Cerebral Inflammation and Disorders Flashcards
What is the definition of meningitis?
Inflammation of the meninges caused by viral or bacterial infection
What is the definition of encephalitis?
Inflammation of the brain caused by infection or autoimmune mechanisms
What is the definition of cerebral vasculitis?
Inflammation of blood vessel walls (angiitis)
What is the definition of myelitis?
Inflammation of the spinal cord
What causes the blood brain barrier?
- dense vascularisation of the CNS
What forms the blood brain barrier (BBB)?
- extensive tight junctions at the endothelial cell-cell contacts, massively reducing the fluid leak across capillary walls
What does the BBB do?
control the exchange of the substances using specific membrane transporters to transport into and out of the CNS (influx and efflux transporters).
What happens in BBB disruption?
- endothelial layer disruption
- blood components leak into the brain (fibrinogen)
- astrocytes withdraw end feet from the vessel wall
- further compromising the BBB
- collagen buildup leading to harden of the vessel wall
What are the implications of long term BBB disruption?
- fibrosis of the vessels
- small vessel disease
What are the initial symptoms of encephalitis?
- flu-like
- pyrexia (fever)
- headache
What are the subsequent symptoms of encephalitis?
- confusion/distribution
- seizures/fits
- personality/behaviour changes
- difficulty speaking
- weakness/loss of movement
- loss of consciousness
What are the causes of encephalitis?
MOST COMMON: - herpes simplex - measles - varicella - rubella OTHER: - insect bites - bacteria/fungal infections - trauma - autoimmune
How to treat encephalitis?
dependent on the cause, but may include:
- antivirals
- steroids
- antibiotics/antifungals
- analgesics
- anti-convulsants
- ventilation
What is MS?
- autoimmune demyelinating disease of the CNS
- relapses linked to inflammatory activity
- progression is linked to neurodegeneration
- neurological deficit, relapses and remits but steadily progresses
Why do MS symptoms vary?
due to the amount and location of damage to the nervous system varies person to person
What inflammation is involved in MS?
perivascular immune cell infiltration
- CD3 T-cells
- CD20 B-cells