CNS

Question 1

What are focal neurological signs?

Answer 1

A set of symptoms in which causation can be localised to an anatomic sight in the CNS.

Question 2

What are generalised neurological abnormalities.

Answer 2

An alteration in levels of consciousness.

Question 3

What are the signs of frontal lobe damage?

Answer 3

Anosmia (loss of smell)
Inappropriate emotions.
Excessive dysphasia- loss of speech.
Motor impairment.

Question 4

What are the signs go parietal lobe damage?

Answer 4

Receptive dysphasia

Sensory impairment.

Question 5

What are the signs of temporal lobe damage?

Answer 5

Cortical deafness.

Receptive dysphasia.

Question 6

What is cerebrovascular disease?

Answer 6

A leading cause of mortality and morbidity.

Caused by either hypoxia, ischaemia, infarction and haemorrhage.

Question 7

Tissue survival during cerebrovascular disease is dependent on?

Answer 7

Collateral circulation
Duration of ischaemia
And magnitude of flow reduction.

Question 8

How would you recognise the signs of stroke?

Answer 8

Facial drooping
Inability to raise arms due to weakness and numbness.
Slurred speech- dysarthria
Loss of function that lasts over24 hours.

Question 9

What is a transient ischaemic attack?

Answer 9

A mini stroke
Usually resolves in 24 hours.
Symptoms are similar to a full stroke.

Question 10

What are the risk factors of stroke?

Answer 10

Hypertension
Diabetes
Previous TIA
Heart disease
Hyperlipidaemia.

Question 11

What are the symptoms of a left MCA infarct?

Answer 11

Damage to the speech in L hemisphere- loss of speech (aphasia)
Damage to L visual pathway- Loss of R vision- hamianopia.
Damage to left motor cortex and internal capsule- weakness of right fact, arm and leg.

Question 12

What causes haemorrhagic events?

Answer 12

Hypertension
Berry aneurysm
Neoplasia
Trauma
Drug abuse
Iatrogenic.

Question 13

Explain intracerebral haemorrhage.

Answer 13

Most are hypertension bleed- capsular haemorrhage.

Presents with headache, rapid or gradual decrease in conscience.

Question 14

Explain Subarachnoid haemorrhage

Answer 14

Rupture of saccular aneurysms.
Results in thunderclapping headache.
Symptoms similar to meningitis.

Question 15

Explain subdural heamorrhage.

Answer 15

Fluctuating levels of conscience.
Often on anticoagulants.
Often occurs as a result of minor trauma in the elderly.

Question 16

Explain extradural haemorrhage.

Answer 16

Post head injury resulting in slow falling conscious levels. Lucid period.
Often occur with a fractured temporal or parietal bone.

Question 17

What are the signs of dementia?

Answer 17

Increased risk of over 65.
Memory loss
Reduced speed of thought
Language change

Question 18

How would you test for dementia?

Answer 18

TSH- check thyroid levels are normal.
CT scan
Vitamin b12 thiamine.

Question 19

Explain the symptoms of alzheimers disease.

Answer 19

Defects in the visual-spatial skills (get lot)
Memory loss
Decreasing cognition
Ansognosia- lack of awareness

Question 20

What are the symptoms of epilepsy?

Answer 20

Focal twitching
Trance-like
Convulsions.

Question 21

Explain meningitis.

Answer 21

A bacterial infection.
Early symptoms include headache, cold and and feet, pyrexia.
Late signs include neck stiffness, photophobia, kerning’s sign (knee pain),
non blanching rash.

Question 22

Explain brain abcesses.

Answer 22

Focal infection.

Presents with headache, seizures and pyrexia.

Question 23

Explain parkinson’s disease.

Answer 23

Movement disorder- can be sporadic or familial.
Drug induced by haloperidol.
Presents as rigidity, bradykineses, resting tremor and postoral instability.

Question 24

Explain meningiomas.

Answer 24

Slow growing benign brain tumour..

Question 25

Explain astrocytomas.

Answer 25

Brain tumours that range in severity. Usually fatal.

Question 26

Explain pituitary tumours.

Answer 26

Can cause compression symptoms- such as affecting the eye.
Hormone active- secrete hormones.
E.g prlactinoma causes an increase in prolactin- resulting in an increase in nipple discharge.