Cerebral disease: generalities

Question 1

What is the cerebral cortex responsible for

Answer 1

The cerebral cortex (= telencephalon) is responsible for:
- conscious perception
- the initiation of purposeful movement
- determination of behavior

Question 2

What are the signs of cerebral disease

Answer 2

Signs of cerebral disease:
- seizures (partial or generalized)
- altered begavior or mental state (e.g., abnormal sleep, agression, loss of litter training)
- circling (usually towards the side of the lesion) without a head tilt
- may have blindness if visual cortex affected (usually with normal PLR)
- normal gait but may have postural reaction deficits in limbs contralateral to the lesion
- if comatose may have altered respiratory pattern (Cheyne-Stokes respiration - waxing and waning depth of respiration with periods of apnea)