Class 20 - Neurological disorders Flashcards
What is a cerebral vascular accident?
Sudden disruption of blood flow to the brain
What is an infarct?
An area of dead or dying tissue
What are the two types of strokes?
Ischemic and hemorrhagic
What is ischemia?
Blockage of a blood vessel
What is cerebral arteriosclerosis?
Thickening and hardening of the arteries
What is an angioma?
Collection of abnormal blood vessels. Called arteriovenous malformation
What is an aneurysm?
Vascular dilation and balloon expansion. Can fuckin explode…
What is recombinant tPA?
Used to reduce post effects of ischemic stroke. DO NOT WANT TO GIVE IT TO A HEMORRHAGIC STROKE
What is coup and counter coup?
Injury at the point of impact and injury at opposite side of blow, respectively
What is diffuse axonal injury?
Twisting and shearing of neural fibres
What does the Glasgow Coma Scale do?
A measurement of consciousness
What does post traumatic amnesia measure?
Measure of severity of injury and correlates with future memory disturbance
When does most of the head injury recover occur?
In 6 - 9 months
What are the two etiologies of seizures?
Symptomatic (identified with a cause) and ideopathic (appear spontaneously)
What are the three common symptoms of seizure?
Aura (warning), disturbance of consciousness, abnormal or cessation of movement
What tool is used to diagnose seizures?
EEG
What is a focal (Jacksonian, simple partial) seizure?
When the seizure activity starts in one area of the brain
What is a complex partial seizure?
You have disturbance in consciousness during seizures
What is a tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures?
Tonic = rigid, clonic = shaking
What is absence (petit mal) seizure?
Loss of awareness, no motor activity except blinking. Brief duration
What are akinetic/atonic seizures (drop attacks)?
Person collapses without any warning
What are myoclonic spasms?
Massive seizure with sudden flexion or extension of the body
What are some treatments for epilepsy?
Anticonvulsant drugs or surgery
What is a brain tumor?
A mass of tissue that grows independently?
What is benign and what is malignant?
Not likely and likely to recur after removal, respectively
What is an encapsulated tumor?
Distinct entity in the brain
What is an infiltrating tumor?
Not separated from surrounding tissue
What are some treatments for brain tumors?
Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy
What phases do your veins go through in a migraine?
Vasocontriction and then vasodilation
What is a cluster headache?
Unilateral pain that recurs on a regular pattern
What are hemiplegic and ophthalmologic migraines?
Moss of movement of the limbs and the eyes
What is a tension headache?
Muscle contraction headaches with steady pain
What are the best treatments for migraine?
Tryptans and ergotamine compounds, oxygen, antiepileptics
What are the best treatments for tension headaches?
Muscle relaxant drugs, minor tranquilizers, posture improvement, reduction of stress
What is encephalitis?
Virus infection of the brain
What is meningitis?
Infection of the meninges by bacteria
What is a mycotic infection?
Invasion of the nervous system by fungus
How do you treat viral, cerebral, mycotic or parasitic infections?
Antibiotics
What is myasthenia gravis?
Muscular fatigue caused by insufficient acetylcholine receptors on the muscles
What is poliomyelitis?
Infectious virus that causes paralysis and wasting of muscles. Controlled by Salk and Sabin vaccines
What is multiple sclerosis?
Loss of myelin mainly in the motor tracts. Has sclerotic plaques which are small, hard scars where myelin has been destroyed
What is paraplegia?
Paralysis of the lower limbs due to cutting the spinal cord
If you cut the left side of the spinal cord, what side will pain and temperature be broken on? What about fine touch and pressure?
Pain and temperature is lost on the opposite side of the cut. Fine touch and pressure lost on the same side of the cut
What is hemiplegia?
Loss of voluntary movement on one side of the body, changes in posture and reflexes. Appearance of babinski sign
What is narcolepsy?
Inappropriate attack of sleep
What is cataplexy?
Complete loss of muscle tone, often at times of emotional excitement
What is sleep paralysis with hypnagogic hallucinations?
Auditory, visual or tactile hallucinations while you are awake but cannot move
What is the difference between obstructive or central sleep apnea?
Obstructive is when the pharynx collapses, central sleep apnea when diaphragm and accessory muscles dont move due to a CNS disorder
What is restless leg syndrome?
Irresistible urge to move legs likely of CNS origin
