CNS disorders Flashcards
MS
- Potentially disabling disease of CNS
- Immune system attacks myelin sheath that covers nerve fibres
- Causes communication problems between brain and rest of body
MS cause
- Unknown
- Considered to be autoimmune
- Reduced myelin exposes nerve fibres, interfering with speed and efficiency of message delivery
- Combination of genetic and environmental factors
MS population
- White women aged between 20-40
MS risks
- Age- 20-40
- Women 2-3x more likely
- Family Hx
- Certain infections- Epstein-Barr
- Race- white people
- Low vitamin D
- Chromosome 6p21 defect
- Smoking
MS presentation
- Variable- depend on location and severity of nerve fibre damage
- Numbness or weakness to one or more limbs, typically occurs unilaterally
- Lack of coordination
- Unsteady gait or inability to walk
- Partial or complete loss of vision
- Prolonged double/blurry vision
- Vertigo
- Slurred speech
- Cognitive problems
MS prognosis
- Can eventually cause permanent damage or deterioration of nerve fibres
- No cure however there are treatments to help speed up recovery from attacks, modify course of disease and manage symptoms
Temporal arteritis
- Inflammation of lining of arteries
- Aka giant cell arteritis
Temporal arteritis cause
- Caused by inflammation of blood vessels
- This narrows blood vessels reducing amount of blood and oxygen to reach body tissue
- Almost any artery can be affected, most common in temples
- Cause unknown
- Believed to be due to abnormal attacks on artery walls by immune system
- Certain genes and enviro factors might be involved
Temporal arteritis risk
- 70-80
- Women 2x
- White people
- PMR
- Family Hx
Temporal arteritis presentation
- Head P and tenderness
- Scalp tenderness
- Jaw P when chewing or opening mouth wide
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Vision loss/double vision
- Sudden permanent loss of vision
Temporal arteritis prognosis
- Prompt treatment with corticosteroid medication usually relives symptoms and might prevent vision loss
- Relapse common even with treatment
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Bleeding between space in brain and surrounding membrane (subarachnoid space)
Subarachnoid haemorrhage cause
- Usually happens when aneurysm bursts in brain
- Can be caused by trauma, tangle of blood vessels in brain or other health problems
Subarachnoid haemorrhage population
- Most common in people aged between 45-70
Subarachnoid haemorrhage risks
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- High blood pressure
Subarachnoid haemorrhage presentation
- Described as worst headache ever felt
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stiff neck
- Problems with vision
- Brief loss of consciousness
Subarachnoid haemorrhage prognosis
- 1/3 survive with good recovery
- 1/3 survive with disability or stroke
- 1/3 will die
Dizziness/vertigo cause
- Inner ear problems- house sensors that help detect gravity and back and fourth motion
- Eyes- help determine where body is in space
- Sensory nerves- sends messages to brain about body movements and positions
- Circulation problems that cause dizziness- drop in blood pressure, poor blood circulation
- Neurological conditions- e.g., Parkinson’s
- Medication
- Anxiety disorders
- Anaemia
- Damage to CN8
Vertigo population
- Can happen at any age, more common in people over 65
Vertigo risks
- Older adults
- Past episodes of dizziness
Vertigo presentation
- False sense of motion or spinning (vertigo)
- Light-headedness of feeling faint
- Unsteadiness or loss of balance
- Feeling of floating, wooziness or heavy headedness
Vertigo prognosis
- Most people get better without treatment
- Treatment will depend on cause
- ABs may be prescribed if caused by infection
- Exercises to improve balance
Myasthenia gravis
- Characterised by weakness and rapid fatigue of any muscle under voluntary control
Myasthenia gravis
- Antibodies
o Immune system produces antibodies that blocks or destroys muscle receptor sites for neurotransmitter acetylcholine
o With fewer receptor sites available, muscle receives fewer signals, resulting in weakness
o Can also impair function of protein called muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK)
o This protein is involved in forming nerve-muscle junction - Thymus gland
o Believed that thymus gland can trigger or maintain production pf antibodies which block Ach
o Common to have tumour in thymus gland, usually aren’t cancerous - Mother to child- if treated promptly child usually recovers within two months after birth
Myasthenia gravis population
- Can affect anyone
- Women more likely under 40
- Men over 60
Myasthenia gravis risk
- Women between 20-30
- Men 60-70
Myasthenia gravis presentation
- Muscle weakness worsens as affected muscle is used
- Usually improves with rest
- Muscle weakness can come and go
- Eye muscles
o Usually first sign
o Drooping of one or both eyelids
o Double vision - Facial and throat muscles
o 15% of peoples symptoms involve throat/face
o Impaired speaking
o Difficulty swallowing
o Affects chewing
o Changes facial expressions - Neck and limb muscles
o General weakness
o Can affect walking
o Weak neck muscles make it hard to hold head up
Myasthenia gravis prognosis
- No cure but treatment can help relive signs and symptoms
Common S+S of cranial nerve injury
- Specific S&S depend on the cranial nerve that is affected
- Intermittent attacks of excruciating facial px
- Vertigo
- Hearing loss
- Weakness
- Paralysis
- Facial twitch
Olfactory nerve
Smell
CN1
Symptoms of olfactory dysfunction
- Ansomia
o Complete loss of smell - Dysomia
o Also called phantosmia
o Unpleasant or strange odours that occur spontaneously - Hyposmia
o Partial loss of smell - Parosmia
o Distorted sense of smell
o E.g. familiar foods that may smell like chemicals or mould
Conditions that affect olfactory nerve
Sinus infection
Covid
PD
Epilepsy
Diabetes
Alzheimers