Chapter 54 - Neurocranium and brain Flashcards
What are the important causes of morbidity and mortality in horses related to neurologic disorders?
Brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
What is a crucial cause of death in horses due to neurologic disorders?
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
What type of injury is most common as a result of horses running into fixed objects or being kicked by another horse?
Frontal injury to the head
What is indicated by the presence of spinal fluid in the ear canal in horses?
Temporal bone fracture
Which breed was most represented in a retrospective study of horses with TBI?
Thoroughbreds
What is the most common cause of TBI in horses?
Skull fractures due to trauma
What are common neurologic signs observed in horses with TBI?
Ataxia, altered mentation, vestibular deficits
What risk factors are associated with nonsurvival in horses with TBI?
Persistent recumbency and fracture of the basilar bones
What was a significant finding regarding PCV levels on admission in a study of horses with TBI?
Lower PCV in surviving horses
What percentage of horses discharged after TBI were observed to have persistent neurologic deficits?
19%
What injuries result from trauma to the poll in young horses?
Basilar skull fractures
What brain region is affected when a horse with TBI shows seizures and cortical blindness?
Cerebrothalamic region
How many horses returned to their previous physical activity after being discharged with TBI?
29% of discharged horses
What is the outcome of massive bleeding from injury to the basilar artery in horses?
Bleeding into the guttural pouch and out the nares
Which clinical sign is associated with cerebellar injury in horses with TBI?
Hypermetria
What percentage of horses with TBI were discharged alive in one study?
C) 62%
What are the common brainstem signs observed in horses with severe TBI?
Altered state of consciousness, multiple cranial nerve dysfunctions
What does primary traumatic brain injury (TBI) in horses comprise?
Direct physical injury to the brain such as compression, deformation, displacement
What is concussion in horses classified as in terms of TBI?
A primary injury that is not severe and involves transient loss of consciousness
What does secondary brain injury in horses include?
A series of events like excitotoxicity, ischemia, inflammation, and neuronal cell death