Chapter 9 Nervous System Pathology

Question 1

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)

Answer 1

Idiopathic atrophy of neurons in the brain. Neurons are lost forever. Brain physically shrinks.

Question 2

Is there a test to see if you have AD?

Answer 2

No test. Diagnose thru conversation and family’s experience/concerns

Question 3

Characteristics of AD? (6)

Answer 3

Forgetting whole experiences
Cannot/rarely can recover memories
Sometimes has random bouts of temporary remembrances
Cannot follow written or oral directions
Unable to use notes as reminders
Gradually unable to care for oneself

Question 4

Dementia

Answer 4

Precursor to AD or may not progress at all. Grey area between AD and normal aging.

Question 5

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Answer 5

AKA Lou Gherig’s disease; degeneration of skeletal motor neurons while CNS remains normal. Idiopathic. Unpredictable with no target demographic.

Question 6

Do nerves regenerate?

Answer 6

No. You have to build the skill again.

Question 7

Bell’s Palsy

Answer 7

Hemiplegia of the face. Due to inflammation of cranial nerve 7; could be from a virus. Temporary- goes back to normal whenever. Lasting effects even after it goes away.

Question 8

Cranial nerve 7

Answer 8

Cranial nerve that controls facial motor functions

Question 9

Cerebral aneurysm

Answer 9

Localized ballooning of vessel in the brain due to weakened wall of blood vessel caused by fat plaque buildup.

Question 10

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)

Answer 10

AKA stroke. Loss of blood supply to a portion of the brain due to burst of an aneurysm or a blocked artery.

Question 11

Two types of CVAs?

Answer 11

Hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke

Question 12

Hemorrhagic stroke

Answer 12

ruptured aneurysm

Question 13

Ischemic stroke

Answer 13

Artery is blocked

Question 14

Coma

Answer 14

Brain turns off everything except vital functions. Way to heal/repair. Can be medically enduced

Question 15

Concussion? What is a concussion also called?

Answer 15

Bruising/injury to the brain from sports/injury that causes different symptoms depending on which lobe is injured. Frontal and occipital is common. To heal, you have to sit in a dark room, no TV, no reading, etc. AKA TBI (Type of Brain Injury)

Question 16

Epidural Hematoma (EDH)

Answer 16

Bleeding from trauma in between the dura mater and the skull. Can cause intracranial pressure to increase. Limited space causes brain to be ‘smooshed’ out of the way when lots of blood accumulates. Can also cause swelling. Drill holes or take off parts of skull to treat.

Question 17

Epilepsy

Answer 17

Disease that causes seizures. Arrhythmia of the brain. Electrical impulses misfire and cause electrical signals to go everywhere, which causes a seizure. Is your brain resetting itself like how you shock the heart to reset it.

Question 18

Gullain-Barre Syndrome (GB Syndrome)

Answer 18

Inflam. of the PNS post infection that causes progressive muscle weakness that may lead to paralysis. Can last up to 18 months. Not common, no tx.

Question 18

Myelon

Answer 18

part of neuron that insulates and facilitates electrical impulses. Prevents loss of electrical impulses.

Question 18

MS

Answer 18

Multiple sclerosis. Autoimmune that causes degen of myelin of neuron. PAINFUL, causes weakness, paralysis.

Question 18

Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

Answer 18

Michael J. Fox has this. Idiopathic disease of brain that causes tremors. Not much treatments.

Question 19

How are electrical impulses sent from neuron to neuron or muscle?

Answer 19

Electrical impulses are transmitted thru neurotransmitters. Turns from electrical to chemical. Is then absorbed by muscle and carried out.

Question 19

What does myelin loss cause?

Answer 19

Causes some electrical impulses to get left behind. This makes the electrical impulse unreadable.

Question 19

What is PD a disease of?

Answer 19

The synapse of the neuron. Specifically a disease of dopamine.

Question 20

Examples of neurotransmitters?

Answer 20

Dopamine, serotonin

Question 20

How are PD tremors caused?

Answer 20

Dopamine doesn't get absorbed by muscle fiber and stays in synapse for too long. This tells the muscle to keep contracting, which is tremors.

Question 21

Poliomyelitis (Polio)

Answer 21

Viral infection of nervous system that causes paralysis. Is basically eradicated current day.

Question 22

Post polio syndrome

Answer 22

When you get the vaccine at a young age, you later on start to show very watered down signs of polio. This includes weakness, slight paralysis.

Question 23

Seizure

Answer 23

From any type of brain trauma. Way for brain to call out for help or in pain. Basically any seizure not caused by epilepsy.

Question 24

Shingles

Answer 24

Chicken pox (type of herpes). Viral infection that causes breakout along ribs. Reinfection of chicken pox in older people who had it as a child.

Question 25

How is shingles treated?

Answer 25

Treat with antivirals. This take a long time to work.

Question 26

Subdural Hematoma (SDH)

Answer 26

Like EDH but underneath the dura mater

Question 27

Syncope

Answer 27

Fainting

Question 28

Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Answer 28

Warning to stroke. You feel weak but no pain. Like what angina is to MI.

Question 29

Tremor

Answer 29

Rhythmic contractions of muscle as seen in PD

Question 30

Development disorders? (3)

Answer 30

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Dyslexia

Question 31

Anxiety disorders? (4)

Answer 31

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Panic disorder (PD), Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Question 32

Mood disorders? (5)

Answer 32

Bipolar, depression, Seasonal affective disorder, psychotic disorder, schizophrenia.

Question 33

GAD

Answer 33

Generalized anxiety disorder. Excessive worry that can have physical symptoms like increased HR, chest pain, sweating, nausea, and headaches. When fight or flight response is on for longer than normal.

Question 34

OCD

Answer 34

Obsessive compulsive disorder. Lots of repetition to feel more in control. From fear of loss control over external environment.

Question 35

Panic disorder

Answer 35

Sudden reoccurring attacks that have physical symptoms. Can cause a heart attack as HR gets so high. Goes with GAD

Question 36

PTSD

Answer 36

Post traumatic stress disorder. Based on a past trauma. Constantly reliving trauma in their mind. Same result. Discovered thru post-military. Can be caused by something as benign as a pet dying.

Question 37

ADHD

Answer 37

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Can also be just ADD. Inability to focus on one task for long periods of time. Lack of impulse control. Treated thru behavior therapy.

Question 38

ASD

Answer 38

Autism spectrum disorder. Inability to be able to connect socially. Difficulty communicating with people and following social norms.

Question 39

Dyslexia

Answer 39

Trouble learning and recognizing written language.

Question 40

Bipolar disorder

Answer 40

Alternating periods of mania with extreme sadness. barely any in between. Best treated with meds.

Question 41

Mania

Answer 41

Extreme happiness

Question 42

Depression

Answer 42

Extreme sadness for long periods of time. Must be treated when it is affecting lifestyle and life is more affected when sad than when happy.

Question 43

SAD

Answer 43

Seasonal affective disorder. Depression that seasons affect. EX: more sunlight=happier, less sunlight=sad

Question 44

Psychotic disorders

Answer 44

Loss of touch with reality. Hallucinations and delusions. Thinks delusions are real. Prevents normal lifestyle. Requires regular heavy dose of meds. Common among homeless.

Question 45

Schizophrenia

Answer 45

Is a psychotic disorder. Psychotic disorders are split into multiple personalities.