Cerebellar disease

Question 1

Where is the cerebellum housed?

Answer 1

In the caudal fossa

Question 2

What is another name for the white matter of the cerebellum?

Answer 2

Arbor vitae
- deep within this lies the cerebellar nuclei

Question 3

What is the name for the central portion of cerebellum? lateral?

Answer 3

Central: vermis
Lateral: lateral hemispheres

Question 4

What are the differences in the function of the cerebrocerebellum spinocerebellum, and vestibulocerebellum

Answer 4

Cerebrocerebellum: processes information coming from cerebral cortex-helps with fine motor control

Spinocerebellum: processes information from spinal cord- helps with general movements

Vestibulocerebellum: helps with balance

Question 5

What lies between the molecular and granular layer of the cerebellum?

Answer 5

Purkinje cell layer

Question 6

Describe how information is transferred through the cerebellum

Answer 6

Info from cerebrum or spine climbs up mossy fibers, which synapse on granular cells. Granular cells move through molecular layer and synapse on dendritic processes of purkinje cells. Basket cells coordinate info from the granular cell layer and send it to the deep cerebellar nuclei which then sends it throughout the body

Question 7

What is the role of the cerebellum?

Answer 7

Fine tunes movement mainly though inhibitory function (contains a massive amount of neurons)

Question 8

What are the main clinical signs associated with cerebellar disease?

Answer 8

Intention tremors, hypermetra, increased muscle tone, titubation (abnormal head movement), vestibular signs

Question 9

Describe the decerebellate rigitity?

Answer 9

Forelimbs extended, hindlimbs flexed
- patients with this posture have normal to slightly obtunded mentation

Question 10

Describe paradoxical vestibular disease

Answer 10

Head tilt (opposite lesion) and proprioceptive deficits are contralateral to eachother due to a lesion in the floculonodular lobe of the cerebellum
- nystagmus fast phase towards lesion

Question 11

Describe cerebellar cortical abiotrophy

Answer 11

At birth anatomy is normal, but degeneration of the normal anatomy occurs over time. The normal neuronal cell population degenerates after birth

Question 12

What breed is most affected by cerebellar cortical abiotrophy?

Answer 12

American Staffordshire terriers
- often presents between 4-6 years of age, MST 2-4 years (no trt available)
-over time leads to inability to walk

Question 13

What do you see on histopath of a patient with cerebellar cortical abiotrophy?

Answer 13

Loss of purkinje neurons and thinning of all layers of the cerebellum

Question 14

Describe what happens during Chiari like malformation or COMS

Answer 14

Herniation of the cerebellum through the foramen magnum occurs
- leads to intention tremor or hypermetria

Question 15

What breed is the most predisposed to COMS syndrome?

Answer 15

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels as well as other toy breeds

Question 16

What causes the majority of the clinical signs associated with COMS?

Answer 16

Medullary kinking leading to a disruption in CSF flow

Question 18

What is the infectious agent that causes feline cerebellar hypoplasia?

Answer 18

Perinatal infection of the panleukopenia virus
-it affects rapidly multiplying external granular cells

Question 19

What are the clinical signs of feline cerebellar hypoplasia?

Answer 19

Nonprogressive, symmetric cerebellar ataxia

Question 20

T/F: There is a treatment for feline cerebellar hypoplasia

Answer 20

F- there is not but most cats can compensate with time, aka NOT A REASON TO EUTHANIZE

Question 21

What is the main cause of cerebellar hypoplasia in dogs?

Answer 21

Canine herpes virus

Question 22

When do you usually first see the signs associated with canine herpes virus from an in utero infection?

Answer 22

Within the first 2 weeks of life, associated with a high fatality rate

Question 23

What is a long lasting clinical sign of canine herpes virus for those that survive the initial infection?

Answer 23

Retinal dysplasia

Question 24

What are the main clinical signs of young vs old dogs affected by canine distemper virus?

Answer 24

Young dogs have a history of seizures due to polioencephalomyelopathy (grey-matter disease) and rarely survive

Older dogs have brain-stem, cerebellar and vestibular signs often related to leukoencephalomyelopathy (white matter disease) often resulting in myoclonus (often does not resolve)

Question 25

What is indicated in long term cases of myoclonus that cannot resolve?

Answer 25

Amputation of limb

Question 26

Which form of FIP affects the CNS primarily?

Answer 26

Dry form

Question 27

How do you diagnose FIP in cats?

Answer 27

High coronavirus titers

Question 28

Describe some of the characteristics of granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis.

Answer 28

Rarely just affects the cerebellum
- often results in multifocal CNS signs
-higher incidence in females (autoimmune)
-diagnosis of exclusion, can see perivascular cuffing on biopsy

Question 29

What are some other names for corticosteroid responsive tremor syndrome?

Answer 29

Idiopathic shaker syndrome, idiopathic cerebellitis, white dog shaker syndrome

Question 30

What are the most common primary and secondary brain tumors in dogs and cats?

Answer 30

Primary: meningioma followed by gliomas

Secondary: adenocarcinoma hemangiosarcoma

Question 31

What is the most important part of your work up when working up a cerebellar infarction case?

Answer 31

Determine underlying cause
- will determine treatment and prognosis