Basic Terms

Question 1

Aphasia

Answer 1

Disturbed language function, due to problems with the Broca’s area or the Wernicke’s area
Receptive aphasia - wernicke’s area affected
Expressive aphasia - Broca’s area affected (supplied by the middle cerebral artery. Usually on the left side for right handed people)

Question 2

Anosmia

Answer 2

Inability to perceive odour or a lack of functioning olfaction—the loss of the sense of smell

Question 3

Aphagia

Answer 3

Inability or refusal to swallow. Aphagia may be temporary or long term, depending on the affected organ.

Question 4

Extradural haemorrhage

Answer 4

between the skull and dura mater. Strips the dura form the bone and compresses the brain - typically after head injury. (middle meningeal arteries are affected)

Question 5

Subdural haemorrhage

Answer 5

blood between the dura and arachnoid. Crescent shaped on the CT scan. (venous bleed)

Question 6

subarachnoid haemorrhage

Answer 6

blood between the arachnoid and pia mater. occurs after head injury. (severe sudden headaches and high mortality rates)

Question 7

intracerebral haemorrhage

Answer 7

rupture of small vessels. Classic location: internal capsule

Question 8

meningitis

Answer 8

inflammation of the meninges, typically by infection. Head ache, neck stiffness etc. Can cause raised intracranial pressures.

Question 9

Amaurosis fugax

Answer 9

temporary loss of vision to one eye. Part of a carotid plaque breaks off and occludes the central retinal artery

Question 10

Hydrocephalus

Answer 10

abnormal accumulation of CSF in the ventricles of the brain due to:
blockage of the CSF outflow (usually in the cerebral aqueduct)
Interference in absorption (blocked arachnoid granulations)
overproduction of CSF

Question 11

berry aneurysm

Answer 11

congenital sac like out pouching of inter cranial artery. Most commonly present on the circle of willis particularly on the ANTERIOR COMMUNICATING ARTERY

Question 12

stroke

Answer 12

ischaemic or haemorrhagic (intracerebral or subsrachnoid haemorrhage) . TIA or Transient ischaemic attack usually resolves itself within 24 hrs)

Question 13

Ataxia

Answer 13

problems with walking and gait. (problemw ith the cerebellum) - due to basilar artery (stem of Superior cerebellar arteries and the anterior inferior cerebellar) or vertebral arteries (stem of the posterior inferior cerebellar arteries)

Question 14

hemianopia

Answer 14

Usually stroke in the posterior cerebral artery

Question 15

Motor weakness/ sensory loss

Answer 15

Anterior cerebral artery and middle cerebral artery (responsible for the motor cortex/sensory cortex). basilar artery stroke can affect the brainstem which contains the tracts

Question 16

Raised intracranial pressures

Answer 16

caused by space occupying lesions (tumours, haematoma, etc.) Symptoms include (headache, nausea, visual disturbance etc.)

Question 17

jugular foramen syndrome

Answer 17

compression of the multiple cranial nerves (9,10,11)

Loss of gag reflex, unilateral wasting of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles

Question 18

formen magnum syndrome

Answer 18

compression of spinal cord. can lead to death

Question 19

Arnold-Chiari malformation

Answer 19

displacement of the cerebellar tonsils down through the foramen magnum.

Question 20

Bell’s palsy

Answer 20

acute unilateral inflammation of the facial nerve (lower motor neurone)
symptoms: unilateral - pain behind the ear, paralysis of facial muscles etc.

Question 21

Bulbar palsy

Answer 21

impairment of cranial nerves that arise from the medulla (9,10,11,12). Symptoms include dysphagia, slurring of speech. Wasting and fasciculating tongue.

Question 22

nystagmus

Answer 22

sign of vestibular dysfunction. involuntary eye movement

Question 23

limbic system lesion

Answer 23

lesions depending on the precise location within the limbic system can result in anterograde amnesia, generation of emotions etc.

Question 24

Parkinson’s disease

Answer 24

degeneration of the dopaminergic neurones of the pars compacta of the substantia nigra. Causes cog wheel rigidity, bradykinesia, shuffling gait etc.

Question 25

Huntington’s disease

Answer 25

autosomal dominant inheritance. overshooting and unintentional movement, personality change, progressive dementia etc.

Question 26

Frozen shoulder

Answer 26

inflammation of the tendon passing between the tight gap of the acromion and humerus. pain while lifting the hand

Question 27

axillary nerve palsy

Answer 27

Posterior dislocation of the shoulder causes axillary nerve to be damaged. Causes paralysis of the deltoid (obvious) and the teres minor(not that obvious)

Question 28

radial nerve palsy

Answer 28

fracture to the humerus can cause a damage to the nerve or even direct pressure on the nerve can cause a palsy

Question 29

funny bone

Answer 29

ulnar nerve in the region

Question 30

lymph node metastasis

Answer 30

metastasis via the lymph node is possible

Question 31

erb’s palsy

Answer 31

if the upper one or two roots of the brachial plexus are damaged. Humerus internally rotated and hand flexed

Question 32

klumpke palsy

Answer 32

lower one or two roots are affected.

Question 33

horner’s syndrome

Answer 33

if T1 of brachial plexus is affected, it also affects the sympathetic nervous system. the syndrome causes the drooping of the eyelids, lack of sweating in the face and constricted pupils.

Question 34

colles fracture

Answer 34

In elderly; using the hand to break the fall causes fracture

Question 35

De Quverian synovitis

Answer 35

synovial sheath of the tendon is inflamed in people who perform same functions repeatedly

Question 36

dupuytren’s contracture

Answer 36

palmar fascia can progressively scar, causing permanent flexion. More common in labourers.

Question 37

trigger finger

Answer 37

problem with the tendon sheath. With a tight tendon sheath, the finger cannot slide properly. So when the muscle pulls intensely, the finger moves like a trigger

Question 38

Avascular necrosis of the scaphoid

Answer 38

Tenderness in the anatomical snuffbox is indicative of a fracture of the scaphoid. death of the bone due to the lack of blood vessels.

Question 39

tennis elbow

Answer 39

damage to the lateral epicondyle

Question 40

mallet finger

Answer 40

damage to insertion site of the extensor tendon. Manually extended back

Question 41

swan neck finger

Answer 41

chronic condition- damage to the extensor tendon. Compensation on the middle phalynx. Looks like a swan

Question 42

femoral hernia

Answer 42

bowel through the femoral canal

Question 43

femoral blood sampling

Answer 43

femoral pulse can be felt in front of the hip joint. Can be used for arterial blood sampling

Question 44

paralysis of quadriceps

Answer 44

damage to the femoral nerve leads to the paralysis of the quadriceps

Question 45

patellar dislocation

Answer 45

pull of the quadriceps can sometimes cause patellar dislocation

Question 46

sciatica

Answer 46

prolapse of the nerve at the root can cause damage. Referred pain on the skin of the lateral thigh and leg into foot.

Question 47

buttock injections

Answer 47

injection in the lower medial quadrant of the buttock can damage the sciatic nerve. upper outer quadrant is the best place

Question 48

popliteal aneurysm

Answer 48

popliteal artery is blocked. can lead to death of the leg

Question 49

fractured tibia

Answer 49

distal 1/3 of the tibia has no muscles; therefore very less blood supply. if fractured, it would be harder to treat as there is insufficient blood supply.

Question 50

compartment syndrome

Answer 50

compartments are enclosed in fascia. If there is damage to structures in the compartment: could lead to swelling. pressure in compartment increases until it exceed the capillary perfusion pressure and teh compartment dies.

Question 51

deep vein thrombosis

Answer 51

3 main factors for normal blood supply:

1. normal endothelium
2. normal blood
3. normal flow rates

pressure, dehydration , increased inactivity can causes problems with the blood flow and can cause DVT. This can progress to the ventricles of the heart and cause a cardiac arrest.

Question 52

fractured neck of the femur

Answer 52

circumflex artery which runs around it may be affected.