CBIS PRACTICE EXAM 2026 | Actual Questions and Verified
Answers 2026/2027 | A+ Grade Complete | Brain Injury
Certification | Pass Guaranteed
Section 1: Anatomy & Physiology of the Brain (Questions 1-20)
Q1: A 34-year-old patient sustains a traumatic brain injury affecting the left frontal lobe.
The rehabilitation team observes that the patient has difficulty planning daily activities,
exhibits poor impulse control, and struggles to initiate conversations. These deficits
most directly relate to which brain structure?
A. Temporal lobe hippocampus affecting memory consolidation
B. Parietal lobe somatosensory cortex disrupting spatial awareness
C. Frontal lobe prefrontal cortex responsible for executive function, judgment, and
impulse control [CORRECT]
D. Occipital lobe visual cortex impairing visual processing
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The frontal lobe, specifically the prefrontal cortex, governs executive
functions including planning, judgment, impulse control, and initiation (ACBIS CBIS
Content Outline: Neuroanatomy). The symptoms described—planning deficits, poor
impulse control, and initiation problems—are classic frontal lobe sequelae. Temporal
lobe damage primarily affects memory and language comprehension; parietal lobe
damage affects sensory processing and spatial awareness; occipital lobe damage
affects vision.
Q2: During a neurological examination, a patient demonstrates an inability to
comprehend spoken language despite intact hearing and articulate speech production.
The lesion is most likely located in:
A. Broca's area in the left frontal lobe
B. Wernicke's area in the left temporal lobe [CORRECT]
C. The occipital lobe visual association cortex
D. The right parietal lobe somatosensory strip
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke's area, located in the left temporal lobe (superior temporal gyrus), is
responsible for language comprehension (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Language
Functions). Receptive aphasia (Wernicke's aphasia) is characterized by impaired
comprehension with fluent but often nonsensical speech. Broca's area (frontal lobe)
produces expressive aphasia with non-fluent speech but intact comprehension.
Occipital and right parietal lesions do not typically cause language comprehension
deficits.
Q3: A patient with traumatic brain injury presents with ataxia, dysmetria, and intention
tremor when performing fine motor tasks. These motor coordination deficits suggest
damage to:
A. The basal ganglia affecting procedural learning
B. The cerebellum responsible for coordination, balance, and fine motor control
[CORRECT]
C. The primary motor cortex in the frontal lobe
D. The limbic system affecting emotional motor modulation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The cerebellum coordinates voluntary movements, maintains balance, and
regulates fine motor control (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Motor Systems). Ataxia
(incoordination), dysmetria (inability to judge distance), and intention tremor (tremor
during purposeful movement) are classic cerebellar signs. Basal ganglia damage
produces rigidity and bradykinesia; primary motor cortex damage produces weakness;
limbic system damage affects emotion and memory, not coordination.
Q4: Following a severe traumatic brain injury, a patient requires monitoring for increased
intracranial pressure. The medical team notes Cushing's triad: systolic hypertension,
bradycardia, and irregular respirations. These vital sign changes indicate dysfunction of
which structure?
A. The cerebral cortex regulating voluntary movement
B. The brainstem controlling autonomic functions including respiration and heart rate
[CORRECT]
C. The thalamus processing sensory information
,D. The corpus callosum connecting hemispheres
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cushing's triad indicates brainstem compression and dysfunction,
specifically affecting the medulla oblongata and pons which regulate cardiovascular
and respiratory autonomic functions (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Brainstem
Functions). Increased intracranial pressure compresses the brainstem, triggering the
triad as a late sign of herniation. The cerebral cortex, thalamus, and corpus callosum do
not directly control autonomic vital signs.
Q5: A patient with traumatic brain injury demonstrates anterograde amnesia (inability to
form new memories) and emotional dysregulation with heightened fear responses. The
lesion most likely involves:
A. The parietal lobe affecting spatial memory
B. The limbic system including the hippocampus and amygdala [CORRECT]
C. The occipital lobe affecting visual memory encoding
D. The cerebellum affecting procedural memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The limbic system, particularly the hippocampus (memory formation) and
amygdala (emotional processing and fear responses), explains both the anterograde
amnesia and emotional dysregulation (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Memory and
Emotion). Parietal lobe damage affects spatial awareness but not memory formation;
occipital damage affects visual processing; cerebellar damage affects motor learning,
not declarative memory or emotion.
Q6: During assessment of cranial nerve function, a patient cannot abduct the right eye
(move it laterally toward the temple). This isolated deficit indicates dysfunction of:
A. Cranial nerve III (Oculomotor)
B. Cranial nerve IV (Trochlear)
C. Cranial nerve VI (Abducens) [CORRECT]
D. Cranial nerve VII (Facial)
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Cranial nerve VI (Abducens) innervates the lateral rectus muscle, which
abducts the eye (moves it laterally) (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Cranial Nerves). CN III
controls most other eye movements and pupil constriction; CN IV controls downward
and inward movement (superior oblique); CN VII controls facial expression. Isolated
lateral gaze palsy is pathognomonic for CN VI dysfunction, often seen in increased
intracranial pressure.
Q7: A stroke patient presents with contralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss affecting
the face, arm, and leg equally. The vascular territory most likely affected is:
A. Anterior cerebral artery (ACA) territory affecting primarily legs
B. Middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory affecting face and arm more than leg
[CORRECT]
C. Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) territory affecting primarily vision
D. Vertebral artery territory affecting brainstem and cerebellum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The middle cerebral artery (MCA) supplies the lateral cerebral hemisphere
including motor and sensory cortex for face and upper extremity, producing the classic
face-arm predominance (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Cerebral Vasculature). ACA
strokes affect primarily the leg and medial frontal functions; PCA strokes affect vision;
vertebral artery strokes affect brainstem and cerebellar functions. MCA is the most
common stroke location.
Q8: A patient with traumatic brain injury demonstrates difficulty with procedural learning
and habit formation, such as learning new motor sequences or establishing routines.
This suggests damage to:
A. The hippocampus affecting declarative memory
B. The basal ganglia responsible for procedural learning and habit formation [CORRECT]
C. The amygdala affecting emotional memory
D. The prefrontal cortex affecting working memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The basal ganglia (caudate, putamen, globus pallidus) are essential for
procedural learning, habit formation, and motor program initiation (ACBIS CBIS Content
Answers 2026/2027 | A+ Grade Complete | Brain Injury
Certification | Pass Guaranteed
Section 1: Anatomy & Physiology of the Brain (Questions 1-20)
Q1: A 34-year-old patient sustains a traumatic brain injury affecting the left frontal lobe.
The rehabilitation team observes that the patient has difficulty planning daily activities,
exhibits poor impulse control, and struggles to initiate conversations. These deficits
most directly relate to which brain structure?
A. Temporal lobe hippocampus affecting memory consolidation
B. Parietal lobe somatosensory cortex disrupting spatial awareness
C. Frontal lobe prefrontal cortex responsible for executive function, judgment, and
impulse control [CORRECT]
D. Occipital lobe visual cortex impairing visual processing
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The frontal lobe, specifically the prefrontal cortex, governs executive
functions including planning, judgment, impulse control, and initiation (ACBIS CBIS
Content Outline: Neuroanatomy). The symptoms described—planning deficits, poor
impulse control, and initiation problems—are classic frontal lobe sequelae. Temporal
lobe damage primarily affects memory and language comprehension; parietal lobe
damage affects sensory processing and spatial awareness; occipital lobe damage
affects vision.
Q2: During a neurological examination, a patient demonstrates an inability to
comprehend spoken language despite intact hearing and articulate speech production.
The lesion is most likely located in:
A. Broca's area in the left frontal lobe
B. Wernicke's area in the left temporal lobe [CORRECT]
C. The occipital lobe visual association cortex
D. The right parietal lobe somatosensory strip
,Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Wernicke's area, located in the left temporal lobe (superior temporal gyrus), is
responsible for language comprehension (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Language
Functions). Receptive aphasia (Wernicke's aphasia) is characterized by impaired
comprehension with fluent but often nonsensical speech. Broca's area (frontal lobe)
produces expressive aphasia with non-fluent speech but intact comprehension.
Occipital and right parietal lesions do not typically cause language comprehension
deficits.
Q3: A patient with traumatic brain injury presents with ataxia, dysmetria, and intention
tremor when performing fine motor tasks. These motor coordination deficits suggest
damage to:
A. The basal ganglia affecting procedural learning
B. The cerebellum responsible for coordination, balance, and fine motor control
[CORRECT]
C. The primary motor cortex in the frontal lobe
D. The limbic system affecting emotional motor modulation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The cerebellum coordinates voluntary movements, maintains balance, and
regulates fine motor control (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Motor Systems). Ataxia
(incoordination), dysmetria (inability to judge distance), and intention tremor (tremor
during purposeful movement) are classic cerebellar signs. Basal ganglia damage
produces rigidity and bradykinesia; primary motor cortex damage produces weakness;
limbic system damage affects emotion and memory, not coordination.
Q4: Following a severe traumatic brain injury, a patient requires monitoring for increased
intracranial pressure. The medical team notes Cushing's triad: systolic hypertension,
bradycardia, and irregular respirations. These vital sign changes indicate dysfunction of
which structure?
A. The cerebral cortex regulating voluntary movement
B. The brainstem controlling autonomic functions including respiration and heart rate
[CORRECT]
C. The thalamus processing sensory information
,D. The corpus callosum connecting hemispheres
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Cushing's triad indicates brainstem compression and dysfunction,
specifically affecting the medulla oblongata and pons which regulate cardiovascular
and respiratory autonomic functions (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Brainstem
Functions). Increased intracranial pressure compresses the brainstem, triggering the
triad as a late sign of herniation. The cerebral cortex, thalamus, and corpus callosum do
not directly control autonomic vital signs.
Q5: A patient with traumatic brain injury demonstrates anterograde amnesia (inability to
form new memories) and emotional dysregulation with heightened fear responses. The
lesion most likely involves:
A. The parietal lobe affecting spatial memory
B. The limbic system including the hippocampus and amygdala [CORRECT]
C. The occipital lobe affecting visual memory encoding
D. The cerebellum affecting procedural memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The limbic system, particularly the hippocampus (memory formation) and
amygdala (emotional processing and fear responses), explains both the anterograde
amnesia and emotional dysregulation (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Memory and
Emotion). Parietal lobe damage affects spatial awareness but not memory formation;
occipital damage affects visual processing; cerebellar damage affects motor learning,
not declarative memory or emotion.
Q6: During assessment of cranial nerve function, a patient cannot abduct the right eye
(move it laterally toward the temple). This isolated deficit indicates dysfunction of:
A. Cranial nerve III (Oculomotor)
B. Cranial nerve IV (Trochlear)
C. Cranial nerve VI (Abducens) [CORRECT]
D. Cranial nerve VII (Facial)
Correct Answer: C
, Rationale: Cranial nerve VI (Abducens) innervates the lateral rectus muscle, which
abducts the eye (moves it laterally) (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Cranial Nerves). CN III
controls most other eye movements and pupil constriction; CN IV controls downward
and inward movement (superior oblique); CN VII controls facial expression. Isolated
lateral gaze palsy is pathognomonic for CN VI dysfunction, often seen in increased
intracranial pressure.
Q7: A stroke patient presents with contralateral hemiparesis and sensory loss affecting
the face, arm, and leg equally. The vascular territory most likely affected is:
A. Anterior cerebral artery (ACA) territory affecting primarily legs
B. Middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory affecting face and arm more than leg
[CORRECT]
C. Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) territory affecting primarily vision
D. Vertebral artery territory affecting brainstem and cerebellum
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The middle cerebral artery (MCA) supplies the lateral cerebral hemisphere
including motor and sensory cortex for face and upper extremity, producing the classic
face-arm predominance (ACBIS CBIS Content Outline: Cerebral Vasculature). ACA
strokes affect primarily the leg and medial frontal functions; PCA strokes affect vision;
vertebral artery strokes affect brainstem and cerebellar functions. MCA is the most
common stroke location.
Q8: A patient with traumatic brain injury demonstrates difficulty with procedural learning
and habit formation, such as learning new motor sequences or establishing routines.
This suggests damage to:
A. The hippocampus affecting declarative memory
B. The basal ganglia responsible for procedural learning and habit formation [CORRECT]
C. The amygdala affecting emotional memory
D. The prefrontal cortex affecting working memory
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The basal ganglia (caudate, putamen, globus pallidus) are essential for
procedural learning, habit formation, and motor program initiation (ACBIS CBIS Content
