Question

A clinician is assessing the muscle tone of a patient who has been diagnosed with a lower motor neuron (LMN) lesion. Which of the following assessment findings is congruent with the patient's diagnosis?

Hypotonia
Spasticity
Tetany
Rigidity

Answer 1

HYPOTONIA.

Hypotonia refers basically to decreased muscle tone. It can be a condition on its own, called benign congenital hypotonia, or it can be indicative of another problem where there is progressive loss of muscle tone, such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy.

The lower motor neuron (LMN) on the other hand is the efferent neuron of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that connects the central nervous system (CNS) with the muscle to be innervated.

Hence, HYPOTONIA is congruent of the patient's diagnosis.