Personal Reflection

• Central Concern?
Understand and being able to interoperate the difference between UMNL and LMNL for a deeper
understanding of Neurological Babinski Reflex Test.

• What is the real problem?

I had come to find that trying to connect the practical exercise findings with the information which
has been provided in the lecture was a little harder for me to read and actually understand and
interoperate what my findings are a result of.
An example of such a problem was the Babinski Sign.
I struggled to identify why and what is going on. This played a role with the understanding of the
differences between what is happening during and Neurological Babinski Reflex Tests and what this
test is telling me about this patient. So, the issue was during a positive and a negative response result
during the Neurological Babinski Reflex Test. Why and what is going on with this case?

• Do I have the skills/knowledge to address the central concern?

The issue for me was this lecture was just a review of this topic. However, it has been a little while
since I had looked at this information and I must have simply confused myself about what is going on
and all the clinical information provided.
• Where do I find the information and skills I need?
I turned to a few different sources just to cross reference that the information I was reading and
the YouTube videos I was watching are as accurate and clear as possible.
I usually tend to refer to YouTube first because it is the easiest and fastest option to help find some
form of clarity in understand any problem I come across. I have adopted this approach because I
find that I am more of a visual learner and to have several people explain to me in different
viewpoints or understanding then each other and to also have it “on demand” this is a great tool to
have in helping me understand different perspectives of the same topic. Thank you, YouTube.

I first located this detailed Youtube tutorial by a group which goes by the name Ninja Nerds. They
are uploaded a tutorial about the descending corticospinal tracts, detailing in different stages what
is happening and sometimes going into why they happen which I found quite helpful.
Next, I kept skewering youtube to find a credible source a came across a group on YouTube called
Khans Academy. I found this group to be very reailable with the content they are uploading. I found
all the lectures that I watched really informative. This particular video which I would like to share
with you is there understanding of Upper Motor Neuron and Lower Motor Neurons and their
differences. This helped me to identify that Upper Motor Neurons signs are opposite to the Lower
Motor Neurons signs. (Mankiewicz, 2014)

Now this where I turn my attention to textbooks, and I have found two different books to help with
this topic. The first of which goes through a deeper explanation about the difference of each.
For example, in Neuroanatomy through clinical cases they mention that Upper motor neurons of
the corticospinal tract project from the cerebral cortex to lower motor neurons located in the
anterior horn of the spinal cord. Lower motor neurons, in turn, project via peripheral nerves to
skeletal muscle. An identical concept of upper and lower motor neurons applies to the
corticobulbar tract and cranial nerve motor nuclei. (Blumenfeld, 2010)

The second textbook Neurological examination made easy covers how to perform and read the
results of the Neurological Babinski Reflex Test. (Fuller, 2013)

• Can I trust the new information source?

I found that both the videos and the textbooks which I have used have been constantly credible
with the information provided. Because with the information that I have. I have had a few
discussing and the Neurological Babinski Reflex Test my Tutor, and he was happy with my
understanding of this.

• Do I need a team approach to this?

To develop this understanding of the Neurological Babinski Reflex Tests I would only need a mock
patient to run through the test. However, for the theory said of things it was done alone. But I did
need to speak to my tutor to make sure what I understood was the information.
 • Who do I recruit into my management team?
• How can I be sure this new approach has addressed the central concern OR resulted in a
positive change? OUTCOMES
• Apply my renewed approach to a similar situation?

This education development process which I have implemented has proven to be a turning point in
my academic life taking me through the self-teaching process arming myself with my understand of
any topic approach my tutor or lecture and have a discussion and or even a class mate to help
concrete that data into my head.

Bibliography:

• Blumenfeld, H. (2010). Neuroanatomy through clinical cases (2nd ed., p. 241). Sutherland, MA 01375 U.S.A:
Sinauer Associates, Inc.
• Fuller, G. (2013). Neurological examination made easy (5th ed., p. 146). Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
• Mankiewicz, L. (2014). Upper motor neurons | Organ Systems | MCAT | Khan Academy. Retrieved 9
September 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aASSUcUSBro&t=601s
• Nerds, N. (2018). Descending Tracts | Corticospinal Tract. Retrieved 9 September 2020, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKA8iaxfEww&t=51s