Aetiology of Neurogenic Palsies Flashcards
What nerve goes through the nerve nucleus in the midbrain, through the cavernous sinus and through the SOF?
Trochlear IV Nerve
What nerve originates at the pontomedullary junction, goes through the cavernous sinus, SOF and annulus of zinn?
Abducens
What nerve is located in the midbrain, passes along the cavernous sinus, through the SOF where it splits into inferior and superior divisions before going through the common tendinous ring?
Oculomotor
Which nerve is contralateral?
Trochlear
Which nerve travels through the medial lemiscus, trapezoid body and cortiospinal tract?
Abducens
Which nerve travels around the periaqueductal grey matter and around the inferior colliculus before travelling contralaterally to its muscle?
Trochlear
What are the neural pathways separated into?
Supranuclear pathway
Cranial Nerve Nuclei
Infranuclear (focusing on this in this lecture)
EOMs
Globe
Why can nerve palsies occur?
Anything that interrupts neural blood supplies such as:
- Interruption of blood supply
- Intracranial vascular abnormality
- Space occupying lesion
- Ophthalmoplegic migraine
- Trauma
- Surgery
- Changes in intracranial pressure
- Diseases (e.g. diabetes, multiple sclerosis)
- Inflammatory conditions (e.g. meningitis)
- Infections
- AIDS
- Stroke
What are Microvascular causes of nerve palsies?
- Due to ischaemic attacks which are small vascular accidents as a result of a blockage or bleed
- Isolated palsies are more common in the elderly due to these (Choi et al., 2019)
- High recovery rate (Jung & Kim, 2015)
What is the most common aetiology of nerve palsies?
Microvascular (Choi et al., 2019)
Which cause of nerve palsies has a high recovery rate (Jung & Kim, 2015)?
Microvascular causes
What risk factors should you ask about in reference to microvascular causes of nerve palsies?
- Diabetes
- Arteriosclerosis - Clogged artery, high cholesterol
- Hypertension - Hypertensives need to be asked about
According to Choi et al. (2019) what is the most common aetiology of isolated nerve palsies in >50’s?
Microvascular
What does CCF stand for?
Carotid Cavernous Fistula
According to Choi et al. (2019) what is the most common aetiology of isolated nerve palsies in <50’s?
Less defined aetiology so ‘other’
According to Dhume & Paul (2013) what % of non-microvascular palsies have vascular risk factors?
60%
What are microvascular risk factors?
- Age
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Arteriosclerosis
- Smoking
- Coronary artery disease
- Alcoholism
What did Patel et al (2005) find about VI nerve palsy, diabetes and hypertension?
Diabetes gives VI palsy a 6x increase
Diabetes + Hypertension gives VI palsy a 8x increase
Hypertension = 0x
What did Jacobson et al (1994) find out about oculomotor nerve palsies, diabetes and hypertension?
Diabetes gives VI palsy a 5.75x increase
Left ventricular hypertrophy gives a 5.5x increase
Hypertension = 0x
What is left ventricular hypertrophy?
Thickening and weakens of lower left heart chamber
Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause this.
What happens in diabetes pathophysiology?
Jacobson et al. (1994) -
Diabetes: alterations in blood-nerve barrier causing demyelination and conduction block.
Recovery occurs as remyelination occurs.
How many risk factors are associated with longer recovery time in microvascular palsies?
Jung & Kim (2015) – Patients with 2+ risk factors or intracranial abnormalities were associated with longer recovery time for microvascular palsies.
How often should we follow up a microvascular nerve palsy?
Follow-up in a 1 or 2 weeks to monitor the progress and thereafter see them on a 2-3 weekly basis as by 9 weeks may have spontaneously recovered
What is recurrence rate of VI (6th) nerve palsy according to Sanders et al. (2002)?
- 31% had subsequent episode
- 14 had one recurrence
- 1 had four recurrences
But duration of follow-up ranged from 2-13yrs
What is a stroke?
When blood supply to part of the brain is cut off
What is an ischaemic stroke?
Decreased blood supply caused by a blockage (most strokes)
What is a Haemorrhagic stroke?
Bleeding in or around the brain which is more rare, making up 20% of cases
What is a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)?
Acute vascular disturbance where the disability lasts less than 24 hours
What is an Infarction?
Development of an area of localised tissue death (necrosis) as a result of lack of oxygen (anoxia) caused by an interruption in blood supply e.g. occlusion of an artery.
What is Thrombosis?
Aggregation of platelets, fibrin, clotting factors and cellular elements of blood which become attached to the interior wall of a vein or artery
How much time does Microvascular CNIII take to progress to maximal ophthalmoplegia?
Capo et al. (1992) - Average interval from onset to development of maximal ophthalmoplegia in microvascular CNIII is 3.3 days
Median - 10 days but the range is 3 - 23 days
How long can it take for complete CNIII to show maximal ophthalmoplegia in microvascular CNIII?
3.3 days
Need to tell the patient it can get worse before it gets better as they may get drooping (ptosis) and be prescribed an eyepatch
What, as well as microvascular CNIII, can cause maximal ophthalmoplegia CNIII in 3 days?
Posterior Communicating Artery aetiology (which is far more serious so do not use the 3 days as a way to determine the cause of the palsy)
What symptoms arise from a microvascular CNIII palsy?
Pain & sudden diplopia in both ischaemic or compressive disorders
In Jacobson et al. (1995) which palsies recover the quickest?
Non-progressive palsies recovered quicker (mean 7.2 weeks)
Why do we expect CNIII to get worse before getting better?
Thought to get worse before getting better because of intraneural compression and further microvascular ischaemia from oedema after initial insult/onset
What do we suspect if someone has a CNIII and dilated pupils that do not respond to light?
Assume compression by a posterior communicating artery aneurysm almost aways results in pupil involvement.
‘Fixed and dilated’
Posterior Communicating Artery always involves an aneurysm so needs to be imaged right away. If someone has a blown pupil that is not reactive to light t’s an urgent referral to A&E, never let them go home without it!
If someone has a complete CNIII with Pupil Sparing what is the likely cause?
Likely microvascular
Caution in young patients <50yo as aetiology is less defined
If someone has a complete CNIII without Pupil Sparing what is the likely cause?
Compression by expanding posterior communicating artery aneurysm
If someone has an incomplete CNIII what is the likely cause?
It might yet become a complete CNIII with pupil involvement so they need to have urgent neuroimaging as we may be able to see the start of compression.
What is a “pupil sparing CNIII palsy”?
A “pupil-sparing 3rd nerve palsy” refers only to a complete 3rd nerve palsy in which all the extraocular muscle it serves are without any activity and in which the pupil remains normal in size and reactivity.
What does the flowchart for CNIII and pupils look like?
See Slide 29
What is ‘aberrant regeneration’ also known as?
Sometimes referred to as: ‘Misdirection Syndrom0e’ or ‘Oculomotor Synkinesia’
What nerve palsy does aberrant regeneration happen in?
CNIII
When does aberrant regeneration occur in CNIII palsies?
6+ weeks after onset
What is often the cause of aberrant regeneration in CNIII palsies?
trauma or space-occupying lesions
What doesn’t happen in microvascular palsies?
Aberrant Regeneration
What is aberrant regeneration?
A misdirection of axons that occurs in the process of repair following mechanical disruption of a nerve. Looks like a retraction/fluttering of eyelid due to the miscommunication of signals to the nerves. New growth of nerves that is going all wrong.
What are the features of aberrant regeneration in a CNIII palsy?
- Retraction of upper lid on down gaze
- Elevation of upper lid on adduction
- Constriction of the pupil on elevation, depression or adduction
- Adduction on attempted elevation (and occasionally on depression
All of these can occur, or they can occur in isolation
What does PERL stand for?
Pupils equal and reactive
See slide 32
Which cranial nerve is the thinnest, has longest intracranial route and is most vulnerable?
CNIV
What trauma causes CN IV palsy?
Closed head trauma