Skip navigation

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/neurological-exam/

Neurological Exam

What is a neurological exam?

A neurological exam is a group of questions and tests to check for disorders of your nervous system. It's sometimes called a "neuro" exam.

Your nervous system includes your:

  • Brain and spinal cord, which are also called your central nervous system
  • Peripheral nerves that carry signals back and forth between your central nervous system and all parts of your body, including your skin, muscles, and organs

Your nervous system plays a role in almost every part of your health and well-being. Because it controls so many body processes, a neurological exam has many different types of tests. The tests you have will depend on why you're having the exam. There are nerve tests to check for problems with your:

  • Muscle movement, balance, and coordination. These activities are controlled by nerves called motor nerves.
  • Breathing, heartbeat, digestion, and other processes that happen without thinking. Autonomic nerves control these activities.
  • Sense of touch, smell, hearing, and vision. Sensory nerves carry this information from your senses to your brain.
  • Thinking and memory. Certain parts of your brain control these and other types of complex mental activity, including your emotions.

Other names: neuro exam

What is it used for?

A neurological exam may be used to:

Why do I need a neurological exam?

You may need a neurological exam if you have symptoms that may be from a nervous system disorder. Because your nerves affect every part of your body, nervous system disorders can cause many different types of symptoms, including:

You may also need a neurological exam if you have had an injury that may have damaged your peripheral nerves, spinal cord, or caused a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

What happens during a neurological exam?

A neurological exam is often done by a neurologist. A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the nervous system. Certain other providers may also do a neurological exam.

The exam is usually done in a provider's office. If you've had a serious injury, the exam may be done in the emergency room or in the hospital.

First, the provider will usually:

  • Ask questions about any symptoms you may have
  • Ask about your medical history
  • Do a physical exam, including checking your heart and lungs

Next, the provider will do specific tests to check how different parts of your nervous system are working. The tests you have will depend on your symptoms. The tests may check your:

  • Mental status. This includes your memory, problem-solving ability, alertness, and mood. During a mental status exam, you may answer questions about the date, time, and where you are. You may also be asked to remember a list of items, name objects, repeat words, and/or draw specific shapes.
  • Cranial nerves. These 12 nerves connect your brain with your eyes, ears, nose, face, tongue, throat, shoulders, and certain organs. The provider will test the nerves that may be involved with your symptoms. For example, to test your sense of smell, you may be asked to sniff certain smells and identify what they are. If you're having speech problems, you may be asked to try to talk while you stick out your tongue.
  • Coordination, balance, and walking. These tests check how well your nervous system controls your muscle movements. You may be asked to walk in a straight line, placing one foot directly in front of the other. Other tests include checking your handwriting and having you touch your finger to your nose with your eyes closed.
  • Reflexes. A reflex is your body's automatic movement in response to certain triggers. For example, if your knee is tapped with a rubber hammer, your lower leg will jerk on its own. There are many types of reflexes that are tested in different ways. Reflex tests show how well nerves between your spinal cord and muscles are working.
  • Sensory nerves. The provider may test how well you can feel touch, hot and cold temperatures, vibrations, and pain. These tests involve gently touching part of your skin with different objects, such as a dull needle or a cotton swab. You will be asked to describe what you can feel.
  • Autonomic nervous system. A neurological exam tests the part of your nervous system that controls your breathing, heart rate, digestion, and other processes that happen without thinking. Examples of these tests include checking your blood pressure and heartbeat. Another test checks how your eyes respond to light.

Will I need to do anything to prepare for a neurological exam?

You don't need any special preparations for a neurological exam.

Are there any risks to the exam?

There is no risk to having a neurological exam.

What do the results mean?

If the results of any part of your neurological exam are not normal, your provider will probably order more tests to help make a diagnosis. The tests will depend on what type of condition your provider thinks you could have. They may include:

If you have questions about your results, talk with your neurologist or other provider.

Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.

Is there anything else I need to know about a neurological exam?

Nervous system disorders and mental health problems can have similar symptoms. For example, problems paying attention could be a symptom of either type of disorder. So in certain cases, your provider may do a mental health screening before or after a neurological exam.

References

  1. Cleveland Clinic: Health Library: Diagnostics & Testing [Internet]. Cleveland (OH): Cleveland Clinic; c2023. Neurological Exam; [reviewed 2022 Apr 1; cited 2023 Mar 17]; [about 10 screen]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/22664-neurological-exam
  2. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; What does the nervous system do?; [modified 2018 Sep 17; cited 2023 Mar 17]; [about 2 screens]. Available from: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/neuro/conditioninfo/functions
  3. InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); What happens during a neurological examination?; 2016 Jan 27 [cited 2023 Mar 13]; [about 3 screens]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK348940
  4. Johns Hopkins Medicine [Internet]. The Johns Hopkins University, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, and Johns Hopkins Health System; c2023. Neurological Exam; [cited 2023 Mar 17]; [about 5 screens]. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/neurological-exam
  5. National Cancer Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: biopsy; [cited 2023 Mar 17]; [about 1 screen]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/biopsy
  6. National Cancer Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: nervous system; [cited 2023 Mar 17]; [about 1 screen]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/nervous-system
  7. National Cancer Institute [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: neurological exam; [cited 2023 Mar 17]; [about 1 screen]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/neurological-exam
  8. Merck Manual Consumer Version [Internet]. Kenilworth (NJ): Merck & Co. Inc.; c2023. Introduction to Symptoms of Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerve Disorders; [modified 2022 Sep;; cited 2023 Mar 13]; [about 4 screens]. Available from: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/brain-spinal-cord-and-nerve-disorders/symptoms-of-brain-spinal-cord-and-nerve-disorders/introduction-to-symptoms-of-brain-spinal-cord-and-nerve-disorders
  9. Merck Manual Consumer Version [Internet]. Kenilworth (NJ): Merck & Co. Inc.; c2023. Neurological Examination; [modified 2022 Sep; cited 2023 Mar 13]; [about 10 screens]. Available from: https://www.merckmanuals.com/home/brain-spinal-cord-and-nerve-disorders/diagnosis-of-brain-spinal-cord-and-nerve-disorders/neurologic-examination
  10. Shahrokhi M, Asuncion RMD. Neurologic Exam. 2022 Jan 20. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. [cited 2023 Mar 17] PMID: 32491521. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32491521/
  11. Testing.com [Internet]. Seattle (WA): OneCare Media; c2023. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) Testing; [modified 2021 Nov 9; cited 2023 Mar 13]; [about 17 screens]. Available from: https://www.testing.com/tests/cerebrospinal-fluid-csf-testing/
  12. Uddin MS, Al Mamun A, Asaduzzaman M, Hosn F, Abu Sofian M, Takeda S, Herrera-Calderon O, Abel-Daim, MM, Udin GMS, Noor MAA, Begum MM, Kabir MT, Zaman S, Sarwar MS, , Rahman MM, Rafe MR, Hossain MF, Hossain MS, Ashraful Iqbal M, Sujan MAR. Spectrum of Disease and Prescription Pattern for Outpatients with Neurological Disorders: An Empirical Pilot Study in Bangladesh. Ann Neurosci [Internet]. 2018 Apr [cited 2023 Mar 13]; 25(1):25-37. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5981591
  13. TUHealth: University of Utah [Internet]. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Health; c2023. Should You See a Neurologist?; [cited 2023 Mar 13]; [about 9 screens]. Available from: https://healthcare.utah.edu/neurosciences/neurology/neurologist
  14. University of Rochester Medical Center [Internet]. Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center; c2023. Health Encyclopedia: Neurological Exam; [cited 2023 Mar 13]; [about 6 screens]. Available from: https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=85&contentid=P00780
  15. UW Health [Internet]. Madison (WI): University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority; c2023. Health Information: Brain and Nervous System; [ cited 2023 Mar 13]; [about 4 screens]. Available from: https://patient.uwhealth.org/healthwise/article/en-us/center1005

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.