information Sheet
Students who are enrolled in PSYC 231 will collect data and pertinent information from fellow students, and this information will be shared for the purpose of instruction.
Activity: Cranial Nerve Testing
Expected Nature and Duration of Participation:
Students must read all directions described in the laboratory manual before beginning any data collection in the lab. The lab is scheduled in a 75-minute time block, and participation in this activity should take no more than 45 minutes.
Procedures; Responsibilities of Participants:
- In small groups of 3-6, students will work together to design tests that would allow them to determine whether each pair of cranial nerves is functioning.
- Next, for each test, one student will be the data collector. They will use the test devised to collect data from 2 or more members of the group. The data from two members should be recorded on the activity sheet.
- The other student(s) in the group (2-4 individuals) will provide data or serve as student participants. Please let your lab instructor know immediately if there are not two willing participants.
- Each group member should submit a shared electronic version of the group’s sheet as their answer to one of the homework questions. No name should be linked to the data / observations.
Risks and Benefits:
Laboratory experiments are designed so students will not experience any harm. However, in the event that a student is experiencing any distress from the activities, we ask them to tailor their activities to their comfort level with the activity, or they can withdraw their participation from the activity without penalty.
Consent to participate in these lab-based activities does not waive rights to legal recourse for harm for students.
These labs are designed to support applied learning, giving students opportunities to use what they know about the function of each pair of cranial nerves to tests that might allow them to assess whether each cranial nerve pair is functioning. This knowledge and application of tests that assess those functions would prove useful in post-graduate and professional programs.
Right to Withdraw Without Consequences:
Students may withdraw their participation in the lab activity without penalty. However, they must inform the lab instructor that they wish to do so. Informing the lab instructor is important so that the lab instructor can assess whether the student is doing okay or whether they need urgent or non-urgent follow-up support or referrals to medical or mental health services. If the data collected from you during the Cranial Nerves Testing lab suggests a potential concern, you will be asked to refer to the various health supports provided through Health & Counselling at Health and Counselling Services | St. Francis Xavier University (stfx.ca).
Although you may choose to withdraw as a data provider, as able, you must help the group as a data collector and a contributor to completing the activity sheet. I encourage you to ask group members to remove your data if that is your wish. Do note that, after the lab, I will not remove any data you provided up to that point of your withdrawal from the group’s sheet because no names are linked to the observations.
Data Confidentiality:
Data will only be shared through university supported platforms (e.g. Moodle, StFX Sharepoint, StFX OneDrive). Other platforms (Google Drive, Dropbox) hold data on non-Canadian servers and there are privacy issues with those companies and students should only share data through the StFX-supported platforms.
Students should keep all data on a secure, password-protected computer. At the end of the term, students are asked to delete the data – whether it appears in a file or an email. Any physical copies of the data will be shredded by the lab instructor.
If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with your professor and lab instructor:
Sherry Neville-MacLean
Email: sneville@stfx.ca
Phone number: (902)867-5014
If there are ethical concerns about this course-related work, students should contact the REB Chair:
Dr. Christine Lomore
Email: clomore@stfx.ca
Phone number: (902)867-5387
Department of Psychology
St Francis Xavier University
Antigonish NS, B2G 2W5
St. Francis Xavier University Department of Psychology
PSYC 231 – Brain and Behaviour I
Consent for Data Collection
Students who are enrolled in PSYC 231 will collect data and pertinent information from fellow students, and this information will be shared for the purpose of instruction.
I understand that while participating in this course, and by signing this form, I agree to:
Activity: Cranial Nerve Testing
1. I confirm that I have read and understand the activity that is provided in the lab manual and have had the opportunity to ask questions about the activity and its methods.
2. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason.
3. I understand that data that may pertain to my health (regardless of how accurate or diagnostic that information is) will be shared with others in the course for instructional purposes.
4. I agree to take part in the activity noted above.
____________________________________
Name of student
____________________________________
Signature of student
____________________________________
Student ID
____________________________________
____________________________________
Date
____________________________________
Name of Lab Instructor
____________________________________
Signature of the Lab Instructor
____________________________________
Date
Department of Psychology
St Francis Xavier University
Antigonish NS, B2G 2W5
Lab Activity Grading Sheet
|
Criterion |
Levels of Completion |
Score |
| Tests – Do the tests designed for each cranial nerve (CN) pair match the function of that CN? | For each test that matches the function of the CN pair, award 1 point (up to 12 points).
__(# of appropriate tests)__ * 1 = __(score)__ |
|
| Data collection – Is there evidence to suggest the students attempted to use the tests they designed or ask for self-reports? | For each line of data, award 0.125 points (up to 3 points).
__(# of lines of data)__ * 1 = __(score)__ |
|
| Follow-up / Comments – Is the comments section completed (Note: bulleted notes are permissible; complete sentences not required) | No (0 points) or Yes (2 points) | |
| Total Score on Activity (out of 15) |
Spinal nerve & Ventricle Models
Learning Objectives
Before leaving this lab period, please look at one of the spinal cord models and the ventricle model. Be sure you can
- Label the parts of the spinal cord
- white matter
- grey matter
- dorsal root / afferent or sensory nerve
- dorsal horn
- lateral horn
- ventral horn
- ventral root / efferent or motor nerve
- dorsal ganglion
- central canal
- Label the ventricles
- lateral ventricles
- third ventricle
- fourth ventricle
- cerebral aqueduct
