brain dysfunction and neurological disorders Flashcards
What is brain dysfunction?
Any impairment of the normal functioning of the brain.
What are the two types of brain dysfunction?
Structural dysfunction and functional dysfunction.
Define structural dysfunction.
Individual brain areas are damaged, such as in stroke, dementia, or traumatic brain injury.
Define functional dysfunction.
Each brain area individually works fine, but the overall behavior of the brain is impaired, as seen in conditions like Autism, OCD, and major depression.
Can disorders be purely functional or structural?
No, disorders are usually a mixture of both.
What is an acquired brain injury?
Brain damage that occurs after birth.
What are the two groups of causes for acquired brain injury
Traumatic brain injury
(TBI)
Non-traumatic brain injury
What is traumatic brain injury (TBI)?
Brain damage caused by external physical force leading to structural brain damage.
What are the two subtypes of traumatic brain injury?
Open injury and closed brain injury.
What is Non traumatic brain injury
brain damage caused by internal factors such as lack of oxygen (anoxia), exposure to toxins or pressure from a tumor
What is one of the most common causes of death and disability in the Western world?
Stroke
What are the long-term symptoms of a stroke?
Hemiplegia (paralysis on one side)
Language impairment
Executive dysfunction (inhibition)
What percentage of strokes are ischemic?
Approximately 80%.
note: Ischaemic – reduction in blood flow to a particular area of the body
What causes an ischemic stroke?
Loss of blood flow via vessel blockage.
What is a thrombotic stroke?
A blood clot formed within a blood vessel, often building up around atherosclerosis.
approximately 60%
What is an embolic stroke?
A clot formed outside a blood vessel that travels to the brain and becomes lodged.
- Could be cholesterol build-ups (atherosclerosis: build up of fats, cholesterol and other substances in artery walls) coming from neck blood vessels and travel to brain
What is hemorrhagic stroke?
Blood builds up inside the skull, compressing brain tissue.
What are some of the effects if the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) and the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) are blocked?
ACA blockage: can affect some medial parts of the pre/postcentral gyrus. Executive dysfunction
PCA: can affect occipital lobe, object recognition problems, memory problems
What is the treatment for acute ischemic stroke?
Special clot-busting drugs administered within 3-4 hours. Early intervention to reduce extent of stroke
What is the treatment for chronic ischemic stroke?
- Therapy for physical disabilities, language/cognitive difficulties
- Adaptation to the body. cognitive limitations
- Natural recovery, especially in young people
What is the treatment for haemorrhagic stroke
Aneurysm clip (microsurgery in which a metal surgical clip is used to close off an aneurysm in the brain). The clip stays in the brain forever
What does FIM stand for and what does it asses?
Functional Independence Measure.
used in inpatient rehabilitation settings and in residential brain injury programs to assess disability
What does FAM stand for and what does it assess?
Functional assessment measure
How brain dysfunction affects an individual’s overall functioning in various domains of life.
What is a common cause of traumatic brain injury?
An external force to the head.
What is a closed head injury?
Often happens because of rapid acceleration/deceleration, nerve fibers stretched and torn, which can result in diffuse brain damage
What are the two types of brain tumors?
Glioma (non cancerous, slow growing)
Meningioma (cancerous, more aggressive)
What is dementia?
An acquired persistent impairment of intellectual function with memory compromise and at least two other cognitive domains affected.
What is neurodegeneration?
An automatic process where neuronal circuits progressively degenerate.
List two types of neurodegenerative disorders.
Alzheimer’s disease
Frontotemporal dementia/picks disease
What are some examples of non degenerative disorders
- Toxins
- Infection
- Alcohol
What are cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease?
- Profound memory loss
- Language impairment
- Visuospatial disturbance.
What are behavioral deficits in Alzheimers disease
- no significant early changes in personality
- unawareness or denial of illness
- psychosis
What is anomic aphasia?
A language disorder that leads to trouble naming objects.
What characterizes Parkinson’s disease?
Hypokinetic movement and muscle rigidity due to disruption in the basal ganglia.
What is the typical onset age for Huntington’s disease?
Around 40 years old.
What is chorea?
Involuntary movements of the face, neck, and limbs associated with Huntington’s disease.
What is the genetic transmission rate for Huntington’s disease?
50% chance for children if a parent has the disease.
What is the role of dopamine in Parkinson’s disease?
Dopamine levels in the brain are significantly reduced, leading to movement-related symptoms
What does ‘resting tremor’ refer to?
A common early sign of Parkinson’s disease that often improves with purposeful function.
What is the primary neurotransmitter affected in movement disorders?
Dopamine
What are the main components of the basal ganglia?
- Striatum
- Globus pallidus
- Ventral pallidum
- Substantia nigra
- Subthalamic nucleus.
What is the typical progression duration for Parkinson’s disease?
10-20 years.
What are the behavioral changes associated with Huntington’s disease?
- Depression
- Mood swings.
Highlight the key differences in cause, age, sex and symptoms for parkinsons disease and huntingtons disease
- Parkinson’s Disease (PD)
Cause: Genetic and environmental factors
Age: Usually over 60 years old
Sex: More common in males
Symptoms:Tremor, Slowed movements (bradykinesia), Rigid muscles, Speech and swallowing difficulties, Depression, Cognitive changes - Huntington’s Disease (HD)
Cause: Genetic mutation (autosomal dominant)
Age: Usually 30–55 years old
Sex: Similar distribution (males = females)
Symptoms: Chorea (dance-like jerking movements), Rigid muscles, Speech and swallowing difficulties, Psychiatric disorders, Cognitive changes
