Final answer:
To measure neurological effort or deficits in patients with brain damage, physicians perform physical and resistance tests, sensory examinations, and modern imaging techniques like fMRI that can map brain activity during specific tasks.
Step-by-step explanation:
To measure a lack of effort or neurological deficits in patients with brain damage, a range of clinical tests is conducted to assess the function of both the brain and the peripheral nervous system. For instance, a doctor may ask a patient to perform simple physical tasks like smiling or raising eyebrows to detect any weaknesses or asymmetry in facial muscles, indicative of cranial nerve damage or other neural issues. Additionally, resistance tests can be performed against the patient's arms and legs to assess muscular strength and detect signs of nerve or muscle damage. The doctor may also conduct a sensory examination where the patient, with eyes closed, must indicate when they feel the touch of an object on various parts of their body including limbs, fingers, and face, which helps to detect sensory deficits.
One modern technique used to measure brain activity is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which shows the active areas of the brain during a task in three dimensions. The patient might be asked to recognize faces on a screen and activate a button accordingly, and the brain's response is mapped through increased blood flow to active areas.
More traditional tests such as autopsies provided insights into brain activity only after death, but modern imaging techniques allow us to observe live brain function and activity. Measuring brain activity through behavioral assessment during the mental status exam can also reveal coordination issues, tremors, or body neglect that suggests cerebral dysfunction or CNS disturbance.